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!

Then the more you talk properly, suddenly you wake up and realise you got slang...'How you're doing? Alright?' Then you fight back and say, 'eh cannot cannot, I cannot speak like that'.

Mdm Lo: [You don't bluff. The water go inside the drain. Many people can walk here.]
Lu jangan bohong. Itu air masuk longkang jalan sana sana. Banyak orang jalan.

Saras: [What many people? You're blind or what? You see the water. You can't see is it?]
Mana banyak orang? Lu mata ada rosak ah. Lu tengok itu air. Tak boleh tengok ah?

Movement 1, Scene 3: Som and Siok Dee's Argument (1956, Mixed Language Performance)

Tan: Kaoyin? Bodoh ah! Ni zai nia生命中最重要的是什么？对一个艺术家最重要的是什么吗？Jit ki long zhong 都 bo tiong yao eh! Wa ga li gong, cannot! Tak boleh! Ler ga Ping buay sai kaoyin! Ler ah see kaoyin eh wei, ler nang 一定没有好下场！
Som: Lu mahu ubah dunia dengan kata-kata lu. Gua mahu ubah dunia dengan cara gua.

Act 3, Scene 2

Wendy: [in English] You are everything I loathe in a human being.
Mrs Chua: Why are you speaking in English?
Wendy: [in English] Because I can. Because English is my first language. I’ve demeaned myself by coming to see you again. How you barbarians become leaders of this country is beyond me.

Act 4, Scene 3

Geeta: [in English] Find out what? Hiro, calm down.
Hiro’s Phone: [in Japanese] Find out what? Hiro, calm down.
Hiro: [in Japanese] We were in class. Someone wanted to make a film about World War II. So I said, yes, that's good. It's very tragic what happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. One of them went, 'You've got to be kidding me. OMG! He hasn't a clue'. And they all said, 'You haven't a clue what YOUR country did in World War II!'
Hiro’s Phone: [in Japanese] Please re-enter your voice text.

As we walked into the courtroom, I thought of my grandfather. When he was sick, I questioned God. You took my father. Don't take my grandfather. I really prayed a lot and I felt like God didn't listen... But, I told myself... who am I... who am I to ask for anything? Who am I that God must listen to me?

Act 4, Scene 2

Mrs Tan: Heaven. [slight pause] Judas is in heaven.
Roshni: You think so?
Mrs Tan: He acted according to god’s wishes. He was part of the larger plan. Christ had to die. Someone had to… facilitate his death. Judas was given that task. And he executed it to perfection. That’s why he’s in heaven. He did not betray because he wanted to. He did it because he had to.

Homosexuals Can Change


DAN: I don’t know how to be with God. I feel judged… I feel dirty and guilty all the time. I don’t know how to bring myself to church. I know the church hates me, and people like me.

PASTOR: The focus of this church is on salvation, not sexual orientation. We are all sinners Daniel. Once you–and others like you–are saved, the Holy Spirit will lead you to fidelity and sanctification.

Act 4, Scene 2

Miguel: These beliefs are pagan.
Radha: Pagan… How do you define pagan? Someone who subscribes to a polytheistic religion? Therefore someone who is not Christian, Jew or Muslim?
Yati: For us, taking drugs like that is haram