A night of storms and transformation: Yale-NUS Theatre Programme presents Restless Night in Late Spring
Yale-NUS students and alumni came together to explore modern Japanese drama and its contemporary relevance
On 13 and 14 September, the Yale-NUS Theatre Programme under the Arts and Humanities major presented a performance of Restless Night in Late Spring (1928), a one-act play by renowned Japanese playwright Fumiko Enchi. The production, staged at the Yale-NUS Black Box Theatre, featured a mix of alumni and current students in the cast and crew. This production not only showcased the talents of Yale-NUS’s theatre community but also marked the exploration of modern Japanese drama within the liberal arts environment.
Directed by Senior Lecturer of Humanities (Theatre) and Theatre Programme Coordinator Jonathan Vandenberg, Restless Night in Late Spring drew audiences into the intimate and intense world of two female art students, Kayoko and Mitsuko, as they navigated an emotionally charged night. Performed by Esther Koh (Class of 2023) as Kayoko, and Celine Quah (Class of 2025) as Mitsuko, the play explored themes of modernity, traditional art, and the complexities of human relationships. Nicholas Lim and Heng Jia Min (both from the Class of 2023), completed the cast.
The production drew on Enchi’s pioneering work in modern Japanese drama, known as shingeki, which was developed during the early 20th century in Japan and has since been regarded as a classic exploration of Japan’s evolving artistic and social landscapes. Restless Night in Late Spring continues to resonate for modern audiences, as its characters wrestle with questions of artistic relevance and personal destiny in a changing world.
Reflecting on the production, Senior Lecturer Vandenberg shared, “Enchi’s play allowed us to rigorously apply techniques introduced in the College’s Acting courses and gave our students exposure to producing a theatre production. In addition to this training, we became deeply invested in the play’s themes—particularly the question of whether traditional and classical art forms are relevant in the modern world. And also, how to chart one’s life path.”
The performance also highlighted the deep collaboration within the cast and crew. In addition to the cast, Stage Manager Sheriah Peries, Assistant Stage Manager Anna Lim, and Box Office Manager Dylan Lee, along with artistic contributors Zhixin Sheng and Kazuto Nakano (all from the Class of 2025), played pivotal roles in bringing the show to life. Students were also given the opportunity to work with professionals in Singapore’s performing arts scene, including well-known local costume designer Theresa Chan, who designed and created the show’s wardrobe.
Celine Quah as Mitsuko and Esther Koh as Kayoko. Image taken by Crispian Chan.
Esther, who portrayed Kayoko, expressed how the collaborative process and immersive experience helped shape her performance, “I will always have good memories of the cast and crew coming together almost every night for a month to work intimately, seeing one another’s highs and lows, creating something that resonates with all of us and others. I am sure we have all grown tremendously as people and artists.” For Esther, the play reflected the close-knit nature of the Yale-NUS theatre community and its commitment to producing deeply thoughtful work.
For Celine, who played Mitsuko, the production was an opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and dive into theatre for the first time. Having been introduced to various acting skills and techniques in the Acting I course, also taught by Senior Lecturer Vandenberg, she saw Restless Night in Late Spring as a perfect space to practise what she had learnt in the course. “Dabbling in a production as professional as Restless Night was a leap of faith but such a rewarding risk for me,” Celine said of her experience.
Notably, many of the students and alumni involved in the production were not Arts and Humanities majors. This diversity demonstrates Yale-NUS’ emphasis on interdisciplinary exploration and experiential learning, where students have the freedom to go beyond their academic coursework and explore different fields.
The cast of Restless Night take their final bows: (from left to right) Nicholas Lim, Jia Min Heng, Esther Koh and Celine Quah. Image taken by Crispian Chan.
Restless Night in Late Spring was the third production undertaken by the Theatre Programme, following the well-received Japanese noh play Hanjo in 2023 and 2024’s Exile from Ayodhya, based on the epic Ramayana. These performances reflect Yale-NUS’s continued dedication to providing a platform for exploring diverse theatrical forms and themes, including non-Western artistic traditions, whilst fostering the personal and artistic growth of its students.
