Founded in 1957, the Singapore I-Lien Drama Society is one of the oldest Chinese-language theatre groups in Singapore. Its founder Yee Teck Kuan (pen name Shen Qing, 1922–unknown) headed Union Press and had many connections in the education and cultural sectors. I-Lien attracted members of the Sheng Hua School Teachers’ Association Theatre Group,1the Chinese Student Theatre Group, and the Wuhan Chorus. Its first-generation core members were mostly graduates of universities and colleges in China with experience in professional theatre production, directing, and performing. These members included Tan Zheng Ya, Chow Li Liang (1925–2019), Liu Bo, and Jiang Sha. Their experience resulted in distinctive interpretations of scripts, and performance and elocution standards that were widely acclaimed.

Since its founding, I-Lien has staged many classics by playwrights from the Chinese diaspora. These include Cao Yu’s (1910–1996) Peking Man (1958) and Thunderstorm (1959); Fei Mu’s (1906–1951) Begonia (1958); Zhou Yi Bai’s (1900–1977) Hua Mulan (1959); Yeo Kok’s (1905–1991) The Resentment of the Qing Dynasty Palace (1965); and Li Jianwu’s (1906–1983) Jin Xiaoyu (1967), an adaptation of French playwright Victorien Sardou’s (1831–1908) La Tosca.

In 1983, the group presented its first Shakespeare in Chinese exhibition in Singapore, launched by then-Minister for Culture Ong Teng Cheong (1936–2002). The same year, I-Lien’s artistic consultant Chua Soo Pong directed Shakespeare’s The Tempest, which was part of the Ministry of Culture’s Drama Festival. From then on, the group’s productions became more diverse and included Kyogen (a form of traditional Japanese comic theatre) Little Flower Girl (1985), Frederick Knott’s (1916–2002) Wait Until Dark (1987), and Swiss author and dramatist Friedrich Durrenmatt’s (1921–1990) The Visit (2011). Princess Jasmine, I-Lien’s first cross cultural production, scripted and directed by Chua Soo Pong, received the best production award of the 1984 Ministry of Culture’s Drama Festival.

Key directors in I-Lien’s early years included Tan Zheng Ya, Chow Li Liang, and Tan Wang Cheng. In the 1980s, Chua Soo Pong, Andy Teo, Tan Sok Hua, Elena Chia, and Ng Yik Lei began directing its productions. The director ranks continued to grow in the 1990s, with the entry of Teo Ngak Seng, Lee Wee Heong, Hua Liang (1953–1995), Tan Tiaw Gem and Zou Yong Hui. In the 2000s, I-Lien continued to work with veteran directors such as Cheng Yau Kwok, Chua Soo Pong, Liu Lisha, Yang Wenzhong, Elena Chia, and Chen Tian Ci. It also provided opportunities for young directors, such as Cai Rong An, Kwong Wai Chung, Ye Xiangling, Wang Weiyang, and Li Te.

Crosstalk, short plays, and theatre for children

The group began to present crosstalk, skits, original short plays, poetry recitations, and poetry-based theatre from 1984. Its crosstalk performances continued until 1989 and included The Boastful One (1984), The Marriage (1986), Fearful Ghost (1988), and New Edition of Idioms (1989).

Skits and original short plays were also I-Lien signatures. These included Golden Cockerel (1985), Let’s Catch the Bad Guy (1986), A Story From A Long Long Time Ago (1986), Watch a Movie (1989, 1990), and The Extra (1993). In 2019, it even tried its hand at a short English-language play, Wanton.

From the 1990s to 2000s, a new generation of directors took the lead, exploring new horizons. Under the leadership of Yang Guo Biao, Lim Ngian Tiong, and Tan Soh Hwa, I-Lien began staging productions for children. These included The Wizard of Oz (2001, 2002, 2004) and Malan Flower (2005), as well as Run! Little Rabbit Run! (2011, 2012) and The Mouse Daughter’s Marriage (2013), both of which were collaborations with Singapore Focus Theatre.

In 2016, I-Lien’s 60th anniversary celebrations included a discussion forum and a recitation concert at the National Library’s The POD, and a stage production based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Nightingale, which was presented at The Arts House and at the International Theatre Festival held at Toyama, Japan in the same year.

Bringing original creations to the global stage

As one of the oldest Chinese-language theatre groups in Singapore, I-Lien has always believed in reflecting the lives of people here through original productions (as well as adaptations), and also in its presentations of the classics.

Many of the group’s veteran members are Teochew, which was why it once adapted the Teochew opera Swapping Partners (1990, 1992). In 2000, I-Lien even staged a Teochew version of The 72 Tenants, which was originally a Shanghainese comedy. This production was warmly received by audiences and restaged to full houses the following year.

Programme booklet for Singapore I-Lien Drama Society’s Teochew version of The House of 72 Tenants, 2001. From National Library, Singapore.

From 1991 onwards, the group began to take part in cultural exchanges locally and abroad. Its first overseas performance, Frederick Knott’s Wait Until Dark, was staged at the Malaysia International Theatre Festival and received a warm reception. Two years later, I-Lien took part in the same festival with an Adults Fables series. Directed by Andy Teo and Wu Zheng Quan, the series included A Thin Line, Apocalyptic Weddings, Song of the Extra, and other original short plays full of local flavour.

The group created Princess Jasmine, a cross-cultural poetry-based drama inspired by classical Javanese theatre, in 1984. This won the Best Production award at the Ministry of Culture’s Drama Festival and was restaged locally and abroad in 2006, 2007, and 2009.

I-Lien first took part in South Korea’s Masan International Theatre Festival in 2002 and went on to do so for the next 12 years. In 2013, The Mouse Daughter’s Marriage, directed by Chua Soo Pong, was staged as part of the Monaco International Arts Festival. In 2016, The Nightingale was invited to take part in The World Festival of Children’s Performing Arts in Toyama, Japan. A year later, Wang Weixiang adapted and directed The Monument, which was staged as part of South Korea’s Chuncheon International Theatre Festival. In 2019, a condensed version of Princess Jasmine and That Fateful Night were staged as part of the Shandong International Small Theatre Drama Festival in China.

I-Lien is currently led by May Tan, who also heads a choir. This choir collaborated with I-Lien for the first time in 2014 on Songs that We Sang, a production with much local flavour. In 2018, under Tan’s tenure, I-Lien presented the original musical Rainbow in My Heart, written by Koh Teng Liang and directed by Tan Tiaw Gem. The same year saw the staging of Indistinguishable Strokes, a fusion of local martial arts and street dance that was choreographed by Eugene Seow.

In 2019, I-Lien presented Because of You and In My Song, two original productions about Singapore senior citizens, accompanied by songs. It also staged Kopi No Limit, a short play that was livestreamed to develop its actors through a new format and attract new audiences.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group turned to livestreaming its productions and explored online content. In 2022, it presented an online production to celebrate Chinese New Year and resumed live performances with Familial Ties, written and directed by Koh Teng Liang, and staged at Stamford Arts Centre.