Esplanade Studios 2019 House Programme FA Singles Nobleed

Esplanade The Studios Presents

THE WEIGHT OF A

IN A POCKET

28 MAR – Esplanade Theatre Studio & 27 APR 2019 Esplanade Annexe Studio C

CMY

Welcome to The Studios 2019.

I rst learnt what a cairn was as a child, reading a book about a boy and his father’s hiking adventures. The boy would take every opportunity to stack some stones to mark their progress, but it wasn’t till he tried dismantling one that he learnt about its other purpose – to guide hikers along the way. I was fascinated by the concept then, and pored over photos of these rudimentary stacks of stones that complete strangers would put together for other strangers as milestones and markers of their journey.

The theatre is a little bit like that. Strangers gather as artists and audience to travel across time and space, sharing and carrying each other’s stories. With every story told, another stone is added, another landmark to commemorate our individual and collective journeys through life. There is something altruistic and vulnerable about this exchange, and I suspect, is what draws us to the theatre time and time again. In the theatre, we nd a place to deposit the weight of our respective stones; in the theatre, we don’t feel so alone.

Thank you to the artists, creatives, and technical personnel behind The Studios 2019 season, your craft, generosity and commitment are why we are all here.

Thank you to The Studios team - Evelyn, Caroline, Shiraz, Fezhah, Shireen, Izumi, and Vanessa. I couldn't have asked for better compatriots.

And thank you for taking the time to be here with us; your presence is what makes this season complete.

Lynn Yang Lead Programmer The Studios 2019

1 The enduring quality of Sophocles’ Antigone democratic tradition and wariness of stems from its age-old conict between a tyranny. Over time, the play has remained citizen's conformity to social or national popular precisely because of its relevance laws, and one's innate obligations to the to the tugging demands of the need to natural or 'divine' laws of right and wrong. police national groups and borders, as well as the impulse for compassion; the A girl's brothers go to war against each exigency of control and order, versus other and die. One is honoured as a hero. respecting individual freedom and The other branded a traitor and left to rot civil liberties. out in the wilderness. The new person in charge decrees that anyone who buries (I write this while listening to a Spotify the traitor would be stoned to death. playlist comprising of songs titled What would you do? "Antigone", by the likes of contemporary classical composers, a Greek goth Antigone chooses her love and duty as vocalist, a London electronica band, a sister and gives her brother Polyneices' a French-Japanese rap collaboration, corpse proper funeral rites. She de es her and a death-metal band.) uncle, the new king Creon. For her trouble, she is sentenced to be entombed alive. When I rst came across Antigone, She hangs herself. Creon's son, Haemon, my rst instinct had been to click my who loves her, kills himself with a knife. tongue at the two inconsiderate brothers His mother Eurydice, too, commits suicide. who fought each other in the rst place. A lot of heartache could have been Man-made law, if followed to the letter, averted if those two dunderheads had leads to despair – that seems to be the shared the throne as originally agreed. takeaway. But Sophocles' message is rarely straightforward: pig-headed Over time, however, I have realised A CO-PRODUCTION WITH CAKE adherence to binary thinking, such as that the play's premise is a lot more Antigone's self-righteous admonishing of complicated and versatile than just a her obedient younger sister Ismene who patriarchal dispute. Pakistani-British fears breaking the king's law, seldom author Kamila Shamsie's 2017 novel, Esplanade Theatre Studio makes for happy endings either. Home Fire, powerfully repurposed the 28 – 30 Mar, Thu – Sat, 8pm Antigone myth as an allegory for the rising Written in a time of nationalistic fervor and xenophobia and anti-Islamic paranoia in 30 & 31 Mar, Sat & Sun, 3pm rst performed around 441 BC, Antigone the Western world. Set in modern Britain, spoke to Athenians' pride in their it follows two sisters as they deal differently 1hr 30mins, no intermission R18: Nudity and mature themes.

