Art & the People

Today, in our socially mediated world, art can be a call to arms, where crowd-sourced contributions by the general public becomes the final product, where the processes of collaborating, editing, curating, mediating and critiquing are themselves the artwork. By re-examining the relationship between Art and the People, we open ourselves to new possibilities of the definition of art and creative processes. We embrace the unique voices expressing diversity, that—in coming together—form a new aggregate, a perspective that does not propel any single dominant ideology, but rather, accepts differences and sees them as integral components of an all-encompassing, fluid, and truly democratic whole. Through Art and the People, we seek to celebrate one another, to appreciate irregularity and asymmetry amongst our communities, and to mediate on how our individualities are but extraordinary expressions of ordinary beauty through multiplicity.

Brief Notes On The Process

Frozen Angels underwent an interdisciplinary process. We started by reading a lot of articles related to stem cell issues, attending talks and interviewing key experts from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine's Centre for Biomedical Ethics. [...]

We then started exploring various permutations of the three narratives, and how they could be presented. We worked both in the Black Box—exploring form and content—and outside—filming and creating new materials. By the end of February, we had a first draft of the interdisciplinary composition. The next two weeks we reviewed the first raft, had more discussions and exploration and recomposed the work for the final week of rehearsal.

In Singapore, art is also connected to aspects of law that pertain to licensing and state funding.

Law also manifests itself through the wider community, and serves as the foremost social mediator of relationships amongst people. yet the nature of law is such that in its attempt to be 'fair', it will inevitably marginalise and sometimes discriminate against a minority group. How does art then pose questions, offer alternatives, and widen our definitions and interpretations? [...]

When breaking down established laws in the name of creativity, how far do we go? Is there a limit to artistic freedom and the freedom of expression? When censorship happens, we often blame the censors and side the artist. How often do we ask if the artist is employing less sophisticated artistic strategies? When does freedom of expression end and the respect for difference begin?

The Director Speaks
Alvin Tan

As one grows up the notion of justice changes.

Superfriends takes on my concern with social transformation theatre. Confronted by the notions of respecting difference and the co-existence of heterogenous elements, I begin to question the assumption behind the tradition of issue-oriented theatre. Theatre loses its heroic status, transforming its mission from empowering marginalised issues to empowering the imagination. I begin to realise the need to lose its pedantic function, to make room for more audience participation.

What happens to a plot of land in a country that is constantly changing? What happens to the families which are affected by the plot of land in a country that is constantly changing? What happens to the friends and neighbours, and strangers and spirits that are affected...

Three Years In The Life and Death of Land looks at three different stories, in three different years, on the same plot of land.

Some things never change.

Artistic Director's Message

DUST is an exploratory piece of work. When we asked Jean what she would like to do for her 2000 slot, she said a piece of work that has no or little literary text. She would like to use non-literary devices to structure and "write" a piece. We were excited with the proposal. Then came the content—what should she like to explore and why employ the non-literary approach? [...]

Haresh and I watched rehearsals and had many hours of discussion with both Jean and Jing Hong. I learnt a few things from these discussions. How do we employ playwriting principles but use other mediums for inspiration and as vocabulary to "script" a work. In creating an open work, we are challenged to be even more precise when we craft the work.

From the Director
Alvin Tan

Alin and I were discussing the concept of home. Brought up in Singapore, in Asia, what it was like to be away from home, to be in a foreign land. halfway through the discussion, we began to go on Rosnah's journey instead—that means the feelings might be from ourselves but some decisions made in the play were strictly Rosnah's and not ours.

Director's Message
Alvin Tan

'Is home the kampong or the new nation?'—a question that intrigued both Haresh and myself, especially at a time when the worldwide rise of new nationalism acts as a resistance against the relentless emergence of an even more increasing borderless world. With new citizens at our doorstep, and living in a tiny island being constantly connected to the world, we are perpetually interacting with 'others' both in our daily realities and virtually.

Balek Kampong features two narratives/realities—a device to explore the complexities of home in a more wholistic way.

Drip

What makes a marriage? The fully furbished HDB flat, the mutual secret keeping, the mother-in-law? Azam and Xiaoyan have to confront their differences when Azam's mother and sister make a surprise visit at home. Clashes of culture, religion and gender lurk within the still waters of everyday life and threaten to undo familial ties. Heartbreaking and humorous in turns, Drip is an unflinching look at the sacrifices—big and small—that we make to be at peace with one another and with ourselves.

Local Drama—A Step Ahead
Alvin Tan, Andrew Koh

Throwing in Singlish for the sake of making the play local is an ornamental gimmick that fails to appease the aesthetic sensibilities of Singaporeans. In fact, sometimes it comes across as contrived. It is not enough. The audience must be able to identify, let alone be convinced of the character portrayals, the gestures, the essence of the themes, and even the blatant and implied tensions of our society that make up the context of the play. The design of the set—right down to the arrangement of the furniture—must be taken into account. The production, besides the directing, has to be aesthetically sound in local terms.