Alvin Chiam

Alvin Chiam has been involved in Singapore theatre for over 20 years. For six years, he worked for The Theatre Practice, a major bilingual theatre company in Singapore, founded by the late theatre doyen Kuo Pao Kun.

After working and understudying with many acclaimed directors in Asia, including Stan Lai (Taiwan), Jim Chim (Hong Kong) and Fredric Mao (Hong Kong), Alvin was awarded the Arts Professional Development Grant from the National Arts Council Singapore in 2007 to further his performance skills in Paris with the great master Philippe Gaulier.

In 2009, Alvin graduated with distinction from École Philippe Gaulier and took up the role as a movement teacher and assistant professor in École Philippe Gaulier. In 2013, Alvin was awarded the National Arts Council Singapore Arts Scholarship and pursued an MA in Ensemble Theatre with Rose Bruford College in London. The following year, after his graduation, he took up the role of assistant lecturer for the same programme at Rose Bruford College.

Alvin has developed a deep interest in the application of the psycho-physical approach of an actor’s performing body. His training involved working with many leading exponents of movement in contemporary theatre, which included Monika Pagneux, Niamh Dowling and David Zinder. He is a specialist in different physical approaches to performance and training, including Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Viewpoints, Biomechanics and Michael Chekhov Technique

Alvin has served as an actor, theatre director and acting coach. His theatre productions, performances and training programmes have travelled to different countries, including France, UK, China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan.