Second-Generation Artists 2: Jeff Chen

Jeff: In terms of my position in the company, we’re talking about existing in a group of artists and collaborating on projects. I’m a no-nonsense kind of person. Democracy in the rehearsal process and all that: for me, cannot lah. I’m just too lazy to go through that kind of stuff. Democracy is a lot of hard work. Just make the decision. I believe that only one should lead or it will dilute the vision. Working with another director, I always insist that they give me boundaries. I always ask them what they want.

Kee Hong: Does that run into tensions and problems within an artistic and creative process?

Jeff: I think tensions are completely unavoidable. And I don’t think it’s a bad thing either But if one expects to collaborate, then there will be serious tensions. I’ve got serious unresolved conflicts with a lot of people but that doesn’t matter because I work with them on a project basis. If they are full-time in the company, things usually wouldn’t become too bad, because in the company the tensions don’t really quite last, because at the end of the day, it is very close-knit. It’s like a family around here. It’s like… it’s like you can’t choose, you see. You have to live with it.