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Off Centre traces the friendship of two ex-mental patients, Saloma and Vinod, and the problems and hurdles they have to overcome, including social stigmas, prejudices and personal conflicts. the play uses effective techniques of flashbacks; moving the character in and out of their schizophrenic and normal selves to elicit their rational and emotional experiences.

“Off Centre marks a new maturity in Singapore Theatre, addressing an audience prepared to be challenged.”
—Hannah Pandian, The Straits Times Life

“... a major triumph.”
—Mayo Martin, TODAY Online

The Necessary Stage’s critically acclaimed play, Off Centre, returns 26 years after its premiere in 1993. Written by Haresh Sharma and directed by Alvin Tan, Off Centre is a landmark play in the history of Singapore theatre, best remembered for presenting an honest and unflinching look at mental illness and the stigma surrounding it.

Off Centre follows the unlikely friendship between Saloma and Vinod, and traces their journeys as they deal with their personal conflicts as well as social prejudices against mental health conditions.

Selected in 2007 by the Ministry of Education as the first Singaporean play to be offered as a GCE 'O' and ‘N’ Level literature text, Off Centre is once again back on the syllabus since 2018.

This brand new staging features Abdulattif Abdullah and Sakinah Dollah, who will reprise their original roles as Vinod and Saloma respectively, as well as Aidli Mosbit as Mak.

“It’s impossible to not be astounded by the timelessness and thrust of Haresh Sharma’s Off Centre.”
—Naeem Kapadia, Crystalwords