Abyss
Physical Theatre
Platform Theatre, Central Saint Martins
London, UK
June 2025
Directed by: Jacob Zang
Performer: Jacob Zang
Live Musician: Bryan Wu
Lighting Design & Technician: Sheron Luo
Abyss is a work of physical theatre about desire, sexuality, self-destruction, and freedom. A dancer, a musician, and I as lighting designer formed three parts of one intricate instrument — movement, sound, and visual — finely tuned through dozens of rehearsals until we could sense each other’s next step. What appeared as improvisation was in fact a precision of intuition, a collective machine of expression.
Design Concept & Execution
Instead of a cue list, I programmed ten faders on the desk, each holding a distinct state or effect. By combining them freely in the moment, I could improvise light as part of the performance. This gave space to experiment: harsh beams exposing fragility, deep reds evoking obsession and erotic entanglement, cold edges turning the body into stone, or handheld light acting like a partner, sometimes guiding and sometimes restraining. At the end, golden overhead light marked release — a vision of acceptance.
Problem-Solving & Collaboration
Improvisation demanded coherence. Through repeated rehearsals we built a shared rhythm, knowing when to intervene and when to hold silence. The lighting system became my instrument, letting me respond instantly to sound and movement. In performance, the three of us operated as one body, delicate and precise.
​​Outcome & Reflection
The piece received powerful feedback. After the show from the lighting desk, I saw audience members remain in their seats, some in tears, touched by the honesty of what unfolded.
For me, Abyss was about more than technical invention — it was about trust, and about daring to bring sexuality, vulnerability, and liberation to the stage. Light here was not decoration but a living force, exploring with the others and helping the performance to breathe as one.
