My first experience of watching a play in a formal theatre was during my junior secondary school days. I watched ‘A Servant of Two Masters’ by Chung Ying Theatre Company at Tsuen Wan Town Hall (TWTH). During the intermission, my sister returned from the restroom and exclaimed in surprise, “That guy is actually a woman!” In the restroom, she met Veronica Needa who was playing a male character in the play. As there was no separate restroom for the backstage at the Cultural Activities Hall at TWTH, the actors had to use the same facilities as the audience.

Years later, during a barbecue gathering of old Chung Ying colleagues on the balcony of the company’s premise at Borrett Road, I recounted this story to Veronica, She responded with a warm smile, saying, in Cantonese, “係囉！嗰個咪係我囉！(Yes, that was me!)” That smile of Veronica’s etched in my memory as it was how she looked every time we met. Rest in peace, dear Veronica.