Of recent I directed a digital media music theatre that I wrote. The play was titled "Happy" and it was staged in Exeter, UK.

The two duets in the play was written by composer and Jazz singer- Charis Vera Ng.



















The actors include Eleana Georgouli (Greece), Lin Chien-lang (Taiwan), Nina Minshull (UK), and Thomas Angell (UK).

An intimate black box theatre space, with minimalistic staging, deploying live video projections to televisions, butoh, live instruments, singing, and acting.



















The dramatic score of the performance straddles across different acting approaches, requiring the actors to access different journeys to arrive at their final performance.

It was a test of the actors' acting resources in approaching a wide spectrum of styles, and allows the actor trainer to open up the performance range, and pliability of the actors.



















Deploying Derridean's approach to performance (no prior), to contact improvisation (Anne Bogart, Theatre de Complicite...), and Artistolelian acting approaches, I explored the landscape of the theatre piece.

Thematically, the play focused on exploring how one would stage "miscommunication" and "absent bodies". The story was catapulted from a quasi-autobiographical source, and takes its inspiration from my absence away from my wife, and my heritage from a society of missing bodies (immigrant society).



















After staging it for a preview audience, a dress rehearsal audience and for performance, I am now able finalize the final copy of the script, further developing on the layering and juxtaposition of my dramatic elements.

Personally, I would like to enhance one of the character's presence (character 4), and infuse greater contrast and humour into the play.



















When this play be staged again, wherever in the world, I hope to be able to collaborate with a digital media artist, and a music composer to further work on the theatricality aspects of the play.

Two days later after the staging of "Happy", I watched "Red Sky" written by Stan Lai (Taiwan), and adapted/directed by Bobo Fung (Hong Kong).

Watching the play made me want to fly to Taiwan to study playwrighting and dramatic structures under Stan Lai.

I started as an actor with high proficiency in the theatre craft, and now reading the many books on dramatic actions, playwriting, and leading directors from around the world, I am fascinated by their world, and how my world as an actor is entering into their domain.

Its like exiting a jungle which I know like the back of my hand, and entering into an different kind of jungle. One that smells different, and feels different...

 A music technologist once said to me, “Chris, I just realised that pay for new, full-time doctors working in hospitals; they are paid about $70 an hour. As such, I realised that we are overpaying our drama teachers.” That was in 2008.

During my Humanities class at the Theatre Training & Research Programme, our director- T. Sasitharan quoted this story to us, “Someone once said, if we drown a hundred leading scientists from around the world, societies will feel acutely the great lost. But if we drown a hundred artists, societies will not feel it.”

What is the life of an artist?

Do we not hurt when you sink a knife into us? And do we not have tears when we lose someone dear?

When I was in Kyoto training in Noh theatre, I encountered this Caucasian business man at a hotel lobby while waiting to access the hotel’s internet. In our conversation, he asked me what I did. I said I was a theatre practitioner. He seemed a little surprised, and asked how it has been so far. I said, “Well, life as an artist doesn’t make a lot of money, but it doesn’t allow you to starve too.”

To which he replied, “It would be wrong for artists to make a lot of money, doing what they do.”

Are we as artists doomed to an eternity of poverty because of our calling?
We know well enough that we do not measure our success according to the measure of how big a house we live in, or how expensive a car we drive, or what brands of clothing we wear.

As one Russian prima ballerina said, “I worked with some of the finest set designers, top costume designers, leading choreographers, and danced with the best dancers in the world, what a rich life!”

We know that. But yet, I have difficulty reconciling what one of my puppeteer and actor friend said; that many of us in the puppetry theatre company do not dare to dream of getting married, having children, or even having a life-long companion for the rest of their days; because of the dedication they have poured into their craft.

The endless hours on ends perfecting the one craft of performance, and to not see how a way to make a living, respectable to the normal man on the streets.

Or to know of my brilliant, talented, and award winning, dancer-choreographer friends not knowing how they would spend the rest of their lives, having lost the entire wing of their dancers due to insufficient funding.

Who ranks how much pay an artist should get? Or which arts company gets how much funding? How does one measure such illusive things?

Three out of four visual arts scholarship recipients from a certain year left the visual arts industry shortly after graduating from their Masters programme.

If I were to know that my children are to suffer for my choice of career, then I set aside my calling in the theatre for their future.

However, a puppeteer/actress friend told me that she would not do the same as me. Instead she would teach her children how to live in those conditions.

Another actress friend said, “Life is beautiful in the little things. If we cannot have a buffet spread for every meal, then I will pack little sandwiches for my family and bring them to the sea for a little picnic. That is beautiful too. We should not wait for life to hand out a living to us. It is we- the living people who makes that difference in life.”

