Nine Years Theatre creates actor-driven productions that are available for festivals, presenting houses and cultural institutions. Our current touring production is Waiting For Audience, a playful and moving work about theatre, performance and the audience.
An old theatre reaches its last performance night. Two actors — A and O — find themselves sharing the stage. They bicker, compete, create, wonder, and wait. But will the audience ever come?
Playful yet meaningful, Waiting For Audience challenges us to rethink the bond between performers and spectators, drawing inspiration from physical theatre, clowning, absurdist humour and Chinese crosstalk.
Created and performed by Nine Years Theatre founders Nelson Chia and Mia Chee, the work invites audiences to join in the celebration of the power of live performance to connect what is on and off stage.
Why This Work
Waiting For Audience is a playful and moving exploration of the relationship between performer and spectator. Combining physical theatre, clowning, absurd humour and influences from traditional Chinese crosstalk, the work invites audiences to reflect on why live performance matters and what theatre becomes without its audience.
The production balances accessibility with artistic depth, making it suitable for diverse audiences across cultures and languages.
Tour History & Recognition
2024
Singapore International Festival of Arts
Work-in-Progress Presentation
2025
Singapore International Festival of Arts
Full Production Premiere
2025
Teatro No'hma, Milan
Premio Internazionale Il "Teatro Nudo" di Teresa Pomodoro
Awarded Special Mention, Public Jury
2026
Festival Off Avignon
Théâtre Transversal
4–25 July 2026
Festival Off Avignon 2026 Poster
The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards 2026
Winner: Best Sound
Nominated for:
Best Original Script
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Lighting
Best Sound
Best Multimedia
Special Mention, Public Jury
Premio Internazionale Il "Teatro Nudo" di Teresa Pomodoro
Teatro No'hma, Milan
Selected Reviews
Review excerpts have been translated from their original languages where applicable.
“The marvel of this work is how lightly it wears the many weighty themes in the script. It is, simply, a laugh-out-loud funny and sweetly tender valentine to theatre lovers.”
— Ong Sor Fern, The Straits Times
“A witty, intelligent, and poetic production.”
— Mattia Sebastian Giorgetti, Sipario.it Translated from Italian
“Metatheatrical musing on artmaking is a hit, thanks to emotive, powerful performances and
staging by Nelson Chia and Mia Chee.”
— Bakchormeeboy.com
“Presented with generosity and finesse by two of the finest practitioners in the Singapore Mandarin-language theatre scene.”
— Idelle Yee, Critics Circle Blog
Creative & Production Team
Playwright / Director / Performer: Nelson Chia
Producer / Performer: Mia Chee
Sound Design: Ng Jing
Spatial & Lighting Design: Emanorwatty Saleh
Downloads & Enquiries
For touring enquiries, please contact:
Mia Chee
Company Director — Nine Years Theatre mia@nineyearstheatre.com
