The Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studie (CDTPS) is proud to celebrate PhD student Shiu Hei Larry Ng, recipient of the prestigious Connaught International Scholarship at the University of Toronto. Larry’s journey to this moment has been anything but conventional marked by detours, transformations, and a deep commitment to both practice and reflection.
“Receiving the Connaught International Scholarship was a complete surprise,” Larry shares. “It isn’t only financial support; it feels like a quiet recognition, an unexpected encouragement for someone who found their way back to academia rather late, in midlife.”
Larry’s academic path began in philosophy and sociology, followed by a meaningful detour into theatre and psychotherapy as a registered drama therapist. After years of working across Europe and Asia, a sudden shift in Hong Kong’s political landscape led him to Toronto and back to academic life—first through the MA program at the Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies (CDTPS), and now as a PhD student.
His doctoral research explores the transformation of traditional “Chinese” theatre and the emergence of modern forms under intercultural conditions. Drawing on his background in philosophy, physical theatre, applied theatre, and martial arts, Larry investigates how early twentieth-century practitioners envisioned new modes of actor training and pedagogy, efforts that reflect deeper cultural shifts and creative misreadings.
“I now regard ‘misunderstanding’ as something inevitable, yet full of potential for cultural co-evolution,” says Larry. “What interests me most is the desire, vision, and insight at the core of these creative misreadings—and what they actually did to enact such transformations.”
Larry’s research is deeply informed by his experiences at CDTPS. Courses with Professor Pia Kleber helped him reframe Brecht’s dialectics, while David Rokeby’s Emerging Technology course challenged his skepticism and expanded his understanding of embodiment and technological change. Studio-based playwriting courses with Djanet Sears reconnected him with the power of dialogue-based drama, enriching his perspective on early twentieth-century theatrical shifts.
Equally pivotal was Professor Xing Fan’s Asian Theatre summer course, which helped Larry move beyond a long-standing hesitation toward researching “Chinese” topics within Western institutions. This hesitation stemmed from the fact that, in Chinese-speaking contexts, critical study of traditional theatre is often constrained by nationalist pressures and institutional divides, while in Western academia such work must also navigate orientalist legacies. The course helped him see new possibilities: it showed how working from a culturally distanced platform—outside Chinese-speaking contexts—could create space to resist both narratives and rethink the evolving relationship between traditional and modern theatre—thus shaping his current focus on intercultural transformation and actor training.
Beyond CDTPS, Larry finds inspiration in the University of Toronto’s rich resources and interdisciplinary environment. He is currently taking courses offered by the Departments of East Asian Studies and Comparative Literature to further support his research.
As an international student, Larry acknowledges the challenges of transitioning to life in Toronto, especially during a gap year when professional re-licensing and limited work opportunities added pressure. “This scholarship helps ease the pressures of survival in a city that can be both beautiful and harsh,” he says. “Most importantly, it grants me more time and calmness of mind to focus on my research, and to walk this path of learning with a steadier heart.”
Outside academia, Larry continues to engage in community projects through theatre and martial arts training. He practices Systema, a Russian martial art that emphasizes calmness, creativity, and adaptability—qualities that mirror his approach to research and life.
“To other international students,” he offers, “perhaps all I can share is an invitation: to embrace detours and let them nurture you. Especially in the arts and humanities, creativity can mean more than innovation, and uniqueness unfolding within context can be the very soil from which richness grows.”
Larry’s story is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary exploration, resilience, and the transformative potential of detours. We are honoured to have him as part of our community at CDTPS.