Presented by Intercultural Theatre Institute
In Collaboration with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
7–9 November 2024
Esplanade Theatre Studio
Thu & Fri: 8 PM / Sat: 3 PM, 8 PM
Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Directed by Aarne Neeme
Performed by ITI's 2024 graduating cohort
Intercultural Theatre Institute presents Steven Berkoff's adaptation of Metamorphosis, directed by Aarne Neeme and performed by the ITI graduating class of 2024. This gripping retelling of Franz Kafka's iconic novella melds abstract physical theatre and psychological drama with elements of dark comedy.
The story follows Gregor Samsa, a young man who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. As he grapples with his new grotesque form, Gregor's once-supportive family begins to unravel, revealing deep-seated fears and hidden resentments. Set in a claustrophobic atmosphere with minimalist staging, the play explores themes of alienation, identity, and the crushing weight of societal expectations.
This adaptation of Metamorphosis remains faithful to Kafka's original work while showcasing Berkoff's unique approach to theatre. The result is a production that not only reflects on the fragility of identity and the human condition but also resonates with contemporary audiences facing the pressures of modern society.
“I saw in him most marvellous exertions of the imagination working inside the desperations of a strangled soul, this frightened human being - and thereby releasing its horrors. He touched me in all my chords of being from grotesque to simple, sublime humanity. [...] The bug. Crushed, human Gregor - oppressed, small, introverted, pathetic, inadequate, self-conscious- a parallel for a human being that one finds truly heroic. Gregor’s struggles as an insect are indeed heroic. They are self-denying, they are overwhelming in the desperate struggle to overcome such a handicap, and are eventually death-giving. [...] We see the frailty of human endeavour, greed and ambition- the protective sanctuary of the bourgeois family.”
— Berkoff, Steven. The trial ; Metamorphosis ; In the penal colony : three theatre adaptations from Franz Kafka. Amber Lane Press, Oxford, 1988.
The style of the play belongs to the Theatre of the Absurd. As Ionesco describes it, “Dealing with emptiness, frustration, a world at once fleeting and crushing. The characters are not fully conscious of their spiritual rootlessness but feel it instinctively and emotionally. The fact of being astonishes us, in a world that now seems all illusion and pretence, in which all human behaviour tells of absurdity and all history of absolute futility; all language and reality appear to lose their articulation, to disintegrate and collapse, so what possible reaction is there left, when everything has ceased to matter, but laugh at it all.”
So the genre is Tragi-Comedy. Comedy for those who think; Tragedy for those who feel. Humankind is tragic in their fate; comic in their existence. All is reduced to the comic gesture, because human beings are seen as incapable of rising above their circumstances or their nature. The ridiculousness of their situation, makes their plight that much more horrible.
It always has been such a privilege and pleasure to return to ITI and work with such talented and dedicated people. The students are outstanding in their physical, vocal and imaginative skills, and the support and participation of the teaching staff is immeasurable. My thanks especially go to ITI teachers Wan Ching, Simon and Chin Huat. What I have particularly enjoyed about this cohort, is their close co-operation in meeting the challenges of this surreal piece. We have endeavoured to find a pathway through it, exploring Berkoff’s unique vision and approach, and hopefully have given you all a satisfying journey!
— Aarne Neeme
CAST
Adam Guevarra Almeniana
Chief Clerk/Three Lodgers
Akshay Sharma
Gregor Samsa
Karthik S
Mr. Samsa
Krys Yuan
Greta
Lam Man Yik
Mrs. Samsa
DIRECTOR
Aarne Neeme
WRITTEN BY
Steven Berkoff
adapted from Franz Kafka
SET DESIGNER
Bernice Ong
COSTUME DESIGNER
Max Tan
SOUND DESIGNER
Syafiq Halid
LIGHTING COORDINATOR
Faith Liu
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Clarisse Ng
STAGE MANAGER
Marilyn Chew
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
Cheryl Lee
FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER
Ruzaimah Abuamin
KEY VISUAL CONCEPT BY
Koh Wan Ching
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Max Yam
PUBLICITY PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER
Asyika (Ace) Suri
ITI students work as a professional company in their third year, and undertake ticketed public performances.
These Final Year Productions are an integral part of the ITI curiculum.
