PREVALENCE OF VIEWPOINTS IN SINGAPORE: REDISTRIBUTING CREATIVE AUTONOMY

Abstract

Viewpoints is a practical and philosophical approach. It offers theatre practitioners a common framework and language related to the principles of time and space. As a young actor in Singapore, I observed the prevalence of Viewpoints practice in rehearsal spaces. This led me to question: Why is Viewpoints favoured in Singapore rehearsal spaces? What is the impact of Viewpoints on Singapore’s theatre ecology? Who are the stakeholders in this playing field affected by the prevalence of its practice? This study aims to fill the knowledge gap in local scholarship which fails to communicate Viewpoints' impact on Singapore’s theatre ecology. The goal of this study is to understand the acquisition and transmission processes underlying the proliferation of Viewpoints practice in Singapore. This qualitative study combines ethnographic research with empirical data analysis. Based on structured interviews with 20 Singapore-based actors who have undergone Viewpoints training, I elicit their responses about their experiences and perceptions of Viewpoints. I first examine Viewpoints’ proliferative discourse through actors’ learning and acting sites. Then, I study how Viewpoints facilitates further dissemination of its practice among institutions, organisations and theatre professionals. Lastly, I argue that Viewpoints enables a shift in perception empowering actors to exercise creative autonomy in a liminal state. This redistributes creative autonomy among actors and directors in the performance-making process.