The Concubine

Playwright and poet Isaiah Christopher Lee is known for his works that explore sex, gender and sexuality. The independent theatre-maker is back with his new work, The Concubine, at the Drama Centre Black Box. 

It comes in the form of a 90-minute semi-autobiographical monodrama that features Lee as the sole performer, with stories based on his life experience. The play explores the story of a young man who navigates love and hurt while having to unearth past traumas from his upbringing and family life. 

The stories of Lee's personal life are intertwined with tales of various concubines from different literary and performative traditions – the set up for a clash of cultures and traditions from different time periods and geographical locations. In the end, he must learn to come to terms with what he is given, and grow with every new challenge life throws at him.

The Concubine is an original work co-written by Lee and Izzul Irfan (last seen in Zeugma Collective’s _T0701_ at the Singapore International Festival of Arts) and will be directed by Adeeb Fazah. This won't be the first collaboration between Lee and Adeeb, however. The duo last collaborated on The Second Breakfast Company’s staging of the former’s debut play The Old Woman and the Ox in 2018.

With lighting design by Ian Pereira and sound design by Ng Sze Min, The Concubine brings together various freelance artists in an independent production shining a spotlight on the modern young person’s challenge of navigating the new world in spite of past grievances. 

Tickets are $35 before platform fees and can be purchased here.