ANTI-ABSOLUTES: THE WORLD OF ANTIGONE

BY CLARA CHOW

The enduring quality of Sophocles’ Antigone democratic tradition and wariness of stems from its age-old conict between a tyranny. Over time, the play has remained citizen's conformity to social or national popular precisely because of its relevance laws, and one's innate obligations to the to the tugging demands of the need to natural or 'divine' laws of right and wrong. police national groups and borders, as well as the impulse for compassion; the A girl's brothers go to war against each exigency of control and order, versus other and die. One is honoured as a hero. respecting individual freedom and The other branded a traitor and left to rot civil liberties. out in the wilderness. The new person in charge decrees that anyone who buries (I write this while listening to a Spotify the traitor would be stoned to death. playlist comprising of songs titled What would you do? "Antigone", by the likes of contemporary classical composers, a Greek goth Antigone chooses her love and duty as vocalist, a London electronica band, a sister and gives her brother Polyneices' a French-Japanese rap collaboration, corpse proper funeral rites. She de es her and a death-metal band.) uncle, the new king Creon. For her trouble, she is sentenced to be entombed alive. When I rst came across Antigone, She hangs herself. Creon's son, Haemon, my rst instinct had been to click my who loves her, kills himself with a knife. tongue at the two inconsiderate brothers His mother Eurydice, too, commits suicide. who fought each other in the rst place. A lot of heartache could have been Man-made law, if followed to the letter, averted if those two dunderheads had leads to despair – that seems to be the shared the throne as originally agreed. takeaway. But Sophocles' message is rarely straightforward: pig-headed Over time, however, I have realised adherence to binary thinking, such as that the play's premise is a lot more Antigone's self-righteous admonishing of complicated and versatile than just a her obedient younger sister Ismene who patriarchal dispute. Pakistani-British fears breaking the king's law, seldom author Kamila Shamsie's 2017 novel, makes for happy endings either. Home Fire, powerfully repurposed the Antigone myth as an allegory for the rising Written in a time of nationalistic fervor and xenophobia and anti-Islamic paranoia in rst performed around 441 BC, Antigone the Western world. Set in modern Britain, spoke to Athenians' pride in their it follows two sisters as they deal differently

with the fallout from their brother's decision produce such a complete, urgent and to join ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the heart-rending response to the prohibitive Levant). When the younger sister, Aneeka, state. She disregards its dictates as only seduces the Home Secretary's son to try a pain-ridden animal can. and secure the return of her brother, the politician intensi es his hardline campaign In Anne Carson's translation of Antigone, against British-Muslim "terrorists". staged at the Barbican in 2015, King Creon pronounces: "I’ll have you hanging Home Fire is but one of many contemporary by your thumbs till you confess/you greedy re-interpretations of the Greek classic pissant little amateur terrorist." This bluster that presents an alternative to the is cleared away like cobwebs when his incessant conservative Euro-American niece Antigone later tells him that he has news cycle and Trump-esque narrative of ensured the people's compliance because racial pro ling, travel bans and hysterical "you've nailed their tongues to the oor". enemy-of-the-state charges. In 2014, Syrian She is the lone voice of dissent, in a refugee women staged their own version of society brow-beaten and bowed as much Antigone in Beirut, weaving their own stories by the promise of stability as by violence. of war and suffering into the ancient story. In March 2019, Esplanade and Singapore Theatre is lled with female gures theatre company Cake will stage Rubber wronged by the whims of rulers. But it is Girl on the loose which reimagines a multi/ Antigone who burns a bright ame in the inter-cultural Antigone in a hallucinatory collective retina, before winking out and institution ruled by three Creons. These leaving an unforgettable after-image. versions are antidotes, in a world hung up on absolutes and hawkish rhetoric. They Clara Chow is the author of Modern are necessary, important, salves. Myths, a collection of short ction inspired by characters from Greek mythology. When I think of Antigone now, I am in awe of and emboldened by her de ance. This is an excerpt from her essay, ‘Women in Perhaps, it is only a woman – with Tragedy’, commissioned by Esplanade and none of the privilege and power of published on www.esplanade.com/learn. the male-dominated establishment, and everything to lose – who can The enduring quality of Sophocles’ Antigone democratic tradition and wariness of stems from its age-old conict between a tyranny. Over time, the play has remained citizen's conformity to social or national popular precisely because of its relevance laws, and one's innate obligations to the to the tugging demands of the need to natural or 'divine' laws of right and wrong. police national groups and borders, as well as the impulse for compassion; the A girl's brothers go to war against each exigency of control and order, versus other and die. One is honoured as a hero. respecting individual freedom and The other branded a traitor and left to rot civil liberties. out in the wilderness. The new person in charge decrees that anyone who buries (I write this while listening to a Spotify the traitor would be stoned to death. playlist comprising of songs titled What would you do? "Antigone", by the likes of contemporary classical composers, a Greek goth Antigone chooses her love and duty as vocalist, a London electronica band, a sister and gives her brother Polyneices' a French-Japanese rap collaboration, corpse proper funeral rites. She de es her and a death-metal band.) uncle, the new king Creon. For her trouble, she is sentenced to be entombed alive. When I rst came across Antigone, She hangs herself. Creon's son, Haemon, my rst instinct had been to click my who loves her, kills himself with a knife. tongue at the two inconsiderate brothers His mother Eurydice, too, commits suicide. who fought each other in the rst place. A lot of heartache could have been Man-made law, if followed to the letter, averted if those two dunderheads had leads to despair – that seems to be the shared the throne as originally agreed. takeaway. But Sophocles' message is rarely straightforward: pig-headed Over time, however, I have realised adherence to binary thinking, such as that the play's premise is a lot more Antigone's self-righteous admonishing of complicated and versatile than just a her obedient younger sister Ismene who patriarchal dispute. Pakistani-British fears breaking the king's law, seldom author Kamila Shamsie's 2017 novel, makes for happy endings either. Home Fire, powerfully repurposed the Antigone myth as an allegory for the rising Written in a time of nationalistic fervor and xenophobia and anti-Islamic paranoia in rst performed around 441 BC, Antigone the Western world. Set in modern Britain, spoke to Athenians' pride in their it follows two sisters as they deal differently

RUBBER GIRL ON THE LOOSE

4 The enduring quality of Sophocles’ Antigone democratic tradition and wariness of stems from its age-old conict between a tyranny. Over time, the play has remained citizen's conformity to social or national popular precisely because of its relevance laws, and one's innate obligations to the to the tugging demands of the need to natural or 'divine' laws of right and wrong. police national groups and borders, as well as the impulse for compassion; the A girl's brothers go to war against each exigency of control and order, versus other and die. One is honoured as a hero. respecting individual freedom and The other branded a traitor and left to rot civil liberties. out in the wilderness. The new person in charge decrees that anyone who buries (I write this while listening to a Spotify the traitor would be stoned to death. playlist comprising of songs titled What would you do? "Antigone", by the likes of contemporary classical composers, a Greek goth Antigone chooses her love and duty as vocalist, a London electronica band, a sister and gives her brother Polyneices' a French-Japanese rap collaboration, corpse proper funeral rites. She de es her and a death-metal band.) uncle, the new king Creon. For her trouble, she is sentenced to be entombed alive. When I rst came across Antigone, She hangs herself. Creon's son, Haemon, my rst instinct had been to click my who loves her, kills himself with a knife. tongue at the two inconsiderate brothers His mother Eurydice, too, commits suicide. who fought each other in the rst place. A lot of heartache could have been Man-made law, if followed to the letter, averted if those two dunderheads had leads to despair – that seems to be the shared the throne as originally agreed. takeaway. But Sophocles' message is rarely straightforward: pig-headed Over time, however, I have realised adherence to binary thinking, such as that the play's premise is a lot more Antigone's self-righteous admonishing of complicated and versatile than just a her obedient younger sister Ismene who patriarchal dispute. Pakistani-British fears breaking the king's law, seldom author Kamila Shamsie's 2017 novel, makes for happy endings either. Home Fire, powerfully repurposed the Antigone myth as an allegory for the rising Written in a time of nationalistic fervor and xenophobia and anti-Islamic paranoia in rst performed around 441 BC, Antigone the Western world. Set in modern Britain, spoke to Athenians' pride in their it follows two sisters as they deal differently

RUBBER GIRL ON THE LOOSE

with the fallout from their brother's decision produce such a complete, urgent and SYNOPSIS to join ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the heart-rending response to the prohibitive Levant). When the younger sister, Aneeka, state. She disregards its dictates as only Urban legend has it that Sophocles, the three (Creons). TriCreon skulks the hallway seduces the Home Secretary's son to try a pain-ridden animal can. Granddaddy of Tragedy, died from holding with the violent physicality of West Papuan and secure the return of her brother, the his breath while reciting a particularly long dancer Darlane Litaay, builds walls of politician intensi es his hardline campaign In Anne Carson's translation of Antigone, line from Antigone, the story of a young sound with the cavernous beats of against British-Muslim "terrorists". staged at the Barbican in 2015, King woman from Thebes, who had the cheek Berlin-based musician Matthias Engler, Creon pronounces: "I’ll have you hanging to defy her uncle-ruler Creon to bury her and dictates to the administration with the Home Fire is but one of many contemporary by your thumbs till you confess/you greedy brother Polyneices. Receiving a proper exacting vowels, consonants and re-interpretations of the Greek classic pissant little amateur terrorist." This bluster burial was a big deal then. The deceased diphthongs of Malaysian actor Gha r that presents an alternative to the is cleared away like cobwebs when his without an appropriate send-off would Akbar. In the airless school, Rubber Girl incessant conservative Euro-American niece Antigone later tells him that he has be denied entry into the Underworld and crumbles and rebounds with the angular news cycle and Trump-esque narrative of ensured the people's compliance because forced to roam the shores of River Styx as athleticism of Australian dancer Sarah racial pro ling, travel bans and hysterical "you've nailed their tongues to the oor". a restless ghost forever. Antigone wasn’t Chaffey. She embraces her nicotine- enemy-of-the-state charges. In 2014, Syrian She is the lone voice of dissent, in a about to let that happen. Her refusal to patched cousin- ancé Haemon, speaks refugee women staged their own version of society brow-beaten and bowed as much snap under pressure earned her the with the dead—including a bare assed Antigone in Beirut, weaving their own stories by the promise of stability as by violence. nickname, Rubber Girl. Polyneices—and wills us the courage to of war and suffering into the ancient story. live life in accordance to our beliefs, In March 2019, Esplanade and Singapore Theatre is lled with female gures Rubber Girl is the proverbial rebel with a without compromise, without hesitation, theatre company Cake will stage Rubber wronged by the whims of rulers. But it is cause, a poster child for every generation, confronting fear, confronting death. Girl on the loose which reimagines a multi/ Antigone who burns a bright ame in the politicised by necessity to change her world. inter-cultural Antigone in a hallucinatory collective retina, before winking out and Personal beliefs clash with the powers institution ruled by three Creons. These leaving an unforgettable after-image. With their penchant for subverting above and what a big bloody mess that versions are antidotes, in a world hung up constructs, Cake sets Thebes in a can be. on absolutes and hawkish rhetoric. They Clara Chow is the author of Modern hallucinatory institution under the rule of are necessary, important, salves. Myths, a collection of short ction inspired by characters from Greek mythology. When I think of Antigone now, I am in awe of and emboldened by her de ance. This is an excerpt from her essay, ‘Women in Perhaps, it is only a woman – with Tragedy’, commissioned by Esplanade and none of the privilege and power of published on www.esplanade.com/learn. the male-dominated establishment, and everything to lose – who can

