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Essays/Writings

Theatre and Cultures

Published in Renaissance Singapore?: Economy, Culture, and Politics, edited by Dr Kenneth Paul Tan.

The following is an extract from the essay/writing.


To a great extent, overtly political theatre in Singapore ended in 1987 when 22 people were arrested for taking part in an alleged 'Marxist conspiracy'. Two of them were members of radical theatre company The Third Stage. With the demise of political theatre, social theatre gained prominence in the early 1990s. The world was fast changing and Singapore increasingly had to open up and reach out. By the mid-1990s, original, in tracultural, indigenous, and social theatre began to move into the margins, while plays that were influenced by postmodern traits and tendencies gained prominence. The new millennium has seen a rise in both avant-garde as well as commercial theatre, with a large volume of foreign plays imported, adapted, and produced by local theatre companies. This development has been mainly spearheaded by theatre practitioners returning to Singapore from overseas. Political theatre challenges


Project Serial Number: AA200701

Due to copyright restrictions, we are unable to reproduce the full essay/writing online. Please contact the resource owner directly for permissions if reproduction rights do not belong to The Necessary Stage Ltd. Otherwise, kindly contact us for access to the full resource. Do note that archival access and reproduction charges may apply.
2007
 

Publications

Off Centre DVD

Language: English/Malay
Subtitles: English/Malay
Total Duration: Disc 1 (125 min), Disc 2 (49 min)
Colour Stereo 4:3
PAL
Zone: ALL

First staged in 1993 to critical acclaim, Off Centre is recognised as a landmark play in the history of Singapore theatre, best remembered for bringing mental illness and its patients’ plights to the attention of the media and general public in Singapore.

The play traces the friendship of Saloma and Vinod and the hurdles they have to overcome, including social stigmas, prejudices and personal conflicts.

Off Centre has also been selected by the Ministry of Education as the first Singapore play to be offered as a GCE ‘O’ Level literature text from 2007, and has been republished by The Necessary Stage.

This special two disc set includes interviews with playwright Haresh Sharma, director Alvin Tan, and members of the cast
2007
 

Publications

Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, Vol. 6

Interlogue is a Series which brings into critical focus the works of Singapore writers in English. The Series aims for stimulating insights presented in a refreshing manner through sustained engagements with a variety of approaches, themes and perspectives. The first 3 volumes concentrate on fiction, poetry and drama. The contributors range from established scholars to new, young researchers in the field. All offer essays which serve to extend and enrich current understanding of the literature. Later volumes focus on individual authors and texts. Interlogue is designed to put Singapore Literature on the world map so that it will get the attention it deserves.

This volume in the Interlogue Series examines in detail Haresh Sharma’s extensive body of work, beginning with his very early writing and ending with his 2006 work. Prof. David Birch tries to paint a large social, political, economic and cultural landscape of Sharma’s writing and theatre since 1988, within and outside of his work with The Necessary Stage. He poses some key questions about Sharma’s development as a writer; the themes and issues he engages with and his vision and practice of theatre.
2007
 

Workshops

Theatre For Youth and Community 2007

In September 1992, Alvin Tan, Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage, established the Theatre For Youth Branch. The Branch was re-named Theatre for Youth and Community in 2002, our 10th anniversary year.

The aims of our Youth Drama Programmes are to:


expose young people to theatre
create a space for artistic expression by and for young people
cultivate the aesthetic sensibilities of young people
explore themes and issues relevant to young people in Singapore


We believe that theatre must grow out of the community and therefore pay close attention to issues that concern young people and educators. Our programmes develop from research, careful planning and consultation.

Our programmes are relevant and involve theoretical and hands-on learning: cultivating students' life skills towards their personal development.

We also believe strongly in partnerships with other sectors in society to achieve holistic outcomes for our programmes. The school's curriculum and directions in education are also taken into consideration when planning our programmes.

Theatre is not meant to be simply a high-brow affair for the wealthy and intellectual. It is a language that each of us have the right to learn and speak, in order to find release, and to make meaning of our world.
2006
 

Productions

Fundamentally Happy

Eric, a 30-year-old social worker, returns to his childhood neighbourhood and looks for the home of his old neighbour. He finds that the coupe are still living there, older and with children. As Eric and his old neighbour Habiba reminisce "the old days", a shocking secret is revealed - one that would forever change their lives. Fundamentally Happy takes an unflinching look at the personal and emotional issues surrounding paedophilia, without judgement and blame.
2006
 -
Singapore
 

Staging

Fundamentally Happy

Eric, a 30-year-old social worker, returns to his childhood neighbourhood and looks for the home of his old neighbour. He finds that the coupe are still living there, older and with children. As Eric and his old neighbour Habiba reminisce "the old days", a shocking secret is revealed - one that would forever change their lives. Fundamentally Happy takes an unflinching look at the personal and emotional issues surrounding paedophilia, without judgement and blame.
2006
 -
Singapore

Productions

godeatgod

A layered and moving exploration of power, sexuality, spirituality and survival in the post traumatic world, this multimedia, multiracial and multinational romp is interwoven with the stories and emotional landscape of its characters.

Writing in response to 911, playwright Haresh Sharma excavates the tragedies that surfaced - dishonesties, power struggles, corruption and egos - which have made the world an elimination platform dominated by the powerful.

godeatgod is an intimate, personal and at times funny exposition about trying to live a better life; a take on censorship in the context of art; and an examination of love and grief
2006
 -
Hungary

Staging

godeatgod

A layered and moving exploration of power, sexuality, spirituality and survival in the post traumatic world, this multimedia, multiracial and multinational romp is interwoven with the stories and emotional landscape of its characters.

Writing in response to 911, playwright Haresh Sharma excavates the tragedies that surfaced - dishonesties, power struggles, corruption and egos - which have made the world an elimination platform dominated by the powerful.

godeatgod is an intimate, personal and at times funny exposition about trying to live a better life; a take on censorship in the context of art; and an examination of love and grief
2006
 -
Hungary

Productions

Agent Penny and Will Power Return!

2006
 -
Singapore

Staging

Agent Penny and Will Power Return!

2006
 -
Singapore

Productions

Mobile

A unique collaboration involving artists from Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan, Mobile deals with stories of women and men who are affected by movement and migration. As the world becomes more mobile, has it also become more foreign?
2006
 -
Malaysia

Staging

Mobile

A unique collaboration involving artists from Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan, Mobile deals with stories of women and men who are affected by movement and migration. As the world becomes more mobile, has it also become more foreign?
2006
 -
Malaysia
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