Founder and Artistic Director
BA, MA, PhD, MFA
British Academy-endorsed ‘Global Talent’
Intercultural Acting Coach
International Award-winning Researcher
She is a seasoned actor trainer, director, researcher, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Recognised as a British Academy-endorsed ‘Global Talent’ in Performance Studies, she is currently based in both London and Hong Kong, with strong professional ties to Shanghai and Beijing, where she previously served as a Lecturer at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. As the Founder and Artistic Director of QI Performing Arts Limited, Dr Qi brings a rich intercultural background, supported by her academic credentials, including an MFA in Actor Training and Coaching from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, along with a BA in Acting, MA, and PhD in Theatre Studies from The Central Academy of Drama, China.
Her expertise lies in intercultural actor training, where she integrates techniques such as Stanislavski, Actioning, Status, Laban, and traditional Chinese Opera. She has significantly contributed to the field by introducing the British Actioning technique to China, demonstrated through her translation of two influential books and an associated research paper in 2021.
Drawing on her extensive academic foundation and practical experience in acting and directing across London, Hong Kong, and her former bases in Shanghai and Beijing, Dr Qi’s research bridges Eastern and Western practices. This earned her the second prize at the 2nd International Theatre Academy Awards in 2022. Through QI Performing Arts Limited, she continues to develop innovative methods that connect and advance Eastern and Western theatrical practices, enhancing the methodology of actor training and performance globally.
Hong Kong
Beijing
Shanghai
She has starred in a variety of plays, showcasing her versatility in both contemporary and classical works. Key stage performances include Cycle of Traps, Where Does the Singing Come From, My Name Is Inanna, and The Beauty Queen of Leenane. She has performed at the Beijing Nanluoguxiang Theatre Festivals, the Beijing Fringe Festivals, and the China National Theatre. Her film experience includes a starring role in a feature broadcast on China Central TV 6.
Acting
Top left, centre, top right:
In the classical Chinese play The Cycle of Traps, adapted from Eileen Chang’s novel, portraying the female protagonist’s journey from youth to middle age.
Bottom left, bottom right:
Played the leading role of Maureen in the drama The Beauty Queen of Leenane at the National Theatre of China during the 3rd Beijing Fringe Festival.
Her directing credits include the contemporary play 8 Femmes and Marriage at the New Space Theatre, Shanghai, along with various showcases and final productions for BA programmes at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Additionally, her experience as an assistant director includes the classical Chinese play The Orphan of Zhao and Shakespeare’s Hamlet (directed by Prof. Rong Hao) at the 1st Global Alliance of Theatre Schools (GATS) International Theatre Festival, as well as the contemporary Chinese play The Spring Festival (directed by Prof. Lina Wang) at the North Theatre of the Central Academy of Drama, China.
Directing