5 RUBBER GIRL ON THE LOOSE

ABOUT CAKE COMPANY

Led by Natalie Hennedige, Cake is a Natalie Hennedige, Suven Chan, David contemporary performance company Lee, Andy Lim, neontights | Nizam S., based in Singapore. Cake’s works are Elias Oh, Rizman Putra, Brian Gothong staged in conventional theatres as well Tan, Philip Tan, Melissa Teoh, Sharon as outdoor public spaces. From intimate Tang, Alexandre Thio theatre experiments to lush outdoor spectacles, Cake is committed to exploring www.caketheatre.com the possibilities of performance, offering www.facebook.com/caketheatre pieces that are varied, multidisciplinary [email protected] and artistically adventurous.

BIOS

NATALIE HENNEDIGE He has also performed internationally in cities Writer and Director like Braunshweig, Brisbane and Edinburgh. He Natalie Hennedige is the shared the nomination of Life! Theatre Award Artistic Director of Cake, 2016’s Best Ensemble and Best Production of a contemporary performance the year in It Won't Be Too Long. The Cemetery company based in Singapore. A recipient of by Drama Box under the direction of Kok Heng the National Arts Council Young Artist Award Leun as part of the Singapore International in 2007 and the JCCI Singapore Foundation Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2015. Culture Award in 2010, Natalie conceptualises, writes and directs works in theatre and other media. Constantly collaborating with artists from across disciplines such as visual arts, lm and video, performance art and dance, AMY J CHENG Natalie engineers contemporary works that Performer not only are artistically adventurous but also Amy Cheng’s luminous defy classi cation, playing at conventional performance on the acclaimed performance venues, unusual spaces of drama series Growing Up won creative experimentation and public spaces her a Best Actress nomination at the 2001 Asian to create performance-based experiences. Television Awards. Internationally, Amy has also been on German co-production Der Chinese, a lm based on the international best-seller AL-MATIN YATIM Henning Mankell's The Man from Beijing. Performer A veteran theatre practitioner, Amy helmed A full-time theatre practitioner productions like The Good Citizen, 41 Hours, who graduated from the 251 and earned a Best Supporting Actress Intercultural Theatre Institute nomination at the Life! Theatre Awards for her with a Professional Diploma in Intercultural performance in Toy Factory’s mandarin musical Theatre (Acting), Al-Matin Yatim has been 10 Brothers. In lm, Amy recently starred in working professionally in the theatre since 2010, the ground-breaking international blockbuster mainly as a stage actor, with many notable and rom-com Crazy Rich Asians directed by established companies like The Necessary Jon M. Chu, as Jacqueline Ling. Stage, TheatreWorks, Cake, Teater Ekamatra, Teater Kami, Hatch Theatrics, The Finger FLY Entertainment Artiste Players, The Theatre Practice, Drama Box and Photo by Russel Wong Chowk Productions.

