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Led by Resident Playwright and Cultural Medallion recipient Haresh Sharma, DAP 2023 is part of TNS’ devising platform and saw 20 theatre-makers undergo an intensive training programme over a six-month period to take a deep dive into the company’s unique devising methodology, as well as undergo dramaturgy workshops and lecture sessions with established theatre makers. This edition of the programme featured works that delved into a diverse array of themes: from faith, to mortality, to neurodivergence. The showcase presented five different devised works-in-progress created by the participants—one at each performance—at Practice Space, The Theatre Practice.•••Participants:Afiszan AmatAmitha PagoluBenedict LimBenjamin LyeEthel YapEuginia TanFlora YeoGoh Ming SiuHeng Jia MinJayden LimJohanna VanMel PehMiriam CheongMitchell FangNicole ShaanDaya AJHoe Wei QiPeh Jun KaiWeiqi ChuahWong Jin Yi•••Works Presented:Like a Whisperby: Amitha Pagolu, Benjamin Lye, Wong Jin Yi, Flora Yeo, Nicole Shaan and Mitchell FangThe Trouble with Paradiseby: Mitchell Fang, Miriam Cheong, Heng Jia Min, Peh Jun Kai and Benjamin LyeBrain Things (or, Is There Something Wrong With Me?)by: Weiqi Chuah, Nicole Shaan, Goh Ming Siu, Mel Peh, Flora Yeo, Miriam Cheong and Benedict LimThe Criticby: Euginia Tan, Afiszan Amat, Ethel Yap, Benedict Lim, Hoe Wei Qi, Johanna Van, Mel Peh, Wong Jin YiDivine’s Intervention  |《神之悲伤》| Ditangani Dukacita Ilahiby: Jayden Lim Jun De, Heng Jia Min, Weiqi Chuah, Afiszan Amat and Daya AJ

As part of TNS' Devising Platform 2022, six artist-collaborators explored interdisciplinary performance styles by using excerpts from "What We Inherit: Growing Up Indian", published by AWARE earlier this year.

On Friday 2nd December, 8pm, they opened their doors to a rehearsal session showcasing experimentation that uses various works in the book as a springboard to create new interdisciplinary narratives.

Until We Walk takes its cue from the recently-renewed conversations surrounding the death penalty as both a transcendent and pragmatic approach. Following a week-long process of of intensive workshopping and exploration, the lab culminates in an audio trail incorporating a relay system mechanism in hopes of furthering dialogue on the topics of the death penalty, morality, justice, and beliefs.

 

Songs featured:

(Lyrics adapted from poems written by Pannir Selvam)

Arah Tuju (Where We Are Going)

Bukan Sekadar Hikayat (Not Just A Story)

Di Sebalik Pintu Besi (Behind the Iron Gates)

 

In 2001, TNS launched Playwrights’ Cove, a development and mentorship programme aimed at nurturing, processing and platforming contemporary playwriting for Singapore theatre. Many of its participants are well-known practitioners and educators today, including Jean Tay, Ng Yi-sheng, Natalie Hennedige, Kenneth Kwok and Matthew Lyon.We re-launched Playwrights' Cove in 2020 and 10 selected participants underwent training and mentorship by Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma. To find out more about Playwrights' Cove 2020, click here.Playwrights' Cove 2022 featured 10 participants and culminated with them presenting their newly developed works in November 2022 at Practice Space, The Theatre Practice.

The Necessary Stage invited members of the public to join us in an exploratory presentation of movement, technology and sound as part of our devising platform.

Through interdisciplinary experimentation, we delved into notions of time, identity, loss and grief, and how these can be articulated and deconstructed through a meeting of mediums.

In an experiment to uncover future trajectories for theatre via technology, our collaborators learn more about AI programming and its potential, to aid in the creation of brand new excerpts.

Part of TNS' Devising Platform, Devising With Actors and Playwrights comprised a five-month training programme for 20 participants led by Haresh Sharma that developed the capabilities of emerging playwrights, actors and dramaturgs to apply the company’s devising methodology in their theatre-making. The programme, which runs from April to September 2021, also featured workshops and clinics with Alvin Tan and other guest speakers, and culminated in a series of presentations of works-in-progress by the participants.