This amateur production of “Metamorphosis” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings or streams of this production is strictly prohibited and a violation of United Kingdom Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Adam Guevarra Almeniana is a theatre practitioner from Sorsogon-Bicol, Philippines. He is an alumnus of Sama-samang Tinig ng mga Aktor na Gumagalaw sa Entablado (S.T.A.G.E), which is a resident Theater Arts Company at University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi (formerly AUL-Legazpi City). He is also a Senior Member of Sining Banwa Albay Performance Collective Inc, a non-profit inter-disciplinary arts group and independent cultural organization based in the province of Albay in the Philippines.
He began his theatre journey in 2008 as a pioneer member of Teatro Pilarinyo, a Diocesan Performing Group and emerged as a cultural worker, performer, actor, choreographer, director, and theatre workshop facilitator for youth-oriented projects; cultural mapping workshops in towns across the Bicol Regions. Adam was one of 12 theatre practitioners selected to devise Likha-Lakbayan for Tanghal National University and College Theater Festival, touring five major cities in the Philippines. His recent roles and projects include Sining Banwa major-play productions Tatlong Libong Bayani Ng Ibalong (2011), Silang Maraming Pangalan (2012), Santo Agua (2013), SI Al Buda An Tsinelas (2014), GymGurls (2015-2016). He also played the role of Artemio Ricarte in Lav Diaz's film Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis (A Lullaby To The Sorrowful Mystery).
Adam is a beneficiary of the Möbius Fund, a revolving loan fund for actor-students.
Akshay Sharma is an actor from India. His foray into theatre started with working in Unicorn Actor’s Studio, a group formed by the graduates of the National School of Drama (New Delhi). With that group he got a chance to be involved in all aspects of theatre. Following that, he performed in many prestigious festivals: Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM, 2017), Theatre Olympics (2018), North East India Theater Festival (2018), and Bharat Bhavan Theatre Festival (2019) - performing in plays all over India and exploring different styles of theatre.
He also attended various residential workshops including Navarasa Sadhana by G Venu (Natana Kairali, Kerala), Ashram Perafin by Rajendra Panchal (Kota, Rajasthan), and the National School of Drama extension workshop (Tumari, Karnataka) to deepen his knowledge of different pedagogies in acting training.
In the future he plans to develop original works in theatre and explore different mediums for his expression.
Akshay is a recipient of the Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Scholarship and a beneficiary of the Möbius Fund, a revolving loan fund for actor-students.
Karthik S is a multifaceted artist from Bangalore, India, whose talents span various domains. Trained at the prestigious National School of Drama, Karthik has excelled as an actor, model, and former speech and drama facilitator.
Karthik initially ventured into the Kannada film industry where he honed his skills as an assistant director. He also made notable appearances on regional television programs. In 2019, he was awarded the title of Mr. Confident at the Best Icon of India Awards, representing his home state of Karnataka at the National Beauty Pageant.
Karthik's credits include on-screen roles in Ekachakram (2021), One Hit Wonder (2024), along with major stage performances in productions like The Crossroad Inn (2023), Anthithottam (2024), Animal Farm (2020), and Kusumbale (2020).
Karthik is an avid explorer of physical expression, delving into forms such as Kalaripayattu, pole Mallakhamb, rope Mallakhamb, Silambam, Yakshagana, Kathakali, Parai, Theyyam, and Acrobatics. With over two years of experience instructing students in speech, movement, and drama at International Schools in Bangalore, Karthik also channels his passion into nurturing budding talents. Currently, he is training in Indian classical dance (Odissi). Karthik believes in a continuous journey of learning and growth. He aspires to collaborate with artists worldwide and craft performances that resonate deeply with audiences.
Karthik is a recipient of the Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Scholarship and a beneficiary of the Möbius Fund, a revolving loan fund for actor-students.
Krys Yuan (she/her) is a theatre artist, actor and playwright from Singapore. Her artistic journey started in an all-girls drama club and led her to graduate from School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA) majoring in theatre. She holds a BA in Anthropology through which she explored her curiosity about culture and societies. She lives and plays in liminal spaces, embracing themes of environmentalism, speculative fantasies and human fallibility.
