Spotlight: Marwyn Ho’s Artistic Journey with SRT 

Firsts, Fearless Choices, and Reimagining the Classics

From cutting his teeth with Shakespeare in the Park as part of The Young Company to co-founding his own theatre collective The Winter Players, Marwyn has always embraced theatre with boldness and imagination. Now beginning his residency in directing with SRT, he continues to push boundaries while honing his craft on a larger stage. We caught up with Marwyn to reflect on his journey so far, the inspirations that drive his work, and what excites him most about the path ahead.

1. You first joined SRT through The Young Company in 2018 under the mentorship of director Daniel Jenkins. What stands out most from your time there? 

I joined SRT in 2018 when I was still in polytechnic. I graduated in 2019, with the grad show 1984. There are more lovely and memorable moments than I can count from my time in The Young Company, but one of the most significant was being in Shakespeare in the Park – Julius Caesar when I was 18. I had many firsts with that production: first professional production, first time being fitted for a costume, first time being styled by a hair stylist, first time doing a quick-change, first time having 5-6 costumes in the same show, etc. It was a whirlwind of first-time experiences, all of which were extremely scary but immensely fun. I got to work up close with the finest Singaporean theatre actors and was allowed the privilege of sitting in the rehearsal room with them as they worked through Julius Caesar in front of my eyes. This was one of the most illuminating experiences of my career. I was loath for that production to end.  

And then my grad show, 1984, was absolutely mental. I don't know what possessed Dan to do such an ambitious project, but I'm glad he did, and that he trusted me and my The Young Company batchmates to pull it off. And we did! 

2. As the founding Artistic Director of The Winter Players, you worked on productions like Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. Share with us what inspired the collective’s beginnings. 

The Winter Players started off in 2024 as a collective of fresh graduates from LASALLE College of the Arts, across the BA (Hons) in Acting, BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre and Diploma in Performance courses. Being fresh graduates, we wanted to dive into action straight away, and under our own terms, doing plays that we loved. I had directed Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale with the group when we were still students the year prior, and we found that classic plays that were otherwise deemed inaccessible or too difficult for young actors, were absolutely brimming with great stories and acting parts.

These plays, which we never were otherwise exposed to, were a whole world of wonder and excitement that was unimaginable and fantastical. I mean, "scholar summoning a devil that would grant him knowledge and magic", was the kind of whimsical, legendary play that we were completely drawn to. Our name 'The Winter Players' is about our desire to stage 'Winter' in Singapore. Winter being stories, tales, and fantastical literature that you wouldn't be able to find here. 

3. The Winter Players is also SRT’s Company-in-Residence. Could you share what that experience has been like, particularly with the staging of Hedda Gabler at KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT? 

It has been a privilege to be granted the use of the KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT. It was incredibly daunting at first, going from only small theatre venues beforehand. We like to joke about it as: "We were driving Children's Beginner Go-Karts, then suddenly were handed the keys to a Lamborghini." There were many things to learn going into such a comparatively titanic venue, but thankfully the team at SRT were incredibly gentle and nurturing. They had no expectations of what we needed to put up, and recommended that we start small and slowly, but we refused! We decided right away that we wanted to stage Hedda Gabler, and the rest is history. Special thanks to Lee Kong-Shen for his patience and kindness. 

4. You’ve just begun your residency in directing with SRT. What excites you most about the projects ahead, and what are you keen to explore during this time? 

The scale that SRT operates on is magnificent. SRT is always moving from one show to the next, and the quiet time between shows is spent working on the next one. What took The Winter Players a year to conceptualise and plan, is a few weeks' work at SRT. Not to mention the size and scale – I mean, Shakespeare in the Park? These are culturally iconic, behemoth shows! I am looking forward to seeing up close and personal, and contributing to the titanic operations that are SRT shows. 

5. Looking beyond your residency, how do you hope this experience will shape your artistic journey? 

Everything directorial and managerial before my residency that I have done, I have done without any reference or training, or in other words, I was self-taught. This residency is already giving me first-hand knowledge and exposure on how to plan, manage, and execute operations in a theatre company that will be invaluable for me in the creation of my own works. 

6. If you could direct any play or musical — no limits — what would your dream project be? 

What currently occupies my thoughts is the Chinese legend of The Cowherd and Weaver Girl (Niulang and Zhinu). In true Asian fashion, it's a bittersweet story, and I love those. Since falling in love with Shakespeare and the way he tells European stories and legends, I've been wanting to tell an Asian folk story/legend in the form of a verse play too! I am in search of a play version of the legend, and if it doesn't exist, who knows, I might even write it myself if I'm desperate enough. 

Inspired by Marwyn’s journey? Take your next step in theatre with SRT’s Residency Programme.