Under by Lee Shyh Jih

In an ever expanding and growing underground passage network, three relationships and a story of a missing cat unfold. Does the man-made space bury or unearth hidden human desires? How wide apart are our lives from that depicted by advertisements on the underground walls?

Artist’s Motivation:
A playwright is (largely) confined to constructing protagonist journeys via spoken words. Yet, there are many limitations on what those spoken words reveal about the protagonists. Spoken words are like tips of icebergs, and every read of a script is a chance to imagine a different existence beneath what meet the eyes.

Under is an exploration in meanings of spoken words, through repetition, permutation and rhythmization. It is also an exploration of what lies beneath what can be seen and heard.

Under was developed under Centre 42's Guest Room (now known as the New Scripts Residency). Read about Guest Room here.

Centre 42 previously supported the play’s development under its Basement Workshop programme where Lee Shyh Jih and his collaborators underwent six months of workshopping to explore the many possibilities of delivering the texts of Under.

Read more about Under at our Basement Workshop programme here.