Yau Ma Tei Theater, Hong Kong - Home to Cantonese Opera

Yau Ma Tei Theater, Hong Kong Overview

Yau Ma Tei Theater is located near the junction of Waterloo Street and Reclamation Street in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Being the only surviving Pre-World II theater in Kowloon it is a very important historical monument for China. Yau Ma Tei Theater gives us a peek into the rich and diverse culture of China, the theater plays english, japanese and cantonese movies throughout the year. It is also the hub for melodious Cantonese Operas.

Yau Ma Tei Theater has a capacity of 300 seats, and is equipped with an orchestra stage, foyer, changing rooms, light and sound control panel and a box office. The movies screened at the theater are mostly Hollywood movies or Chinese movies produced by Shanghai Productions. The movies and operas in Chinese presented at the theater are displayed with english subtitles for the understanding of the tourists. The Yau Ma Tei Theater presents the perfect opportunity for inquisitive people to bask in the history and culture of the theater with a lot of entertainment.

Yau Ma Tei Theater Tickets

Service Hours: Tickets can be bought directly at the box office of the Yau Ma Tei Theater during their daily open hours.

Online Booking: Online tickets for movies at the theater can be booked at www.urbtix.hk

Guided Tours

The theater conducts regular tours explaining the theater’s splendid history and architecture. The guided tours are free of cost and cover the Yau Ma Tei Theater and the Red Brick Building next to the theater. The tours are conducted for one hour in only Cantonese language. The days and timings for the guide tours should be checked before visiting the theater.

Architecture

Yau Ma Tei Theater sports a pre-war mixed Chinese and Western Architecture. The most distinctive features are two pillars at the entrance of the theater engraved with laughing and crying masks. The theater’s interior portrays Art Deco whereas the proscenium arch and the entrance is influenced by Neoclassical Art Deco. Yau Ma Tei Theater also sports Chinese pitched roof and Dutch gabled walls.

Yau Ma Tei Theater History

Yau Ma Tei Theater, built in 1930, is the only movie theater in Kowloon which has survived since before World War II. The neo-classical architecture and the art deco facade gives a solid proof that the theater was indeed built in the late 1920s. It was a hotspot for the locals then.

In the 1980s, there was a steady decline of visitors to the theater due to the construction of new theaters and increased popularity of televisions. On 31st July, 1998 the theater was shut down and declared as a Grade II historical monument. Yau Ma Tei Theater was reopened again on 17th July, 2012 to promote the historical monument, conserve the heritage of the theater and spread the Chinese culture.

Tips

1. The theater’s timings extend till 9:30 PM for the charged events.
2. 4 seats are available for special audience with wheelchair.

How To Reach Yau Ma Tei Theater

Yau Ma Tei Theater is located on 6 Waterloo Road, Kowloon. The theater is at a walking distance from the MTR Yau Ma Tei Station Exit B2. Buses and mini buses are available but they stop at Nathan Road, located at a distance of 2 km from the theater.

The bus numbers to north of Nathan road are 1, 1A, 2, 6, 6C, 6F, 7, 8, 9, 102, 102P, 102R, 104, 112, 117, 118, 118P, 171, 171A, 171P, 208, 270A, 270S, 271, 970, 970X, 971, A21, N21, N21A, N23, N118, N122, N171, N216, N241, N271, N281, N7. Bus numbers to south of Nathan Road are 1, 1A, 2, 6, 6C, 6F, 7, 9, 30X, 35A, 41A, 81C, 81S, 87D, 93K, 102, 102P, 104, 112, 117, 118, 118P, 171, 203S, 208, 212, 230X, 234P, 234X, 281A, 281B, 281X, 970, 970X, 971, A21, N21, N21A, N118, N122, N171, N216, N241, N281.

Minibus number to Nathan Road are 3, 43M, 12S, 74, 74S, 606S. To travel with more convenient and comfortable mode private cabs and rental cars are available.