CSM LIVE
CSM Live was a performance program developed in an collaborve, experimentation lab environment over a period of 4 months. The final edit of the material developed during many workshop was performed as a two hour lasting show in May 2016 at the Platform Theatre in London.
The Wedding
"The Wedding" is a collaborative performance piece created by six artists from diverse nationalities. Using the situation of a wedding as our starting point, we deconstruct and reconstruct its traditional format to craft new narratives that incorporate our individual ideas. The racial dynamics among the artists inspire us to explore themes of chaos and distortion, reflecting the wedding as a microcosm of cosmopolitan cities. We examine the struggles and frustrations arising from miscommunication and cultural differences, illustrating how individuals often hide these feelings to navigate the complexities of modern life.
The Death
"The Death" is co-created with Raphael Schulenburg and George Turner. This work explores themes of life, death, and the complexity of human connection. Set in a surreal "birthday party" that feels more like a funeral, this collaborative performance centers around three characters: Minshin as "Death and Life," Raphael as "A guide in between Life and Death," and George as a playful child bridging the two. Inspired by Buddhist paintings that depict life’s journey and the inevitability of death, we structured a narrative of “swimming” guests as they traverse an imaginary sea between life and death. Our characters’ evolving forms of communication, from voice to Skype, reflect humanity’s relentless search for meaning. Drawing from personal loss, Minshin’s stillness invites the audience to experience the weight of life as George struggles to lift him—a poignant reflection on grief and mortality. The piece closes with a grounding truism: “Sugar is sweet,” a reminder of simple truths amid life’s profound mysteries.
Minshin's Kitchen
"The Chicken" begins with a provocative question: “In theaters, I can brush my teeth, but I’m not allowed to kill chickens. Why is that?” It’s ironic that while a cooked chicken can be presented on stage, a live one cannot. Brushing my teeth is a normal part of my daily routine, accepted in the theater space. In contrast, killing chickens is a routine for farmers and butchers. This disparity highlights the hypocrisy in how society treats everyday activities, particularly in relation to the criticism directed at meat consumers for being "cruel." I find this judgment childish and dismissive of the realities faced by those in agriculture. By challenging the limitations of theater as an act, I aim to confront distorted perceptions surrounding meat consumption, shedding light on the real issues in our meat-eating culture.