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in Korea, Malaysia and New Zealand since 2012. ANDREW MARKO Performer His works have been performed at the Andrew is just an ordinary guy Indonesian Dance Festival, Salihara (Jakarta); who has been lucky enough to Mousontrum (Frankfurt); Sophiensaele (Berlin); be able to pursue his love for Spring Dance Festival (Utrecht); Ozasia Festival performing. On top of acting, Andrew also writes, (Adeleide); Tanzhaus (Dusseldorf); Europalia cooks and sings at bars with his band, Van Milos. (Belgium); Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay Andrew is most known for his role as Joshua, a (Singapore); Jakarta Biennale; and Impultanz teenager with severe autism, in Pangdemonium’s Festival (Vienna) among others. production of Falling, for which he won the M1-The Straits Times Life Theatre Award for He was the recipient of the Kelola Foundation Best Actor. Arts Grant in 2011 and 2014. He collaborates with artists from Asia and Europe, and also Notable theatre credits: Peter and the Starcatcher lectures as a faculty member of the dance (Pangdemonium); Private Parts (Michael Chiang’s department at the Indonesia Institute of Arts Playthings); Mama White Snake (W!LD RICE); and Culture in Papua. Esplanade's PLAYtime: Koko the Great (Cake); Every Brilliant Thing (Bhumi Collective); Electra (Cake); Falling (Pangdemonium); RENT EDITH PODESTA (Pangdemonium); The Emperor’s New Clothes Performer (W!LD RICE); and Lord Of The Flies (SRT). Edith studied Acting and Movement Studies at the National Institute of Dramatic CLAIRE TEO Art (NIDA), and holds a Master of Fine Arts from Performer LASALLE College of the Arts. In Singapore she Claire aspires to travel has appeared on stage in: Liv, directed by Nelson the world, creating art that Chia; A Note Went Off In My Head, directed by resonates with people. As she Oliver Chong; Untitled Women Number One, is slowly acquiring more experience, knowledge directed by Alvin Tan; Brian Gothong Tan's and artistry from her Diploma in Performance Tropical Traumas; Chong Tze Chien's Starring programme at LASALLE College of the Arts, Hitler as Jekyll and Hyde; and Illogic, Versus, A it is becoming more apparent that she never Dragon Behind the Door and More!, Electra and wants to leave the stage. She has a Grade 3 Temple directed by Natalie Hennedige. Edith is in classical ballet and a Distinction in the Trinity currently Associate Artistic Director of young & Guildhall Initial Text examinations in 2008. She W!LD, a division of W!LD RICE. has had the opportunity to work with Pink Gajah Theatre, The Second Breakfast Company, Project Photo by Crispian Chan Tandem and Unseen, all the while working towards making authentic art that will give voice to the minority. GHAFIR AKBAR Performer Photo by LASALLE College of the Arts Gha r is a Malaysian actor last seen in Guards at the Taj (SRT). Other Singapore credits DARLANE LITAAY include Temple and Medea (Cake); Julius Caesar Performer (SRT-Shakespeare in the Park); Being Haresh Born in Sorong, West Papua, Sharma (TNS-Cake); Those Who Can’t, Teach Darlane choreographs, (TNS); Hotel, Another Country and Public Enemy performs and creates (W!LD RICE). contemporary performances. A graduate of the dance department at the Indonesia Institute Gha r holds an MFA in Acting (FSU-Asolo of The Arts, Yogyakarta, Darlane has been Conservatory) and a BA in Theatre Performance participating in various exchange programmes (Western Michigan University).

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JO KUKATHAS MATTHIAS ENGLER Performer Performer Jo Kukathas grew up and was Matthias Engler studied educated in Malaysia, classical percussion at the Australia, Hong Kong, India, Conservatory of Amsterdam and the UK where she studied politics and and was a fellow at the International Ensemble philosophy. Today she is an actor, writer and Modern Academy in Frankfurt. He co-founded director of The Instant Café Theatre Company, the Ensemble Adapter, a group for contemporary where she has created some of her most classical chamber music based in Berlin, and iconic characters. She has done numerous has been working as a percussionist and one-person shows, sometimes written for her. manager for the group since 2004. She also writes and performs her own one-woman shows and poetry. As a freelance percussionist, he works with renowned ensembles and composers of our Some of her favourite roles include Winnie in time: Ensemble Modern, MusikFabrik, Pierre Happy Days (Beckett); Mercutio in Romeo and Boulez, Steve Reich and many others. As a Juliet (Shakespeare); Helen in The Road to soloist, he has appeared in various music Mecca (Fugard); Poncia in The House of theatre works by directors such as Douglas Bernarda Alba (Lorca); Ophelia in Ophelia Gordon and Herbordt/Mohren. (Natalie Hennedige); and Raj in Raj and the End of Tragedy, written by her and directed Since 2010, he has also been a steady member by Natalie Hennedige. of the acoustic Techno project The Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble. Photo by Faizal Mustafa

MIKAELA PEREZ MASTURAH OLI Performer Performer Mikaela Perez is a Filipino Masturah Oli is an actor, who grew up in Indonesia and host and theatre-maker. She moved to Singapore to pursue graduated with a BA(Hons) a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts at the in Theatre Arts from Nanyang Academy of Fine Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, where she won Arts with a First Class Honours validated by the the Best Graduate Award. Recent works include University of Essex (East 15 Acting School) in Running With Strippers: On The Rocks (Cake), May 2018. In 2017, she graduated with a Sharity & Friends the Musical (PlayInc), One Diploma with Distinctions in Theatre, English World, Many Stories (Artistic Expressions), Drama from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Temple (Cake) and Under My Bed where she was awarded Best Graduate and (Artistic Expressions). represented her cohort as Valedictorian.

