The Necessary Stage’s researcher Shawn Chua is joined by Nelson Chia, the director and translator of the 2017 production, Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit, who played the character Habiba in the first staging, and theatre researcher Wong Chee Meng. The four discuss the creative processes behind the development of the original play and its Mandarin translation, as well as language and its culture and politics.
This Living Room conversation spotlights both versions of Fundamentally Happy, with theatre practitioners and researchers in a discussion of language, changing contexts and more. Join actress Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit (who played the character Habiba in 2006 and 2007), director Nelson Chia (who directed and translated the 2017 Mandarin production), independent theatre researcher Dr. Wong Chee Meng, and The Necessary Stage’s researcher Shawn Chua, as they chat about Fundamentally Happy. In the Living Room: Fundamentally Happy is held in conjunction with The Studios 2017, presented by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. EVENT DETAILS Admission price: Give-What-You-Can
Wednesday, 5 April 2017
8pm @ Centre 42 Black Box
Please register here
Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit graduated with a degree in Drama from Queensland University of Technology. Aidli writes, directs, acts, teaches, and designs lighting and costume. She has worked with local theatre companies like The Necessary Stage, W!ld Rice, Teater Ekamatra, and Drama Box. Together with Noor Effendy Ibrahim and Alfian Sa’at, Aidli published an anthology of Malay plays in BISIK. Aidli is the Founder and Director of Panggung ARTS and she is the recipient of the Young Artist Award for Theatre in 2008. Aidli is currently working in Temasek Polytechnic while pursuing her Master of Education.
Nelson Chia is an actor, director and theatre educator. Trained in the Suzuki Method, he has performed on the Singapore stage for over two decades in both English and Mandarin productions. Nelson holds an MA in Directing from Goldsmiths College and has directed over 25 major productions. He is best known for his translation, adaptation and direction of old and contemporary classics in Mandarin. Nelson previously headed the Department of Theatre at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and lectured at LASALLE College of the Arts and the Theatre Studies Programme at the National University of Singapore. In 2012, Nelson co-founded Nine Years Theatre (NYT) with his wife Mia Chee. NYT strives to raise the profile of Mandarin theatre among Singapore audiences. In 2013, Nelson created the NYT Ensemble, a first of its kind in Singapore, to have a group of actors who train and create work together over an extended period of time.
Wong Chee Meng is an independent researcher and theatre reviewer with particular interest in intercultural theatre. He has previously worked as a translator, a bilingual journalist and an arts manager in the performing arts. Apart from a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and Chinese studies from the National University of Singapore, he holds a Masters and a PhD degree in heritage studies from the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus in Germany. His doctoral thesis was on performance and intercultural dialogue. He has lectured in Chinese film studies as a postdoctoral fellow in literary and cultural studies with the Nanyang Technological University.
Moderator:
Shawn Chua is a researcher at The Necessary Stage. He holds an MA in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, and is a recipient of the National Arts Council’s Art Scholarship (Postgraduate).
Source: Centre 42 Facebook
