We are Papergang Theatre.
Papergang Theatre is a theatre company with the aim of improving the representation of British East / South East Asian (BESEA) culture across the dramatic arts primarily in UK theatre. They produce work that is informed by the East Asian experience within Britain and the East Asian diaspora, inspired by the desire to see that perspective on stage.
Artists (From left to right): Bonnie Chan, Shum Pui Yung, Bella Leung, Jennifer Lim.
Clarissa Widya is a co-founder and now Co-Artistic Director of Papergang Theatre, leading the company as a producer.
Since Papergang Theatre’s foundation in 2013, Clarissa has facilitated writing workshops and R&Ds, and produced staged readings and scratch nights. In 2018, Papergang Theatre became a charity and Clarissa worked on a rebrand with Kim Pearce before going on maternity leave. A year later, Papergang Theatre returned with more socio-political projects: Tiananmen 30 (2019) at the Omnibus Theatre; Invisible Harmony 无形的和谐 at the Southbank Centre and Freedom Hi 自由閪 followed in 2020, the latter winning VAULT Show of the Week.
Clarissa has collaborated with the Diversity School Initiative, facilitating a workshop to feed into their Manifesto for change. She participated in the Leaders of Tomorrow programme and is part of the Bridge The Gap co-hort.
Clarissa is also the Manager of the London Theatre Consortium.
Kim Pearce is the Co-Artistic Director of Papergang Theatre.
A director working with performers across a range of disciplines including new writing, dance, and video games. Also a multi-skilled generalist of producing and production management. She joined Papergang 2016, directing Dreamers, Freedom Hi, Invisible Harmony and Tiananmen30. Producing Watermelon and A Bouffon Play About Hong Kong. Other credits as a theatre director include Forgotten遗忘 (Moongate Theatre & New Earth Theatre), Thunderstorm (RSC R&D), Love Steals Us From Loneliness (Chippy Lane Theatre) and Unearthed (Folio Theatre). Director of Acting at Ballet Rambert for Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby and Aisha and Abhaya. Resident Director for two UK tours and 1 world tour: The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-Time (National Theatre.) She co-programmed the 2020 XR: Decolonise, Decarbonise programme at the Vaults Festival and was part of the team that built and led Turner prize winning architectural group Assemble’s ‘Theatre On The Fly’ at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2012. Voice Director on numerous games including My Friend Peppa Pig (2021) and and assistant voice director on Dying Light 2 Stay Human (2022.).
Board Members
Jodie Gilliam Head of Finance and Operations Shubbak
Simon Ly Charity advisor, co-founder Papergang
Patrick Miller Actor
Simon Parsonage Finance Director Chichester Festival Theatre