Her roles in theatre include: Am I Singaporean? NICHOLAS TEE (1N THE ACT PRODUCTIONS), Hecuba in Trojan Performer Women (NAFA), Breathless: The Mixtape (Buds Nicholas Tee is a live artist Theatre Company), Nu Wa in Step Outta Line based in London. He hates (M1 Fringe Festival 2018), and Anak Melayu writing bios because he never (Teater Kami). knows what to write and people barely read it anyway. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. To look at his previous works, visit www.nicholastwy.com.

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SARAH CHAFFEY GENEVIEVE CHUA Performer Set Designer Contemporary dance Genevieve Chua is a painter who works primarily artist Sarah Chaffey has through abstraction. Chua employs a method of collaboratively produced, working that unfurls and reveals the painter's choreographed and performed works with process through diagram, palimpsest, syntax, dancers, composers and visual artists who are and the glitch. While notions of nature and based in Perth, Australia. She has presented at wilderness persist across several works, the the Perth and Melbourne Fringe Festivals, and form taken by her exhibitions – image, text or has won the 2016 Overall Dance and Physical object – is disrupted through painting. Theatre Award at the Perth Fringe World Festival with her collaborators. She has been commissioned to choreograph short works for NEONTIGHTS the Western Australian Academy of Performing Props Designer Arts (WAAPA) and Joondalup Arts Festival, neontights is a full-time design collective with and has been engaged in Perth’s annual Cake. Led by Nizam S., neontights creates site-speci c dance programme, In SITU, as a innovative stage sets and prop pieces, working maker and performer since 2015. As a dancer, with a range of material and constantly pushing Sarah has performed works by both Australian possibilities in new mediums and new technology. and international artists including Helder Seabra, Both aesthetically exciting and designed with Tamas Moricz, Leigh Warren, Cadi McCarthy clever multipurpose functionality, their set designs and Natalie Allen. for Cake often include bold visual landscapes and installations akin to strange playgrounds, simultaneously brutal and fantastical. TIA ANDREA GUTTENSOHN Performer MOHD FARED Tia is a multicultural storyteller JAINAL of Singaporean and Austrian Props Designer descent. Having grown up in Singapore, Fared engages in cross- Switzerland and Hong Kong, her passion lies disciplinary work that delves in exploring cultural identity. into the realms of both visual and performing arts, with a particular interest in space, body Tia trained at LASALLE College of the Arts, and and design. A strong advocate of physical her acting credits include Samuel Beckett’s Play theatre, he is constantly exploring body craft in (dir. Sarah-Jane Scaife), The Revolutionary Model performance. He is also studying the relationships Play 2.0_(SIFA 2015), Swipe Right (dir. Claire between elements and principles of art and Wong), Julius Caesar (Shakespeare in the Park the human self, asserting these links to be in ‘18, dir. Guy Unsworth), and Gretel and Hansel symmetry and simultaneously manipulative. (dir. Daniel Jenkins). In her most unconventional Fared has collaborated extensively with various show to date, Tia appeared as a scuba-diving theatre and art groups in Singapore as a director, sea goddess in a 12m-deep aquarium. performer, visual artist and set designer. He is the founding member of neontights, a theatre Tia dreams of living every story there is to be design collective that creates innovative stage lived, be it rst-hand, through others, or through sets and prop pieces. Fared also teaches at the characters that she plays. School of the Arts (SOTA).

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BRIAN GOTHONG KIAT TAN Sound Designer Multimedia Designer The adventurous themes Brian Gothong Tan is best in Kiat’s works are closely known for his cutting-edge linked to the artist’s fascination and highly engaging works in theatre, lm and with emotions and freedom. Known for his installation art. He graduated from California compositions that veer towards left- eld Institute of the Arts in 2005 under the Shell-NAC boundaries of electronica, his tunes are sought Scholarship. He was conferred the Young Artist after by international DJs, and have received Award in 2012 and Singapore Youth Award in airplay on BBC Radio 1 and 1XTRA. A designer 2015, and has won four Life! Theatre Awards for by trade, his creative approaches have led him Best Multimedia in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2016. to develop works across various mediums, from He was the Director of Film and Visual Effects music for clubs to catwalks, theatrical stages, for Singapore’s National Day Parade 2009, 2011 and site-speci c art installations. His work and 2016. His recent works include Tropical has been featured by Peranakan Museum, Traumas (SIFA 2016), Into The Wild (Art Science Art Science Museum, Adidas, Dior, Selfridges, Museum, 2017), and Lost Cinema (2018) under and SHOWstudio. NAC’s Creation Grant. https://www.instagram.com/kiat_sg/ https://www.facebook.com/KIATSG SUVEN CHAN Lighting Designer Suven graduated from the Hong Kong Academy AIDA DOLRAHIM for Performing Arts (School of Technical Arts) Costume designer and Hong Kong Baptist University (Major in English Language and Literature). She started Aida Dolrahim is a freelance to focus on lighting design in 2000 after working fashion stylist and consultant as a production manager and stage manager with an extensive background for various companies. Since then, she has in creative direction for editorial, e-commerce designed for most of the theatre and dance and advertising. She has styled for glossy and companies in Singapore. Lighting design with independent publications such as ELLE, Dazed, Cake includes: Queen Ping, Temple, Nothing, Z!nk, OK!, Revs, Fault and Fashion Weekly China. Divine Soap, Destinies of Flowers in the Mirror, Dolrahim’s practice draws inspiration from Desire at the Melancholic String Concert, and post-modern youth subcultures and the The Shape of a Dream. socioeconomic conditions that surrounds its formation.

