Evolving from the International Theatre Critics Lecture/Workshop Series, this online thematic talk series focuses on the development of contemporary performing arts of Asia and is curated by performing arts critics. Our guest curator of the second episode Liu Xiaoyi, an experienced arts critics from Singapore, and other special speakers are going to share their thoughts in this talk series.
Featured Article by Liu Xiaoyi:
Mandarin Seminar: Chinese Theatre in the Multicultural Context of Singapore
Singapore's uniqueness lies in its cultural diversity, where various cultures possess distinct performing arts traditions and stage presentations. In the 1980s, with the staging of works like Kuo Pao Kun’s Mama Looking for Her Cat, multilingual and multicultural performances began to enter the theatre scene, seeking new local identities. In this context, the positioning and development of “Chinese Theatre” in Singapore, as opposed to other Chinese/Mandarin-speaking regions like China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, inevitably requires consideration of its complex identity crisis, current state of existence, and future developmental challenges. This segment features two Singaporean art practitioners active in education and practice respectively: Rei Poh, Associate Dean of the School of Theatre at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, which is set to launch a new programme, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Contemporary Chinese Theatres in the latter half of this year; and Oliver Chong, Artistic Director of The Finger Players, who has performed his multilingual monologue Roots in Hong Kong. What is Singapore's “Chinese Theatre” in their eyes? How does the multicultural environment influence their reflections on Chinese culture, language, and identity?
Date: 2024.05.28 (Tue)
Time: 8:00-9:30PM (HKT)
Speakers:
Rei Poh Cheng Leong (Associate Dean, School of Theatre, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Singapore)
Oliver Chong (Artistic Director, The Finger Players)
English Seminar: Theatre Criticism in the Multicultural Context of Singapore
The utilisation of language within Singaporean theatres reflects its intricacies of multicultural history and societal milieu. Consequently, language transcends mere conveyance of content; it emerges as a pivotal theme in theatre critique, encompassing post-colonialism, political dynamics among languages and races, as well as the interplay and wrestle of multiculturalism and cross-cultural encounters. Moreover, within the multicultural linguistic context, both critique and archiving extend beyond linguistic choices, delving into cultural issues such as systematics, translation, and bibliography. The two individuals invited in this segment have been actively engaged in theatre critique for years, but have now transitioned into alternative capacities: the versatile Corrie Tan, aside from being a researcher, critic, and dramaturg, now also teaches at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts; while Clarissa Oon, currently overseeing Communications and Content at Esplanade, delves into the historical landscape of Singaporean performing arts through an archivist’s lens, contributing a new perspective to critique. How do they contemplate theatre critique within Singapore's multicultural landscape? Furthermore, how do they perceive the roles of arts education and archiving as significant annotations to theatre critique?
Date: 2024.06.04 (Tue)
Time: 8:00-9:30PM (HKT)
Speakers:
Corrie Tan (Senior Lecturer, School of Fine Art, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Singapore)
Clarissa Oon (Head, Communications and Content, The Esplanade Co Ltd)
Moderator and Guest Curator:
Liu Xiaoyi (Artistic Director, Emergency Stairs)
Format: Zoom Meeting
Language: Mandarin/English
Presented by: International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong)