The Loop HK 30 Under 30 2017

Actress

Gabby So is known for her one-woman show “Red Rose/White Rose” — which she has performed in Hong Kong, New York and the world-famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Created based on classical literature, So wrote and produced the show chronicling the story of a  “spotless wife” and “shameless mistress”.

But that wasn’t her first rodeo. The actress previously created another solo show, “Breakfast at Tiffany”. She got her start in the industry with an internship at Will Smith’s company, Overbrook Entertainment, working in script development — followed by stints with veteran director Lee Lik-chee and film producer Chip Tsao, both big names in the Hong Kong entertainment business.

“Besides constantly developing new content, I finance my projects year-round to launch them internationally.”

Other than her theatrical work, So freelances as a screen actress. “Besides constantly developing new content, I finance my projects year-round to launch them internationally,” she explains. In 2016, other than performing at Fringe, she also showcased her talent at the United Solo Festival and co-produced with the Yangtze Repertory Theater of America, both in New York. She’s currently crowdfunding for her next show, Struggle for Happiness. Inspired by Alice Munro’s Nobel Prize-winning story about Sophia Kovalevksy, a 19th century female mathematician, the show is set to be put on in New York.

With a diverse portfolio, So says that she’s most proud of “making bloody choices” with her acting. But for the Hongkonger, who was born and raised in the city, her biggest ambition is “bringing hope to this city when it is plagued by fears.”

What inspires her? “The joys of discovering more about myself and the world with every new story I tell.”

Her role model? “Anna Deavere Smith, the first actress doing one-woman shows.”