Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Faculty Profiles
         
 

DR LOON SEONG YUN, ROBIN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT of ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
National University of Singapore
10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260

       
Appointment: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Office: AS5/05-17
Email: robinloon@nus.edu.sg
Tel: 65164070
Fax: 67732981
Homepage: http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/elllsy/
  
 
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LINKS:
| Brief Introduction | Teaching Areas | Current Research | Research Interests | Publications | Other Information

Brief Introduction Top

After being awarded the NUS-OGS, Robin Loon received his PhD from Royal Holloway University of London in 2004. His PhD research focused on how to read intercultural theatre using TheatreWorks' Intercultural Trilogy as case studies. His current research interests include popular culture and performance, intercultural performance in Asia, media and performance.
An active participant in the Singapore English Language Theatre scene since 1991, Robin Loon has also written for the local stage. His work in theatre now mainly involves dramaturgy and play-writing.  He has maintained a close working relationship with TheatreWorks (S) Ltd, a leading English Language theatre company in Singapore, and its artistic director Ong Keng Sen.  His most recent work with Ong includes: 120 - a site specific project commissioned and performed at the National Museum of Singapore (2007); Geisha - an intercultural production staged in Singapore, New York's Lincoln Centre, Sweden & Hong Kong (2006).  He is also the Head of the TheatreWorks' Writer's Laboratory (2007-2008).


Teaching Areas Top

Teaching modules:
TS1101e - Introduction to Theatre & Drama (Practicals)
TS2239 - Major Playwrights of the 20th Century
TS3234 - Popular Culture and Performance
TS3245 - Professional Theatre Internship
TS3242 - Intercultural Theatre
TS4218 - Theatre and Postmodernism
TS4219 - Media and Popular Performance
TS5101 - Text and Performance


Current Research Top

Intercultural performance
Performance and performativity in media and popular cultural
Postmodern aesthetics in theatre


Research Interests Top

Modernising traditional theatre and performance
Sexuality in theatre and performance


Publications Top

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

  • Rewriting Shakespeare and Englishness: George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar & Cleopatra in Postcolonial Cultures and Literatures: Modernity and the (Un)Commonwealth. Eds. Andrew Benjamin, Tony Davies & Robbie B.H. Goh. New York: Peter Lang, 2002, 227-243.

COMPILATION WORK ON BOOKS

  • Encyclopedia Entry for Singapore Theatre in Who’s Who in Contemporary World Theatre. London & New York: Routledge, 2000.

TRANSLATION WORK ON BOOKS

  • Memories and desires : a poetic history of Singapore / edited with an introduction by Robbie B.H. Goh ; translators/consultants, Chitra Sankaran, Sharifah Maznah Syed Omar, Robin Loon. Singapore : UniPress, The Centre for the Arts, National University of Singapore, 1998

ARTICLES IN JOURNAL

  • Nostalgia in Beauty World (co-author with Yong, Li Lan). Hybridity: Journal of Cultures, Texts and Idenities. Eds. Robbie Goh and Lily Kong. 1:2 (2001) Singapore: Oxford University Press, 103-121 (refereed)
  • Are You There, Singapore? In Focas: Forum on Contemporary Art & Society. Singapore. Singapore: The Necessary Stage. No.1, 2001, 12-18
    Materializing Singapore: The PCK Phenomenon. Commentary. Vol. 16 (1999). Singapore: National University of Singapore Society, 123-128
    TheatreWorks’ Longing: Essential Theatre or Arty Busking? Commentary. Vol 13 (1996). Singapore: National University of Singapore Society, 63-77
    The Status of The Singapore Playwright Arts On Campus, Vol 2:1 (1992) Singapore: Centre For The Arts, 8

SHORTER ARTICLES/COMMENTS IN JOURNAL

  • 以形代言,水落石出—评《水站》,LianheZaobao Xianzai, 20 September 2004, 3.
    “沙”翁失马,焉知非福—评立陶宛艺堡剧团的《奥赛罗》,LianheZaobao Xianzai, 15 June 2004, 3.
    Search:Hamlet by Face To Face (Denmark) & TheatreWorks (Singapore), The Arts Magazine, Nov/Dec 2002, 80.
    Spring Awakening by Spell#7, The Arts Magazine, Nov/Dec 1999, 60.
    The Crucible by Dramaplus Arts, The Arts Magazine, Sep/Oct 1999, 57-58.