Prior to ITI, she was working in youth non-profit, freelance theatre producing and writing on Coast Salish territories (aka Vancouver, Canada). She also trained in self-defense and Bel Canto style of singing. During her time in Canada she acquired skills in facilitation, de-escalation and mental health first aid, in addition to building a commitment to anti-capitalist decolonial social justice.
She is an alumnus of PuSh Festival Youth Academy, Playwrights’ Theatre Centre’s Block A with Elaine Avila, Arts Club’s LEAP Playwrighting Intensive, and Vines Emerging Creatives with Vines Art Festival.
After ITI, she hopes to continue writing, performing and creating meaningful work in Singapore and internationally, rooted in the principles of intercultural theatre.
Krys is a recipient of the ITI Scholarship and Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Scholarship.
Lam Man Yik is a theatre practitioner from Hong Kong.
Prior to ITI, she trained at the Tang Shu-Wing Theatre Studio (2014-2015) and participated in 'The Vibrated Self' acting training programme from 2016-2021, conducted by ITI Acting teacher Andy Ng Wai-Shek in Hong Kong. Her credits span both theatre and screen; she performed in Hello Beckett (2017) and《溯吧！香港》(2019 Golden Sugarcane Film Festival).
To expand her knowledge she came to ITI. In 2022, she conducted the FUN! theatre workshop in collaboration with alumni Cheng Kam Yiu (Yolanda) and Sandeep Yadav at the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, India.
Man Yik will continue her journey in exploring the different possibilities of artistic creation and developing her understanding of the world and oneself.
Man Yik is a recipient of the Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Scholarship and a beneficiary of the Möbius Fund, a revolving loan fund for actor-students.
ITI Graduands' Headshots by Bernie Ng
Aarne Neeme has been involved in professional theatre since 1962, working as a director since 1969. He has taught at various tertiary institutions over the past 40 years, including at ITI where he remains a full-time periodic Acting teacher. He also contributes to several Arts Grant Panels in Australia and is on the Academic Board at ITI.
Since 2001, Aarne has been involved in television directing, having worked on notable Australian series such as Blue Heelers, All Saints, MDA, Out of the Blue, Neighbours, and Home and Away.
He was previously Artistic Director of several Australian theatre companies, Head of the Department of Theatre at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts, and Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore.
In 2013, he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his significant service to the performing arts as a director and educator in theatre and television. Neeme has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales.
This year, he directed The Actress (Quilter) in Canberra and revived his production of The Gospel According To Paul (Biggins) at the Sydney Opera House, which went on to tour regional Queensland.
Steven Berkoff (b. 1937) is a British actor, playwright, and director, known for his intense, physical approach to theatre. His work often combines elements of classical texts, modern themes, and exaggerated, stylized performances. Berkoff’s adaptations of works like Kafka's Metamorphosis and Shakespeare’s plays reflect his commitment to the power of the body in conveying emotion and narrative.
Berkoff's approach to theatre is heavily influenced by physical theatre traditions, such as mime and commedia dell'arte, and he often uses minimalist sets and props to focus attention on the actors' physicality. He emphasises expressionism, with bold, exaggerated gestures, and vocal delivery, creating a heightened, sometimes surreal, performance style. His work challenges naturalistic acting, focusing instead on the dramatic potential of every moment. Berkoff's confrontational, often politically charged pieces are both visceral and provocative, making him a distinctive figure in contemporary theatre.
Franz Kafka (1883–1924) was a German-speaking writer from Prague, known for his existential, surreal, and often nightmarish works. His most famous stories, The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle, explore themes of alienation, guilt, and the absurdity of human existence. Kafka's writing is characterised by its unique blend of reality and fantasy, creating an eerie sense of dread and helplessness.
Kafka had a deeply troubled relationship with his domineering father, Hermann Kafka, which profoundly influenced his life and writing. He felt emotionally crushed by his father’s overbearing personality, which Kafka later detailed in his famous Letter to Father. This unresolved tension fueled his feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and self-doubt, themes that pervade much of his work. Despite his literary talent, Kafka struggled with confidence and often requested that his works be destroyed after his death.
