FASS Staff Profile
DR LOON SEONG YUN, ROBIN
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT of ENGLISH, LINGUISTICS & THEATRE STUDIES
- Appointment:
- ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
- Office:
- AS5/05-17
- Email:
- robinloon@nus.edu.sg
- Tel:
- 65164070
- Fax:
- 67732981
- Homepage:
- http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/elllsy/
Brief Introduction
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/teaching interests include popular culture and performance, Singapore Theatre (with special focus on Singapore English Language Theatre), media and performance. Robin received his BA, BA (Hons) [2.1] and MA (his research was on the Taiwanese Opera) from NUS.
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).
Robin Loon is also a practising playwright and dramaturg. He was co-commissioning dramaturg with Kok Heng Luen (Dramabox) for a directors' development platform called FULL FRONTAL (Singapore Arts Festival 2007-2009), commissiong dramaturg for content creation platform called OPEN STUDIO (Singapore Arts Festival 2010-2012). He conceptualized and runs Singapore first Dramaturg Apprentice Programme at Centre 42 in 2015 and co-organized the inaugural Asian Dramaturgs' Network Symposium in 2016, founded by Dr Lim How Ngean. His recent works as a playwright include: LIFT: LOVE IS FLOWER THE (Jeff Chen & Theatreworks, 2013); CASTING BACK (Singapore Esplanade 10th anniversary commission, 2012), MATA HATI (Teater Ekamatra, 2011), DNR (ABVTRI, 2011), LAN FANG CHRONICLES (Choy Ka Fai & Cube8, 2010). His previous work, DESTINIES OF FLOWERS IN THE MIRROR, was revived by CAKE THEATRICALS in 2009. In 2012, he translated Chay Yew's A LANGUAGE OF THEIR OWN into Mandarin for special Singapore Arts Festival Commissioned production: 男男自语.
In 2014, together with Casey Lim, Chiu Chien Seen and Michele Lim, Robin Loon set up Centre 42, a up-stream content-creation centre for Singapore theatre in partnership with the National Arts Council. He is the chief consultant of Centre 42 and also the chair of the board of directors. He is in charge of conceptualizing and overseeing the many platforms and programmes organized by the centre which documents, creates and promotes writing for the Singapore stage.
Robin Loon is currently a founding member of Centre 42 and has sat on many committees including:
Board of Directors, Teater Ekamatra 2011-2016
MOE Theatre Studies & Drama Syllabus Review Committee 2013-2016
MOE 'O' Level Drama Syllabus Revision Committee 2013-2016
NAC External Assessor (Theatre) 2013-2019
NAC Arts Scholarship Committee (Theatre) 2013
Cultural Medallion Award Committee (Theatre) 2009-2010
MDA-NAC Arts Resource Panel (Theatre) 2007-2010
Singapore Arts Festival Programme Advisory Panel (Theatre) 2007-2009
NAC Annual Grants Assessment Committee 2005-2008
Teaching Areas
Teaching modules:
TS1101e/GEM1003 - Introduction to Theatre & Performance
TS3235/SSA3201 - Singapore English Language Theatre
TS3240 - Theatre Criticism
TS4219 - Media and Popular Performance
SSA1206/GES1023 - Representing Singapore
Current Research
Singapore English Language Theatre
Dramaturgy as discursive and creative practice
Creative and practice-based pedagogy
Performance and performativity in media and popular culture
Postmodern aesthetics in theatre
Research Interests
Modernising traditional theatre and performance
Sexuality in theatre and performance
The practice of translation in Theatre
Documenting and memorializing through Theatre
Publications
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 JOURNALS
- 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
OTHERS
- 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
Plays Written and Produced
2015 Sea/汐 : A Translation. Centre 42
2014 Nineteen Sixty-Four: a lecture performance. Centre 42
2013 LIFT [LOVE IS THE FLOWER THE]. TheatreWorks (S) Ltd, 2013
2012 CASTING BACK, Esplanade 10th Anniversary commission, 2012
2012 BLUE PRINCE, Substation Sept Fest Commission 2012
2011 Mata Hati, Teater Ekamatra
2011 DNR (by ABVTRI) performed at the Esplanade Studio Theatre in collaboartion with the Studios Season
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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