Theses from past participants

Sourcing Within worksession in 2009, under Meeting With Remarkable Women Project, Grotowski Institute, Wroclaw, Poland. Photo credit: Maciej Zakrzewski

Ang Gey Pin – Theater nach Grotowski und Richards?

Adam, Cornelia (2010)

Thesis, University of Vienna. Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies

Abstract in English

The present scientific research concentrates on the creative work and development of the theatre artist Ang Gey Pin. Her work is often cited in the context of The Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards, where she stayed altogether nine years.

As Ang Gey Pin works as an autonomous artist since 2006, the present research mainly focuses on her work after that period. One of the two main topics of the analysis deals with her current work. This means the analysis is focusing on the artistic activities that she created and worked on after her grotowskian experiences. In this correlation the second main topic analyses her artistic creations from various cultural and biographical perspectives in order to reveal the evident link to and the influences on her work by the Workcenter. In addition this analysis demonstrates to which degree her artistic work today is influenced by this tradition and if it is still justified and adequate to mention her in the “grotowskian” context only.

For an accurate elaboration of the key questions the work is divided into three main chapters.

The first chapter introduces and explains the work of Grotowski and all the different phases of his theatrical research as well as his work seen in a historical context. This helps to understand Ang Gey Pin´s work and her theatrical background. It illustrates in which creative and temporal phases of Grotowski and the Workcenter the artist Ang Gey Pin was actually present.

Furthermore Ang Gey Pins acting work is studied in reference to “grotowskian” elements and philosophical and cultural Far Eastern principles, as these two aspects serve as an important base for her creative activities.

The last chapter concentrates on Ang Gey Pin’s background in the light of theatrical heritage. Her working period and her personal evolution during the time at the Workcenter are discussed and her individual creative career from the beginning until today is explicated. Another intrinsic element contemplated in this chapter is her artistic influences. Especially Taoist ideas – part of far eastern philosophical concepts – are an evident source in her work. These ideas play an important role in the work of this artist from Singapore, as they are a manifest element within her personal creative search. This inner “need” to go back to her original traditions is an evident base in her creative research and performative work. This becomes apparent for example in her most recent performance Feast of You Shen, which is described in analytical detail in the last chapter.

Furthermore the present research intends to provide a global overview of the socio-political context of her work in different countries, cultures and environments in the context of so called “intercultural theatre”. The theatrical work of Ang Gey Pin is not only of interest because of her profound and significant creative input in the theatrical world but also because she can be seen as a representative figure for a generation “after Grotowski”. This analysis ends with future prospects of the latest developments, changes and inspirations in today’s theatrical backgrounds after Grotowski. These aspects are essential for the possibility of a creative research, for a critical theatrical discourse and for further academic reviews based on the innovations Grotowski already realized.