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Esplanade Presents
14 Feb 2025, Fri, 8pm
15 Feb 2025, Sat, 3pm & 8pm
16 Feb 2025, Sun, 3pm
(Intermission: None)
Esplanade Theatre Studio
This event is over.
This event is over.
“The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A man,
a table,
a pack of instant noodles,
a can of luncheon meat,
a cassette tape recorder.
This is a journey of life, about reflection and acceptance.
When the present meets the past, perhaps the future becomes clear.
Every day, an elderly man eats a can of luncheon meat, to keep a promise to his wife. Alone and adrift, he revisits past moments and memories, in search of meaning and closure. As the days pass, he gets closer to his last can of luncheon meat.
After decades in the scene honing his craft, Singapore theatre practitioner Alvin Chiam writes, directs, and performs in his first solo work, a rumination on the meaning of solitude.
Inspired by Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, Chiam invites the audience on this groundbreaking journey with him. Choosing a minimalist approach, Chiam compels the audience to focus on him, to delight in his exterior actions, but more importantly, to look beyond that and see his character’s inner world.
Alvin Chiam: “It has been an unconscious goal to explore solitude since the very beginning of this creation; the sheer realisation that loneliness is ubiquitous, is silently by our side since the day we were born…When change hits us, there is grief, remorse, or emptiness…Solitude will take us into her arms. A quiet world as such, some remain vanquished, some are redeemed, while some may still be waiting…”
There will be a post-show dialogue with Alvin Chiam after the performance on 15 Feb, 8pm.
Last Luncheon is a commission by the inaugural Huayi Brewery, an incubation programme that aims to provide support for and cultivate deeper relationships with independent artists creating works in the Chinese language.
Writer, Director and Performer: Alvin Chiam
Dramaturg: Robin Loon
Script Editor / Documenter / Archiver / Researcher: Neo Hai Bin
Sound Designer / Music Composition: Jing Ng
Lighting Designer: Liu Yong Huay
Scenographer / Production Design: Ian Tan
Graphic Designer: Ric Liu
Accessibility
Assistive Listening
Le Jeu Studio
Founded by Alvin Chiam, Le Jeu Studio is dedicated to crafting a stage that sparks imagination and embodies pleasure and playfulness. Through each creative narrative and heartfelt performance, we embark on a journey of exploring and sharing the beauty of humanity.
Alvin Chiam
Alvin Chiam is a vibrant presence in Singapore's theatre landscape, with over 25 years of experience shaping the Singapore theatre and arts scene. Throughout his career, Chiam has taken on diverse roles as an actor, director, and acting coach. His productions and training sessions have captivated audiences in Paris, London, China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Chiam has also had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed directors across Asia such as Stan Lai (Taiwan) and Fredric Mao (Hong Kong).
In 2001, he joined The Theatre Practice, a leading bilingual theatre company founded by the late Kuo Pao Kun, a pioneer of Singaporean theatre, and played a vital role in his six years at the company. In 2007, he was awarded the Arts Professional Development Grant from the National Arts Council of Singapore, enabling him to hone his performing skills under the mentorship of the renowned Philippe Gaulier in Paris. Graduating with distinction from École Philippe Gaulier in 2009, Chiam then served as a movement teacher and Assistant Professor at the school.
In 2013, he received the Arts Scholarship from the National Arts Council Singapore, allowing him to pursue an MA in Ensemble Theatre at Rose Bruford College in London. He graduated with a master’s degree in 2014 and continued to contribute to the academic community as a part-time lecturer at Rose Bruford College.
Currently, Chiam makes significant contributions as a full-time lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore. His unwavering dedication to theatre, combined with his extensive experience and training, continues to inspire audiences and aspiring artists alike.
Assistive Listening
Assistive listening system is available for this venue. Hearing aid users with a Telecoil-enabled programme can benefit from the system provided. Please arrive at the venue 30 min before the performance so we can assist with the setup.
Assistive Listening
14 Feb 2025, Fri
8pm
15 Feb 2025, Sat
3pm
8pm
16 Feb 2025, Sun
3pm
Standard | Students, NSFs, Seniors & PWDs |
|
Price | $40 | $32 |
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Tote Board Arts Grant
All Junior Colleges/ Centralised Institute & ITEs may use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 50% of the programme cost.
For more details, please contact Esplanade Box Office at 6828 8389 or email boxoffice@esplanade.com.
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