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

Concept & Direction | Natalie Hennedige Text | Natalie Hennedige

Performers | Al-Matin Yatim Jo Kukathas Amy J Cheng Masturah Oli Andrew Marko Matthias Engler Claire Teo Mikaela Perez Darlane Litaay Nicholas Tee Edith Podesta Sarah Chaffey Gha r Akbar Tia Andrea Guttensohn

Executive Producer | Sharon Tang Producer | Alexandre Thio Production Manager | Lam Dan Fong

Stage Manager | Natasha May Assistant Stage Manager | Pamela Lai

Sound Engineer | Joel Fernandez Multimedia Operator | Justina Khoo Stage Crew | Beverly Liang

Rubber Girl on the loose is supported by Goethe-Institut Singapore and the Arts Fund.

11 BY THE ART OF STRANGERS AN ESPLANADE COMMISSION AND PRODUCTION

Esplanade Theatre Studio 4 – 6 Apr, Thu – Sat, 8pm 6 & 7 Apr, Sat & Sun, 3pm

1hr 30mins, no intermission Advisory: Some mature themes and coarse language. MISS BRITISH

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

The decolonial paths have one thing in of our bodies and behaviours, and as part common: the colonial wound, the fact that of the ways in which we interact and regions and people around the world have engage with others, and with strangers. been classi ed as underdeveloped Many of the hierarchies that marked our economically and mentally. ancestors as superior or inferior to each other are still in place. If we continue to —WALTER MIGNOLO repeat these behaviours and attitudes, Miss British is a scenic poem that explores we become oppressors and victims in the the colonial legacies that remain in place same narrative of toxic difference. As a today. It is our contribution to the ongoing theatre collective, we therefore think it is reection surrounding the colonial past crucial not to fall into the simplistic view of Singapore, of the people that live here, of just blaming the colonial period for all and of the many identities that intersect our social problems and tensions. Rather, in this city. The dramaturgy of the piece we propose to reect on our shared is informed by our everyday stories. In colonial wounds, and in doing so, share crafting the piece, we traced the ways in the responsibility of changing our future. which the colony manifests itself in these —FELIPE CERVERA stories—how it remains within us, as part

SYNOPSIS

Who is Miss British? Is she the person Kalaiselvi Grace, Rebekah Sangeetha wearing the crown or the one wearing the Dorai, Loo Zihan, Adrian Tan, Chan Silei, shackles? The person travelling rst class Riduan Zalani, and Chloe C. Chotrani. or the one being traf cked? Miss British may be a poem; a movement; a song. She may be the mother of three and the sister of one; ABOUT THE ART OF STRANGERS the lover of many, and the soon-to-be bride. Miss British is everywhere, in everyone. The Art of Strangers produces collaborative She is a story of servitude and repetition. theatre. We investigate contemporary issues by exploring the boundaries between actors Based on an original idea by Sharon Frese, and spectators. Since 2013, we have been Miss British is a piece that excavates the a uid collective, advocating for a shared prejudices and social hierarchies left authorship of the creative process across behind by colonialism across the planet. the several areas of theatrical creation. Combining theatre, dance, and video Besides creating original work, we also installation, the piece is a voyage across offer production and stage management the oceans of our shared pasts. services, as well as outreach initiatives in collaboration with libraries and cultural Devised by The Art of Strangers in centres. For more information, please visit collaboration with Sharon Frese, www.theartofstrangers.com.

