Synopsis:

In this two-day masterclass, The Finger Players will be collaborating with a renowned Cambodian puppet theatre company Sovanna Phum Art Association to conduct a double-bill puppetry masterclass.
Led by The Finger Players' Artistic Director and award-winning theatre practitioner, Oliver Chong, this masterclass will introduce the fundamental techniques of contemporary shadow puppetry. During the masterclass, participants will explore the manipulation of 2D shadow headgears, as well as create shadow landscapes using 3D objects and movable lights. In contrast to The Finger Players' contemporary approach, Sovanna Phum Art Association will offer an insight into traditional Cambodian shadow puppetry. During the masterclass, participants will be given an opportunity to explore the making of shadow puppets using traditional techniques, while learning the history and development of the art form.

About the lecturer (Oliver Chong, The Finger Players)
Oliver Chong is a multi-award-winning and published playwright, director, actor, puppeteer; and set and puppet designer. Some of his memorable works include Every Brilliant Thing, A Fiend's Diary, Roots, I'm Just A Piano Teacher, Cat, Lost & Found, The Book of Living and Dying, Citizen Pig and Citizen Dog. His numerous wins and nominations at The Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards include Production of the Year, Best Director, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble and Best Set Design.

To date, Oliver's works have been presented at international arts festivals in Paris, Myanmar, Barcelona, Budapest, Ankara, Bangkok, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia. He has conducted playwriting, directing and acting Masterclasses in Hong Kong and Singapore, and has been committed to helping practitioners fine-tune their crafts since 2014.

Oliver was the Resident Director of THE FINGER PLAYERS (2004 – 2018), currently the Artistic Director of the company. He is also the founding member of A GROUP OF PEOPLE (2008 – 2012) and the founder of ODDCROP Productions (2019 – present). His published works include Roots, The Book of Living and Dying, I'm Just A Piano Teacher and Cat, Lost & Found. Roots was also read and staged in New Zealand by Proudly Asian Theatre in 2018.

About the lecturer (Sovanna Phum Art Association)
The Sovanna Phum Art Association, meaning 'Golden Era,' is an independent Cambodian artistic association based in Phnom Penh. It is dedicated to reviving, preserving, and promoting the treasures of traditional Khmer arts through performances and workshops.

Founded in 1994, Sovanna Phum was established to provide Cambodian artists with opportunities to perform and earn a living from their art, as well as to share Khmer culture with a wider audience both within Cambodia and abroad. Since its inception, the Association has actively facilitated intercultural exchanges of Khmer performing arts between local and international artists through training and workshops. Today, Sovanna Phum boasts a dynamic network of over 200 students, teachers, and graduates from the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh.

Under the leadership of Founder, Artistic Director, and Shadow Puppeteer Master Mann Kosal, the Association has diversified its artistic repertoire to include: Classical and Folk Dance (Robam Borane and Robam Pro Pey Ny), Shadow Puppet Theatre (Lakhaon Sbaek Thom and Sbaek Touch), Traditional Music (Such as Chapey and Pin Peat Orchestra), Mask Theatre (Lakhaon Khaol), Speaking Theatre (Lakhaon Ny Yeay), Singing Theatre (Lakhaon Bassac), Singing Theatre with Drums (Lakhaon Yike), Clown, contemporary dance, and more.

Who is this course for
You should attend this Masterclass if you wish:

- To be introduced to Traditional and Contemporary Shadow Puppetry from a Southeast Asian perspective
- To learn fundamental techniques of shadow puppetry, such as manipulating light sources and exploring various types of objects
- To deepen your understanding of how puppetry can relate to your craft as a performer

Requirements
- At least 2 years of professional experience in performing arts
- Full attendance is compulsory.
- Please attend the Masterclass in comfortable clothing.