• • • 

Participants:

A Yagnya

Auderia Tan Yan Ying

Deonn Yang

Fadhil Daud

Te Hao Boon

Irny Irdina

Isaac Lim

Ivan Choong

Jaisilan Sathiasilan

Jean Tay

Jeramy Lim

Kimberly Arriola

Lareina Tham

Nicholas Bloodworth

Rajkumar Thiagaras

Ryan Ang 

Sabrina Sng

Shien Hian Lim

Sim Yan Ying "YY"

Tysha Khan

• • •

Works Presented:

Cost of Caring

by Sim Yan Ying "YY", Jean Tay, Lareina Tham, Lim Shien Hian, Te Hao Boon and Nicholas Bloodworth

A Perfect Day

by Ivan Choong, Fadhil Daud and Lim Shien Hian

Fractures

by Kimberly Arriola, Deonn Yang and Sabrina Sng

Never The Bride

by Rajkumar Thiagaras, Ryan Ang and Fadhil Daud

Misaligned Stars (错位的星星)

by A Yagnya, Auderia Tan Yan Ying and Isaac Lim

Dapat apa? (Get what?)

by Jeramy Lim, Irny Irdina and Tysha Khan

The They/Them: Verbatim Devising Workshop was led by The Necessary Stage's Resident Playwright and Cultural Medallion recipient Haresh Sharma, and was an introductory workshop for 10 selected participants who identify as trans or non-binary.

Spanning seven workshop sessions, participants explored devising, improvisations and verbatim sharings centred on their personal hopes and experiences as a trans/non-binary person. Their work across these sessions culminated in a closed-door presentation to invited guests

The workshop ran from 6 February to 27 February 2021.

The final presentation was performed by:


Crazy Kitten Smile
Irie Aman
Karuna Marsh
Levin Tan
Michael Neo
Naomi
Ness
Roo Lee
Sumita Thiagarajan
Wisely Chow
 

How can theatre interact with virtual reality (VR) technology?

VR Lab opens up an opportunity for creators to explore this relationship. Fragments from two scripts penned by Haresh Sharma, namely Don't Forget To Remember Me and Future Perfect, serve as conceptual springboards for experimentation around notions of memory, dementia, world-making and alternate realities.

The practitioners involved will propose briefs that will be executed and evaluated, to see if there is potential for further development. These permutations may or may not involve audience members when shared through a livestream session or sessions at the end of the laboratory

In 2001, The Necessary Stage (TNS) launched Playwright's Cove, a development and mentorship programme aimed at nurturing, processing and platforming contemporary playwriting for Singapore theatre. Many of its participants are well-known practitioners and educators today, including Jean Tay, Ng Yi-sheng, Natalie Hennedige, Kenneth Kwok and Matthew Lyon.

The return of Playwrights’ Cove in 2020 is part of TNS' effort to consolidate and boost its skills development and creative exploration programmes through the launch of the TNS Devising Platform.

Playwrights' Cove is a five-month playwriting training and mentorship programme led by Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma for 10 selected participants.

Each playwright completed a play by the end of the programme, and had the play read before a public audience.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent safe management measures, the play-readings were made available via digital streaming in December 2020.

Call for participants:

Have you ever wondered about why we move the way we do? How do our bodies react to our environment and to one another?

Learn more about your body in our new Theatre for Seniors workshop, this time through movement and collaboration! Conducted by established theatre performer and director Koh Wan Ching, this workshop for Seniors provides an introduction to movement and physical theatre, and invites TFS members to develop new approaches in their performance. Each participant is expected to create work and perform in compositions with one another.

Why should I join this workshop?

Elements of space and time are the building blocks of every creative event that happens in the theatre. This workshop will allow us to break down the various elements of space and time before experimenting with how they are integrated in a theatrical event. It is also an invitation to play and explore with your body, brain and heart while collaborating with space, time and each other.

The workshop will include physical exercises, games, Viewpoints training and collaborative devising activities.

While this training involves physical movement, the workshop environment is mindful that it is a space for seniors, and utmost care will be taken to adapt movement trainings for different ages.

The Orange Playground 2018: Lab #2 was led by our Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma and theatre practitioner Edith Podesta, centred around interdisciplinary responses to texts within a stipulated time frame. The texts in question are excepts from Stranger to Myself: The Diary of a Bangladeshi in Singapore by MD Sharif Uddin, published by Landmark Books. 

Stranger to Myself: The Diary of a Bangladeshi in Singapore is the first memoir in English written by a Bangladeshi construction worker about his experience on working in Singapore. In September 2018, it won Best Non-Fiction Title at the Singapore Book Awards.

This iteration of The Orange Playground featured emerging artists including actors Deonn Yang, Salif Hardie and Andre Chong together with Sound Designer Jing Ng and Lighting Designer Liu Yong Huay.