16th December 2025 – (Hong Kong) A celebrated Spanish theatre company will bring its acclaimed family production Laika to Hong Kong in mid‑January under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s “Cheers!” Series. Blending video projection, puppetry, automatons and shadow play, the multimedia work transports audiences of all ages back to the 1950s for an interstellar odyssey about courage, friendship and the meaning of life.
Premiering in 2018, Laika has since been translated into 12 languages and staged more than 400 times across Europe and Asia, becoming one of Xirriquiteula Teatre’s signature works. The production has garnered multiple honours, including Best Show for Family Audiences at Spain’s MAX Awards, Best Authorship and Direction at the European Children’s Theatre Showcase FETEN Awards, and Best Show for Family Theatre at the Barcelona CRITIC’S Awards.
Inspired by the true story of the first animal to orbit the Earth, the play follows a gentle, quick‑witted stray who passes the trials of a space training camp to become a pioneer of space exploration. She forms a profound bond with the female scientist tasked with her care, and when the scientist learns the mission is one‑way, the pair embark on a daring bid for freedom.
Children’s favourites—space, rockets, science and adventure—are woven through the production. An intricately crafted canine puppet, animated with striking realism, brings Laika vividly to life, while automatons depict laboratory animals. Inventive shadow theatre, cinematic montage and imaginative set design conjure a cascade of settings, from hospital wards and research labs to wintry landscapes and rocket launches. The cast’s heartfelt performances and a dynamic musical score heighten both drama and emotion, inviting reflections on humanity’s pursuit of scientific progress and the value of life.
Founded in Barcelona in 1985, Xirriquiteula Teatre is renowned for imaginative stage and street works for families, marked by meticulous craftsmanship and innovation. The company collaborates across disciplines and continually experiments to deliver exceptional theatrical experiences.
Laika will be presented at the Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall, at 7.30pm on 16th and 17th January (Friday and Saturday) and at 3pm on 17th and 18th January (Saturday and Sunday). Performances are in English with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets, priced at HK$220, HK$280 and HK$340, are on sale via URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) or by phone on 3166 1288. A range of discounts, including package and family offers, is available. For programme details and concession schemes, call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/multi_arts/programs_1904.html. Post‑show meet‑the‑artist sessions (in Spanish with Cantonese and English interpretation) will follow each performance.
Running from November to February, this edition of the “Cheers!” Series features international and local family attractions—spanning puppetry, acrobatics, circus, dance, music, theatre, multimedia works and musicals—to enliven the festive season. Further information is available at www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/f_entertainment/groups_1883.html.