It is generally agreed that Kafka suffered from clinical depression and social anxiety throughout his entire life. He also suffered from migraines, insomnia, and other ailments, all usually brought on by excessive stresses and strains. He battled tuberculosis for many years before his condition worsened in 1924. Kafka spent his final months in a sanatorium near Vienna, where he died on June 3, 1924.
Bernice Ong is a scenic designer, artist, and cultural producer working across film, visual arts, and performance. As an arts worker, her diverse portfolio spans curatorial, producing, fabrication, and technical support. As an artist, she is interested in the many politics of space, seeing urban environments as embodied interfaces engaged in an evolving ecology of relations.
Bernice holds a Masters in Media Studies (Research) from Utrecht University. She also graduated with a BA (Honours) in Theatre & Performance Studies, and a BFA in Drawing & Painting from the University of New South Wales. Some set design credits include Mesra (ChildAid), The School (Singapore International Festival of Arts), Sherlock Sam: The Musical (Dream Academy), Puppet Origin Stories @ ONE-TWO-SIX (The Finger Players), and OmnIVerse: The Fourth Dimension (NUS Arts Festival). www.berniceong.com
Max Tan started his eponymous label MAX.TAN in 2007 and began creating capsule collections to meet the increasing interest for his designs. The label made its full-fledged debut with the S/S 2010 collection, which was featured as one of the top ten collections globally on premier trend forecasting report, Stylesight.com alongside fashion powerhouses such as Alexander McQueen and Valentino. Now an internationally acclaimed local fashion designer whose collections have appeared in Vogue France and Italia, Tan has been recognised for his innovative designs that challenge fashion trends while incorporating his Asian roots.
Apart from designing for his label, Tan also lectures at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and enjoys partnering with different theatre groups in Singapore to design costumes for their key theatre productions. In 2022, he created a body of work titled Ceremonial Enactments, commissioned for Singapore International Festival of Arts. He was the costume designer for Wild Rice’s award-winning show Pulau Ujong in 2023, the Singapore National Day Parade in 2017 and again in 2024.
Syafiq Halid is a manipulator of sound, electronic artist and experimental percussionist based in Singapore. He has worked in several traditional and contemporary performing arts projects regionally with various collaborators and companies at platforms like the Esplanade, National Gallery Singapore, ArtScience Museum, Nusasonic and Goethe Institute.
Drawing from sounds, aesthetics, and experiences of the Malay world, Syafiq’s compositions traverse the grey realms that exist between the traditional and the contemporary. His creations deconstruct, exploit, and reimagine these sounds, manifesting them into an experimental sonic language unique to Southeast Asia.
Faith Liu trained at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in Lighting Design (2016), under the National Arts Council Arts Scholarship (Postgraduate). In September 2017, she co-founded 微 Wei Collective with theatre practitioner Neo Hai Bin. They are interested in the performance of space, and how material and movement can allow one to experience a breathing space.
She is honoured to have worked on numerous theatre and dance productions in Singapore.
Portfolio: https://liuyonghuay.tumblr.com/
Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI), based in Singapore, is a three-year, practice-based, professional actor training programme founded on a rigorous, intercultural learning methodology with a view to producing original, contemporary theatre.
The school began as the Theatre Training & Research Programme (TTRP), founded in 2000 by renowned dramatist Kuo Pao Kun (1939–2002) and current Director T. Sasitharan – both Cultural Medallion recipients. It is shaped by Kuo Pao Kun’s vision of intercultural learning that draws from a matrix of traditional theatre systems and modern theatre-making.
ITI’s distinguished alumni include Yeo Yann Yann, winner of two Golden Horse Awards for her performances in Wet Season and Ilo Ilo and International Emmy Award nominee for her role in Invisible Stories; Peter Sau, recipient of the 2011 Young Artist Award and several Life! Theatre Awards; Felimon Blanco, recipient of the 2013 Most Outstanding Zambosurian Award (Philippines); and Sankar Venkateswaran, recipient of the 2019 Shankar Nag Theatre Award, presented to theatre all-rounders under the age of 40 who embody the spirit of service to theatre in India.
ITI is an independent theatre school founded on the belief that theatre has little meaning if it is not connected to life and society. Through the years, ITI has developed critically and socially engaged artists who are capable of working across cultural, linguistic, social and national boundaries, and who have contributed meaningfully to their cultures and communities.