CONFERENCE PAPERS

  • The Text As City: Thoroughbreds on Thoroughfares (co-author with Seet, K.K.) for City As Text , a conference organized by the Department of English Language & Literature, NUS, Singapore (September 1999)
    Bach And Kabuki: Interculturalism in Six Movements (co-author with Newton, Christopher C.) for Kabuki Symposium, a conference organized Department of English Language & Literature, NUS, Singapore (May 1998)
    Political Theatre in Singapore: Virtuosity in its Virtuality (co-author with Kaiden, Elizabeth A.) for What Happened To Political Theatre, a conference organized by Concepts, London. (April 1998)
    Rewriting Shakespeare: George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar & Cleopatra for Constructing British Identities, a conference organized by the Department of English Language & Literature, NUS, Singapore (September 1997)
    An Intercultural Hamlet in Elsinor (invited paper)  for World Shakespeare Congress 2006: Brisbane Australia 16-21 July 2006
    Appropriate, the appropriate, and Intercultural Shakespeare (co-authored with Yong, Li Lan) (invited paper) for 35th Annual Meeting of the Shakespeare Association of America: San Diego USA 5-7 April 2007
    What Beyond Local Relevance: The Study of Shakespear in Asia (co-authored with Yong, Li Lan) (invited paper) for 46th Shakespeare Conference: Waseda University Tokyo Japan 6-7 Oct 2007

THESES/DISSERTATIONS

  • Reading Intercultural Theatre: The TheatreWorks Shakespeare Trilogy. Doctoral Dissertation, University of London: 2004
    Improvisation As Evolution: The Taiwanese Gezaixi. Dissertation for the degree of Master of Arts, National University of Singapore: 1997
    Rewriting Shakespeare. Honours Academic Exercise for the degree of B.A. (Hons) in Englsh, NUS: 1992

  • Watching The Clouds Go By in Dirty Laundry, Mergers and Undercover. Singapore: TheatreWorks (S) Ltd & SPH, 1994
    Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder in Fat Virgins, Fast Cars and Asian Values. Singapore: TheatreWorks (S) Ltd & SPH, 1992
    Solitaire in Prize-Winning Plays Vol.4. Singapore: NUS & Shell, 1990.
  • Other Information Top

    Plays Written and Produced

    2007 120: a site specific production - commissioned by and performed in The National Museum of Singapore (TheatreWorks S Ltd)

    2006 Geisha - performed in Singapore, New York, Charleston South Carolina, Goteberg Sweden & Hong Kong (TheatreWorks S Ltd)

    March 2005 The Global Soul – Performed at ICA, London (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    November 2004 Chinoiserie – performed at the Schauspielhaus, Vienna (Shauspeilhaus, Vienna)


    April 2004 Shanty-Follow That Dream – performed at the Jubliee Hall, Singapore (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    May 2003 The Global Soul – Performed at IN TRANSIT, Berlin (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    January 1998: EATME - performed at the One Table, Two Chairs in Hong Kong (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    June 1997: Workhorse Afloat - performed at the Festival of Asian Performing Arts (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    March 1997: Destinies of Flowers In The Mirror - performed at the Suntec City Fountain (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    Feb 1995: Broken Birds - performed at Fort Canning Park (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    June 1994: Songbird of Syonan - performed at Longing: a theatre carnival. (TheatreWorks S Ltd)
    Catherine Listening To The Rain - performed at Longing: a theatre carnival. (TheatreWorks S Ltd)
    Exiles - performed at Longing: a theatre carnival. (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    Sept 1993 Us In Singapore - performed at the Drama Centre, Singapore (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    Jan 1993 Watching The Clouds Go By - performed at the Black Box, Singapore (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


    June 1992 Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder - performed at the Drama Centre, Singapore (TheatreWorks S Ltd)


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