Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI) presents The Chair, an original work directed by award-winning theatre veteran Li Xie and performed by the ITI graduating Class of 2023.

The ITI Professional Diploma in Intercultural Theatre (Acting) is a three-year programme that follows a conservatory-style model, where actor-students train intensively for two years before embarking on two public productions in their final year as part of the curriculum. The Chair is the first publicly presented production for the graduating cohort of 2023.

The Chair raises questions on individual and collective responsibility, grief, and the desperate, at times absurd pursuit of justice in an unjust world. Who has the right to decide? When is justice served? What do we owe to each other in the balancing of scales?

This thought-provoking ensemble work is brought to life by five actor-students, incorporating their training in Asian Traditional and Western Contemporary forms with the clarity, rhythm, and stylistic precision of V. Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, taught by the play’s Director and ITI Acting teacher Li Xie.

On the use of Biomechanics throughout the devising process, Director Li Xie says: “With the current cohort, we have been through Biomechanics training since Year 1. That gives us a solid foundation and common language in the process. It’s a rare and exciting experience to witness their growth because they have gained much deeper understanding. Meyerhold’s Biomechanics is an actor training system, but often misunderstood as an acting style. We devised The Chair based on its principles such as creating a precise, rhythmic and expressive action score with the element of stylized grotesque. It’s crucial to incorporate Stanislavski’s training. Both Meyerhold and Stanislavski are inseparable to support the creation as an entity.”

The Chair will be staged at the Drama Centre Black Box from 31 August to 2 September 2023. The ITI graduating Class of 2023 consists of five actor-students: Abinaya Jothi, Cheng Kam Yiu (Yolanda), Choy Chee Yew, Mika Oskarson Kindstrand, Swathilakshmi Perumal, from India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sweden.

The Chair plays from 31st August to 2nd September 2023 at Drama Centre Black Box. Tickets available from Peatix