ITI is a registered charity and an approved Institution of Public Character (IPC), and more than 60% of its income has to come from fundraising. Donations to ITI are eligible for 250% tax exemption and dollar-to-dollar matching by the government’s Cultural Matching Fund.
Your donations will make a critical difference and support ITI in its seminal work.
“I was trained to be not only a good actor but also a better person. So to those who want to make a difference, please consider supporting a student in ITI and we will make this world a better place using the arts”
- Denise Mordeno Aguilar ‘14
Melissa Leung Hiu Tuen ('05, Hong Kong) is the Company Dramaturg at City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) in Hong Kong, supporting artists through fostering constructive communication and creative growth. She actively participates in public initiatives, cultivating a dialogue around dance and theatre. Her latest works include a lecture series for docents-in-training on contemporary performing arts as part of Hong Kong’s One Month One Art initiative, empowering youth and expanding audience engagement in theatre, dance, and cross-media arts.
Yazid Jalil ('15, Singapore) is an actor, director, writer, and educator with over 60 professional theatrical productions spanning two decades. His work as an artist and educator has taken him to India, Japan, and Taiwan, where he’s engaged in cross-cultural collaborations. Yazid is currently an adjunct lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and holds a Master of Arts in Arts Pedagogy and Practice. As a teaching-artist, he prioritises sincerity, joy, and collaboration, aiming to empower youths with agency and critical thinking through theatre education.
Lakshmana KP ('18, India) is a theatre and performance-maker whose work centres around events, people, and stories from the Dalit community, who are marginalised and stigmatised on the basis of caste in Karnataka, India. In March 2023, his play Daklakatha Devikavya, an original script written and performed in the Kannada language, was nominated for several categories including Best Original Script, Best Director and Best Production in the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) in New Delhi, India. He is a recipient of the Shankar Nag Theatre Award 2023.
Mr Andrew Nai
Director at Aura Private Equity, Aura Group
Mr Arun Mahizhnan
Special Research Adviser, Institute of Policy Studies
Mr Chew Kheng Chuan
Independent consultant in philanthropy
Ms Winifred Loh
Director, LeadForte Consulting
Dr Nazry Bahrawi
Assistant Professor of Southeast Asian Literature and Culture, University of Washington
Ms Jean Tay
Playwright
Dr Frances Barbe
Lecturer and Associate Dean of Discipline: Performance, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Prof Tadashi Uchino
Vice President and Professor, Department of Japanese Studies, Faculty of Intercultural Studies, Gakushuin Women’s College
Prof Richard Gough
Professor of Music and Performance, Faculty of Business and Creative Industries, University of South Wales
Artistic Director, Centre for Performance Research, Aberystwyth, Wales
Dr Nazry Bahrawi
Assistant Professor of Southeast Asian Literature and Culture, University of Washington
Mr Aarne Neeme, AM (Order of Australia)
Director and Educator
Assoc Prof Paul Rae
Head of School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne
Assoc Prof Noushad Mohamed Kunju
Faculty, Department of Theatre Arts, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication, University of Hyderabad
Mr Peter Sau
Head of Artistic Development, Performing Arts, ARTDIS Singapore
Mr Nelson Chia
Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Nine Years Theatre, Singapore
Dr Jane Gilmer
Independent theatre practitioner
Principal Donors
Lee Foundation
Sim Wong Hoo
Stephen Riady
Friends of ITI
A. Ilancheran
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Hong Hai
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Kenry Peh
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Estate of Kong Kam Yoke
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Lee Sia Ang
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Lek Lee Yong
Lim Huey Yuee
Lim Mei Yin
Lin Sh Liang
Lina Yu
Low Sze Wee
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Phan Ming Yen
Rachelle Hweejoo Francis
Sai Ram Nilgiri
Sudhir T Vadaketh
Toh Bao En
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ITI Angels Initiative
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ITI Angels Initiative has also received contributions from Nicholas Goh and Wang Gungwu
Organisations
Lee Foundation
Tan Chay Bing Education Fund
Chew How Teck Foundation
Diana Koh Fund
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
Kuo Pao Kun Foundation
Hong Leong Foundation
U.S. Embassy, Singapore
Arts Fund
Embassy of Mexico in Singapore
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