Wow! Back in West Quarry at last!

The flourishing sex industry gave rise to various entertainment venues, such as cinemas, music societies, clubs, amusement parks and so on. This slope on Queen’s Road, which was called “ The Back of the Tortoise”, was where the then Tai Ping Theatre was located. Before the opening of Lee Theatre in 1924, Tai Ping Theatre, which was established in 1904, was the biggest cinema with the highest standard in Hong Kong at that time. There were three storeys and over 1000 seats, which were categorized into front, middle, back and supreme seats, and also the “Imperial Concubine’s Beds”, a sort of Cleopatra’s Chairs. The Theatre was the definite choice of venue whenever Chinese organizations needed to entertain British royalties or the senior officials of Hong Kong Government. Cantonese operas and operas from various places of the highest standards were on show here. Renowned actor Ma Si Tsang had founded and led the Tai Ping Theatrical Troupe, which was stationed at the Theatre. Famous local actors and actors from other places of China, like Tam Lan Hing, Mei Lan Fang and others, had all performed on the stage of this theatre. In 1932, Tai Ping Theatre was renovated and had been installed with the projectors with audio system. It then started to screen Chinese and Western movies. This was the best place for entertainment for the West Quarry girls, and also a good place for the wealthy young masters to take us to in order to please us.