Themes
Audience
Type
Type
1999 - BrainStorm
Short Description
Space Invaders (IMPINGE: Concerning Difference)
Sean Tobin
When it comes to the performance itself, Alvin is also weary of impinging on his audience and hopes instead to incorporate them as collaborators. Alvin and The Necessary Stage have moved away from "propagandistically" trying to empower minority groups, instead empowering the imaginations of the audience at large, allowing them to draw their own conclusions. He adds that "...all works invade the space of the audience but this is debatable because we do not force people at gun-point to buy a ticket. As the work goes on, they can still resist what they encounter on stage."
"There is a small space opening up," says Alvin. "Dance like Mad!"
"Dance like mad cows!" adds Haresh.
Sean Tobin
When it comes to the performance itself, Alvin is also weary of impinging on his audience and hopes instead to incorporate them as collaborators. Alvin and The Necessary Stage have moved away from "propagandistically" trying to empower minority groups, instead empowering the imaginations of the audience at large, allowing them to draw their own conclusions. He adds that "...all works invade the space of the audience but this is debatable because we do not force people at gun-point to buy a ticket. As the work goes on, they can still resist what they encounter on stage."
"There is a small space opening up," says Alvin. "Dance like Mad!"
"Dance like mad cows!" adds Haresh.
Type
Type
1992 - Staged News Vol 1 Issue 1
Short Description
Artistic Director
Alvin Tan
It's a humble beginning, but we have great hopes that readers will soon write in to contribute articles or views on theatre in Singapore. Theatre in Singapore requires constructive and sensitive feedback to help it along. Different audience responses—ranging from gut-level reactions to critical literary analysis—can be invaluable to the development of Singapore theatre.
Alvin Tan
It's a humble beginning, but we have great hopes that readers will soon write in to contribute articles or views on theatre in Singapore. Theatre in Singapore requires constructive and sensitive feedback to help it along. Different audience responses—ranging from gut-level reactions to critical literary analysis—can be invaluable to the development of Singapore theatre.
Type
Type
1997 - 9 Lives
Short Description
Arts Education in Civic Society: A Forum on Arts Education in Singapore
Alvin Tan: Last, I want to turn to the question of building audiences and the development of TNS's collaborative techniques in the production of plays. Building audiences is now becoming a concern, but I want to ask if there can be an intimate relation between building audiences and concentrating on the professional development (of practitioners). Can there be a relation between doing research for artistic projects in communities and being accountable as practitioners to audiences? Can the 2 be brought together in a responsible and committed way of building audiences? Actually this is what our Community Service Theatre branch (CST) is about. Once a practitioner doing community theatre exclaimed to me: "What does it mean to say we bring theatre to the people? Theatre came from the people." This left an impression in my mind, it made me realise how much we, as artists or practitioners, need the community as much as it needs us.
Alvin Tan: Last, I want to turn to the question of building audiences and the development of TNS's collaborative techniques in the production of plays. Building audiences is now becoming a concern, but I want to ask if there can be an intimate relation between building audiences and concentrating on the professional development (of practitioners). Can there be a relation between doing research for artistic projects in communities and being accountable as practitioners to audiences? Can the 2 be brought together in a responsible and committed way of building audiences? Actually this is what our Community Service Theatre branch (CST) is about. Once a practitioner doing community theatre exclaimed to me: "What does it mean to say we bring theatre to the people? Theatre came from the people." This left an impression in my mind, it made me realise how much we, as artists or practitioners, need the community as much as it needs us.
Type
Type
2004 - godeatgod
Short Description
Discussion
This is a part of the play where we discuss issues brought up in the play, and it's not scripted—everyday we find something new to discuss.
This is a part of the play where we discuss issues brought up in the play, and it's not scripted—everyday we find something new to discuss.
Type
Type
1988 - The Necessary Stage Newsletter
Short Description
Newsletter
We have a lot to thank for! And well, we also have a lot of work ahead of us. The Necessary Stage (TNS) is undergoing yet another phase—consolidation.
Needless to say we need your help. This is your group. Make your membership meaningful—Get Involved!
We have a lot to thank for! And well, we also have a lot of work ahead of us. The Necessary Stage (TNS) is undergoing yet another phase—consolidation.
Needless to say we need your help. This is your group. Make your membership meaningful—Get Involved!
Type
Type
1993 - Still Building
Short Description
Scene 1
Cheng: You see, Singaporeans are too tight. We need to loosen up. When we go and watch a play, we always want to distance ourselves ..... from each other, from the play. But not today. Today we are going to unite, in body and in soul... even if we have to beat you up.
Cheng: You see, Singaporeans are too tight. We need to loosen up. When we go and watch a play, we always want to distance ourselves ..... from each other, from the play. But not today. Today we are going to unite, in body and in soul... even if we have to beat you up.
Type
Type
2004 - Ask Not
Short Description
The Failure of Forum Theatre and Audience as Empowered Co-creator
Kok Heng Leun
An intervention empowers the audience to claim the play, take it over, make changes and affect the course of the action. Each intervention by a member of the audience represents a view, and a performance with many interventions can form a collective
Kok Heng Leun
An intervention empowers the audience to claim the play, take it over, make changes and affect the course of the action. Each intervention by a member of the audience represents a view, and a performance with many interventions can form a collective
Type
Type
2004 - Mardi Gras
Short Description
Epilogue
Here's to a celebration, of unity, of pride—a celebration of our strength. Our strength.
