Meet Yan Ying “YY” Sim | Theatre Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yan Ying “YY” Sim and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yan Ying “YY”, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
The balance is a perennial challenge! As a freelance theatre artist, I have very busy periods where practically every waking moment is taken up by work – rehearsals, meetings, drafts to write or look over, a constant stream of emails and messages; and also lull periods when I stop, breathe, look around and… feel insecure because everyone else seems to be busier than me. But before I have time to let that sink in, I’m whisked off to another project again.

Because of my constantly shifting schedule, I’ve found it important to schedule dedicated break times or block out an evening every week to be a “chill night”. And because work messages and emails can come in at literally any time of the day, I’ve started intentionally putting my phone on airplane mode when I’m having meals with friends or family so I can have uninterrupted quality time with them. These little ways of compartmentalisation have helped me be more present and at peace.

Moving back to Singapore last August after living in New York for five years also required a major calibration in terms of the work-life balance – for the first time in a long time I’m able to consistently spend time with family, whom I either live with or live in close proximity to. And that time does amount to a lot. Before in New York when I might spend a full Saturday night at a café working on my laptop, I now spend it at my grandmother’s place chatting with her and my relatives. A Tuesday afternoon of back-to-back coffees with industry folx could now be spent with my parents taking care of the family dog. Sometimes I can’t help but feel guilt and anxiety setting in because I am not spending as much time working as I previously did, but I am also reflecting on the kind of life I want to lead, and that life – with all its passion, ambition, and drive – also includes invaluable quality time with my loved ones.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a Singapore and New York-based theatre artist who creates works that are intercultural and interdisciplinary, primarily integrating text, movement, multimedia, and sound. With my interest in live performance as a means of bridging perspectives, I work with artists of various backgrounds to create shows that draw upon a diversity of lived experiences and then present them in a shared physical space. I seek to create works that are both experimental and accessible, challenging existing forms and boundaries while providing multiple entry points for a range of audiences.

Beginning with a theme and core questions, and without a pre-existing script, I work with my collaborators to devise these shows from scratch, each of us serving as a kind of co-creator. These projects are often born out of my obsessions and preoccupation with unpacking this chaos––whether it is about privilege, motherhood, or death.

My recent works include: “Where Are You?” (WILD RICE, Mabou Mines), a series of productions about how we experience grief and confront death across cultures and individuals; “Who’s There?” (The Transit Ensemble, New Ohio Theatre), a transnational collaboration between artists from Singapore, Malaysia, and the U.S. wrestling with racial unrests in 2020; “I LOVE WHITE MEN” (Caveat NYC, Ars Nova, Dixon Place), a one-woman show excavating white worship and postcolonial baggage from an immigrant’s perspective; and Without Reason (Esplanade) about the struggles of an interracial relationship in Singapore.

Presently, I am co-creating “(un)becoming”, a hybrid production which explores tensions in mother-daughter relationships, which will be presented by T:>Works as part of the N.O.W. Festival in July 2021.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Singapore – explore the heartland area of Choa Chu Kang where I grew up, stop for Hainanese chicken rice at the 302 coffee shop (my absolute favourite food), check out the National Museum or National Gallery, take a walk along Henderson Waves connecting Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park, go cycling at East Coast Park, watch a theatre show by a local company (my fav are The Necessary Stage and Wild Rice), watch a film at indie cinema The Projector, get drinks at Holland Village/Chinatown/Haji Lane, and go for a late night KTV.

… Then maybe visit the touristy places like Marina Bay Sands, Gardens By The Bay, the Singapore Flyer, Jewel Changi Airport, Resorts World Sentosa… etc.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To some of my closest and most trusted collaborators over the past year Cheng Nien Yuan, Nabilah Said, Nicholas Chan, Jevon Chandra, Jay Ong, Johanna Pan, and Cinthia Chen; as well as my mentors Alvin Tan, Ivan Heng, and Noorlinah Mohamed.

Website: simyanying.com
Instagram: @simyanying
Facebook: facebook.com/simyanying

Image Credits:
1. Main Photo: Film still from “Who Am I?” directed by Miguel Moreno Mateos, released in November 2019