Aye, it is true. Artists are people first and foremost. And through the art we know as film, television or theatre; we make that difference come alive, where people come to witness and be empowered with the strength of love, faith and hope, to go on living.

In these times of dire economy crisis, we are even more important; of farmers celebrating a harvest, of lovers coming together or parting, of Hamlets and Ophelias, the reality we recreate in theatre is indeed the now.

It is a signal not to give up; not as long as there is still a breath left in our body.

Life is a race, so run the good race, fight the good fight; and do not forget to keep close to your love ones for support!

 

Of recent, I performed for "Dance Marathon 08", a 36 hours dance and theatre, durational event  in Exeter, Devonshire, UK (Dec 08).

In the event, I performed in a short excerpt on "Credit" with an American-Shakespearean actor, Greek actress and British actress. It was an interesting mix of dynamics performing with them; and receiving good reception from the audience during the last six hour cycle; with the audience was laughing the heads off.

"Fewer Emergencies", which I directed, was also staged a second time but in clown costumes (the first was in tuxedos and dress). The second staging was one of the best dramatic  performances I have seen from the actors. It is interesting how working with exhaustion can transform actors.

Winning best "Cha-cha" and "Waltz" couple for the 36hr long durational event with my young, British partner, were the other two highs for me. She wanted it from the beginning and I am glad that this older actor did not let her down on that aspect.

Looking forward to direct "Trojan Women" next, wonder which version I will be working on.

 

Recently, helped a friend to perform for "Short & Sweet Singapore 2008, Mandarin 10" at the Arts House (Play Den).

It was four stagings over three days and we were the largest ensemble cast in the entire series.

It was also the first time in the world, that "Short & Sweet" has evolved into a Mandarin language series.

I felt that the director and co-actors was able to translate the drama from page to stage, and bring across elements which was not evident on print.

It was interesting to see how the theatre-end-product was larger than the sum of its parts.

It was also an interesting experience to return to ensemble work with a group of young actors.

I was acting as Ma Xiu, a drunkard, who seems to articulate the clearest thoughts of them sober ones.

While I had done drunkard roles, such Jiao Da Xing from the Chinese classic- "Wilderness" by Cao Yu, it had been a long since I done something like that.

While professional production houses do not use real alcohol in portraying drunkards, I did elect to explore the physicality of someone who has been consuming alcohol and performing the actions as required in the scrīpt.

For an actor who usually don't drink, it is interesting to revisit basics and explore things from scratch all over again.

After exploring the sense and sensibilities, to capture those elements and maintain it without alcohol.

That chapter is altogether amazing experience.

An actor acting as a drunk does not act drunk, or tries to walk like a drunk. On the contrary, the actor should try his best to walk straight (but finds it not easy to do so).

A very fine line, which when over-stepped, will run the risk of been over-the-top.

It does not help, that the acting, should be kept within the perimeters of a  black box space, where performance and audience are all kept in intimate proximities.

Play and practice, it was simply wonderful, been that character and in the same "river" as the rest of the cast at the same time.

When that happens, magic happens and starts transforming everything, with the moments pregnant with meaningful exchanges and life.

Life as encapsulated on stage, so preciously shared with the audiences, that on reflection, almost felt like a ritualistic act with dedicated witnesses.

An experience that can only be experienced in the moment, there and then, and forever lost after you leave.

Leaving behind, only the impact of that special encounter in your soul.

Of recent, I have directed SRJC's original musical extravaganza- "StoRies: Reach for the Stars" at The Republic Culture Centre, Singapore, produced by Reginald Chan, written and composed by Raymond Fong.

It was a 150 performer-strong musical with music accompaniment from the SRJC Band, Guitar Ensemble, Guzheng Ensemble and Choir.

The musical was also especially enhanced by the superb choreography of Dan Kwoh and dancers.

We even received a standing ovation on the second performance, which I feel, is not a common form of expression by a Singaporean audience.

My partner and I taking a breather before the second show.


The other recent production I have directed is Dance-Theatre performance- "The Black Masked Dancer" with the Kaki Bukit Prison School, as part of their larger concert.

Deploying Taichi, Physical Theatre and Dance, we choreographed and directed the entire 15 minute item. The dance choreography was helmed by their own student, a fine Indian choreographer named Guru.

It was an amazing experience to witness how the performance came to live on stage, from months of work on the floor.

The students designed and created the props, sets and costumes with support from their teachers. It was one of the most inspirational theater experience to work with the talented and humble performers.