Here's to a celebration, of unity, of pride—a celebration of our strength. Our strength.
Type
Type
2001 - Let's Talk
Short Description
Talkshow Host's Message
Haresh Sharma
It is you, the audience, therefore, who determine the success of this talk show. Your involvement is crucial. Without your feedback, questions and views, without true dialogue and discussion, the talk show will be incomplete and ineffective.
Haresh Sharma
It is you, the audience, therefore, who determine the success of this talk show. Your involvement is crucial. Without your feedback, questions and views, without true dialogue and discussion, the talk show will be incomplete and ineffective.
Type
Type
1993 - Mixed Blessings
Short Description
Facilitating Spect-actors
Josephine Peter: Does anyone have an alternative strategy? Okay, who do you want to replace?
Josephine Peter: Does anyone have an alternative strategy? Okay, who do you want to replace?
Type
Type
1999 - Completely With/Out Character
Short Description
Scene 9: Any Questions?
Paddy Chew: Now, please—don’t be so Singaporean, don't be so polite. If you have something to say to me, say it. If you think I deserve this disease and you want me to know it, I want you to say it. Let if off your chest. Alright?
Paddy Chew: Now, please—don’t be so Singaporean, don't be so polite. If you have something to say to me, say it. If you think I deserve this disease and you want me to know it, I want you to say it. Let if off your chest. Alright?
Type
Type
2016 - Manifesto
Short Description
Movement 4, Scene 3: Roslan And Lu Yan Debate (2024, Video, Forum Theatre)
Lu Yan: Coming from a theatre background, you cannot get things done if you force your authority. Everyone in a theatre production is important, including the audience. Just like in a country, where every voice needs to be heard.
Lu Yan: Coming from a theatre background, you cannot get things done if you force your authority. Everyone in a theatre production is important, including the audience. Just like in a country, where every voice needs to be heard.
Type
Type
1993 - Staged News Vol 2 Issue 3
Short Description
In Retrospect: Break The Wind
Andrew Koh
Vicky in the anti-model was given the power of voice by several spectators each night MCP ran.
Andrew Koh
Vicky in the anti-model was given the power of voice by several spectators each night MCP ran.
Type
Type
2014 - Poor Thing
Short Description
Notes on Social Media Interaction in Poor Thing
Jason Ng
Eventually, we settled on only asking the audience to befriend one of the characters, Jerome Koshy, before the show, to use Jerome's Facebook account as a real-time narrative device to propel the conflicts of the play.
Nonetheless, the Facebook accounts of the other three characters are still out there for the audience to discover by finding out more about them, with or without befriending them, or interacting with them on their Facebook walls.
Jason Ng
Eventually, we settled on only asking the audience to befriend one of the characters, Jerome Koshy, before the show, to use Jerome's Facebook account as a real-time narrative device to propel the conflicts of the play.
Nonetheless, the Facebook accounts of the other three characters are still out there for the audience to discover by finding out more about them, with or without befriending them, or interacting with them on their Facebook walls.
Type
Type
1993 - Forum Theatre
Short Description
Artistic Director's Message: Get Involved For Real—Act With Us!
FORUM THEATRE? YES! Where you, the audience, can get involved in the play!
FORUM THEATRE? YES! Where you, the audience, can get involved in the play!
Type
Type
2016 - Abuse Suxxx!!! and Other Plays
Short Description
_____ Can Change (Q&A Segment)
Haresh: I can't answer what you are going to do with what you see. What you do is, again, from yourself. I re-shared "Marxists Can Change" beacuse after two ficitonal stories, we wanted to share something that was more from us, just to show that we are not just asking others to change—that we too can change, in our own way.
Haresh: I can't answer what you are going to do with what you see. What you do is, again, from yourself. I re-shared "Marxists Can Change" beacuse after two ficitonal stories, we wanted to share something that was more from us, just to show that we are not just asking others to change—that we too can change, in our own way.
Type
Type
1993 - MCP
Short Description
Forum Theatre Warm Up Exercises
And Alvin is going to have some exciting warm ups to put you in the right mood to come in here to play spec-actors!
And Alvin is going to have some exciting warm ups to put you in the right mood to come in here to play spec-actors!
Type
Type
1993 - Staged News Vol 2 Issue 3
Short Description
The Story of Josephine Peter and Her Struggles Told in Five Parts....
Josephine Peter: There're some nights when I'm being the joker and things go really well and I feel that all the emotional energy invested is worth it. Because I see people engaging at a very high level where they actually do want to change difficult situations. And for me that's what life is all about. These are struggles we go through in daily lives. And of course there are nights when people want to be cynical. And those nights you take in your stride that there will always be a group of people like that. But there are groups who actually do want some kind of impetus to motivate themselves. And I think that's what we've been able to do with Forum Theatre, and I'm very happy that I've been part of it.
Josephine Peter: There're some nights when I'm being the joker and things go really well and I feel that all the emotional energy invested is worth it. Because I see people engaging at a very high level where they actually do want to change difficult situations. And for me that's what life is all about. These are struggles we go through in daily lives. And of course there are nights when people want to be cynical. And those nights you take in your stride that there will always be a group of people like that. But there are groups who actually do want some kind of impetus to motivate themselves. And I think that's what we've been able to do with Forum Theatre, and I'm very happy that I've been part of it.