by Candace Chong Mui Ngam
It is inspired by stories from volunteers of Medecins sans Frontieres, Alive in the Mortuary probes the struggle of a Hong Kong surgeon in Angola who is strapped in the mortuary of a temporary hospital due to local warring parties attack. In this desperate situation that any action outside fills him with dread, he came into a strange mental aberration, and he meets an engineer. They first start a row on various medical issues and meaning of life, but then they recognize each other, and share the same dream, same mission and facing the same trouble.
Chong Mui Ngam graduated from the Faculty of Social Science of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, majoring in Psychology and the School of Drama of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, majoring in playwriting.
She joined Chung Ying Theatre Company as a member of Playwright Theatre Creative Team, where she wrote Alive in the Mortuary and Angel Aurora. She also wrote Love in the Red Chamber, Venezia Cafe of the Portland Street, Changing Cast, Shall We Go to Mars and translated The Village of Widows. Besides, she has been the assistant to director in including The Rivals, The Dark Tales and Ruan Lingyu and the script writer of TV documentary Hong Kong Today and Stories From Afar.
Chong was awarded the first runner-up in Script-writing competition of 26th Hong Kong Youth Literature Award and was awarded the Outstanding Playwright from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In 2003, she received the Best Script Award at the 12th & 14th Hong Kong Drama Awards.
She has been awarded in 2004 the Lee Hysan Foundation Fellowship by Asian Cultural Council to spend 12 months in the United States.
