Vice
The moment we stepped into the XiQu Centre we knew this episode was going to be special. Sitting in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, the building is a striking modern landmark dedicated entirely to Cantonese Opera. It felt like the perfect place to throw our intern Aaron into one of the most challenging jobs we could imagine.
We weren’t there to watch a performance. We were there to make one.
This episode formed part of VICE’s global 24 Hour Intern format, a series built around dropping a curious but completely unqualified host into unusual professions and giving them just a single day to try and master them. The format had already been hugely successful internationally, with episodes covering everything from stunt driving to, somewhat memorably, the port-a-potty industry.
Our job was to bring the format to Asia for the first time, with Hong Kong as the launch city. We wanted professions that were visually striking, culturally rich and genuinely difficult to learn in a single day. Cantonese Opera quickly became one of the standout choices.
For anyone unfamiliar with it, Cantonese Opera is one of the most intricate performance traditions in the world. Its roots go back centuries, evolving from travelling theatrical troupes during the Song Dynasty before flourishing across southern China and eventually Hong Kong. A single performance blends music, martial arts, storytelling, dance and highly stylised movement, all delivered through elaborate costumes and distinctive vocal techniques.
It is an art form performers train for from childhood. Which made it the perfect challenge for someone attempting to learn it in 24 hours.
Once inside the theatre we were taken backstage and immediately immersed in the world behind the curtain. Racks of heavily embroidered costumes lined the walls. Makeup stations were stacked with brushes and brightly coloured paints used to create the iconic opera faces. In rehearsal rooms performers practised sword routines and vocal scales that echoed through the corridors.
It was visually incredible and exactly the kind of environment that makes documentary storytelling come alive.
Aaron’s training started almost immediately.
His first lesson was movement. Cantonese Opera choreography is precise and physically demanding, drawing heavily from martial arts traditions. Even basic stances require balance, strength and muscle control. Aaron’s first few attempts involved more falling over than fighting.
The singing proved even more ambitious. Opera vocals require years of training to control tone, pitch and projection. Aaron gave it everything he had but the results were… memorable.
Makeup training followed. Traditional Cantonese Opera makeup uses detailed colour patterns to represent specific character types. Under the guidance of professional performers Aaron attempted to recreate the look himself. Let’s just say the result looked less like a heroic warrior and more like someone who had lost a fight with a paint box.
Despite the chaos, the performers were incredibly welcoming and generous with their time. After hours of training they eventually offered Aaron a small role assisting during the live performance, helping move props and set pieces during scene changes. After everything he’d been through that day, it was a role he accepted with visible relief.
From a production standpoint the XiQu Centre was an amazing space to work in. The scale of the theatre allowed us to run multiple camera units simultaneously across backstage areas, rehearsal rooms and the stage itself. We were able to capture Aaron’s chaotic training, the meticulous preparation before the show and the live performance all in parallel.
The visual contrast between backstage preparation and the polished final performance gave the episode a natural narrative arc. One moment Aaron was stumbling through rehearsals, the next he was nervously waiting in the wings as a real Cantonese Opera performance unfolded around him.
Post production played a huge role in bringing the story together. With multiple cameras rolling across rehearsals, backstage and performance footage, the edit focused on weaving those perspectives into a fast paced narrative that mirrored Aaron’s experience of the day.
The comedy of the format really came to life in the edit. Moments from Aaron’s training were cut against the elegance and precision of the professional performers, creating a rhythm that highlighted both the humour and the incredible skill of the artists we were filming. Music and pacing helped push the episode forward, balancing cultural exploration with the chaotic energy that makes 24 Hour Intern work so well.
The final result captured exactly what we love about making these films. A cultural deep dive, a genuinely funny human story and a rare look behind the scenes of an art form most audiences rarely get access to.
Filming inside the XiQu Centre was a privilege for the entire crew. It gave us a chance to showcase not just the comedy of the format but the beauty and discipline of Cantonese Opera itself.
And while Aaron may not be giving up his day job to become an opera star anytime soon, he did at least survive his 24 hour internship.
If you ever find yourself in Hong Kong, the XiQu Centre is well worth a visit. Watching a live Cantonese Opera performance there is an unforgettable experience.