13 MISS BRITISH

BIOS groups: Wicked Aura, OrkeStar Trio, Batucada Sound Machine (NZ), and One Asia Classic storytelling and writing in different combinations Orchestra (JPN) among others. FELIPE CERVERA for stage. Some of her works include Goddesses Deviser and Director of Words – Sarojini Naidu, The Old Fogies He is also the co-founder and artistic director Felipe Cervera is a Mexican (Esplanade's Octoburst – a children's festival of Nadi Singapura, a vibrant ensemble that is theatre maker and scholar 2018), Mother I (1) & (2), Olee – Lights to determined to etch their brand of traditional based in Singapore since 2012. The World, Meera’s Adventure series and Malay drumming and music performance in As an actor and director, he has worked and Stories & Songs from the Bow (Esplanade's the hearts and minds of people. toured internationally across The Americas, Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I.) series 2017). Europe, Africa, and Asia. As an academic, In August 2018, he released his rst solo album, he has published extensively in international She has also acted in precise purpose of Gelombunk and his rst instructional DVD, That peer-reviewed journals, and is a regular being broken by Koh Wan Ching (M1SFF'19 & Beat of Faith, both dedicated to the study and contributor to local and international forums Esplanade's The Studios Series 2017), Into the performance of the Malay drum, rebana. of theatre and performance studies. Felipe is Blue Forest (100 & 100 more Festival by The a Lecturer in Theatre at LASALLE College of ArtGround), 0600 (SIFA’18 by GroundZ-0) and For his determined efforts in putting Singapore on the Arts. For more information, please visit Mixed (TheatreWorks). She also directed The the global world music map and his dedication www.felipecervera.me Good Farmer for TheatreWorks. She wants to to developing the local Malay music scene, create more work for minority groups. Riduan was conferred the Young Artist Award 2015, Singapore Youth Award 2013 and the SHARON FRESE Photo by Intercultural Theatre Institute ASEAN Youth Award 2013. Deviser and Performer Sharon Frese is a British Afro- Caribbean arts practitioner. REBEKAH SANGEETHA DORAI A resident in Singapore since 2009, Sharon feels Deviser and Performer very privileged to have worked with several of Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai is an Singapore’s local theatre companies, including actor, singer and voiceover artist. Teater Ekamatra (This Placement), W!ld Rice Some of her recent theatre credits include The (The House of Bernada Alba), The Art of Page on Stage (directed by Brendan Fernandez), Strangers (The Mountain) and TheatreWorks SIFA’s Verses of Love & Life (directed by Aidlin (The O.P.E.N - Bertolt Brecht in 8 Steps). Mosbit), her solo show Building A Character at the 2018 W!ld Rice Singapore Theatre Festival, She made her Singapore debut at the Discord of Discourse at The Faversham Fringe UK, Esplanade in The Necessary Stage’s 2014 Modest Travels (directed by Tan Kheng Hua), restaging of Singapore, followed by Mama Yong, and Jeremiah Choy's The Ghost in Your Head. an Esplanade commission as part of Pesta Raya As a singer, Sangeetha has written songs for - Malay Festival of Arts. Sharon was last seen on various productions and recently debuted her stage in Jan 2019 in the lecture-performance solo jazz concert Sangeetha Sings Sinatra at Ayer-Hitam: A Black History of Singapore, an the Esplanade. She was last featured in Grace M1 Fringe Festival Commission directed by Kalaiselvi’s Goddesses of Words, and is thrilled Irfan Kasban. to be a part of Miss British. A graduate of LASALLE When not creating works, Sharon is either College of The Arts, Adrian watching theatre or delighting in the rich RIDUAN ZALANI has designed shows that have culinary scene of Singapore. Deviser, Composer and been staged in the local and international arts Musician scene. His work spans a wide spectrum of the Riduan Zalani is one of performing arts and outdoor light installations. KALAISELVI GRACE Singapore’s most prominent Deviser and Performer artists, versatile in producing and performing He has worked with most major theatre and Kalaiselvi Grace graduated various drums and percussions, both traditional dance companies in Singapore, creating from Intercultural Theatre and contemporary. His diligence, discipline and designs and spaces for operas, dance and Institute (ITI) in 2014. She skills have made him an essential part of experimental works, produced by companies dabbles in acting, directing, educating, numerous local and international performing like Singapore Lyric Opera, Singapore Dance

Theatre, T.H.E Dance Company, W!ld Rice and The Necessary Stage and Esplanade.

groups: Wicked Aura, OrkeStar Trio, Batucada performance, and the moving-image. He received Sound Machine (NZ), and One Asia Classic his Master of Fine Arts in Studio Practice from Orchestra (JPN) among others. the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Masters in Performance Studies from New York He is also the co-founder and artistic director University Tisch School of the Arts. of Nadi Singapura, a vibrant ensemble that is determined to etch their brand of traditional His work emphasises the malleability of memory Malay drumming and music performance in through various representational strategies that the hearts and minds of people. include performance re-enactments, essay lms and data visualisation. He was awarded the Young In August 2018, he released his rst solo album, Artist Award (2015) and an Arts Postgraduate Gelombunk and his rst instructional DVD, That Scholarship (2017) by the National Arts Council Beat of Faith, both dedicated to the study and of Singapore. performance of the Malay drum, rebana. Photo by Samantha Tio For his determined efforts in putting Singapore on the global world music map and his dedication to developing the local Malay music scene, CHAN SILEI Riduan was conferred the Young Artist Award Set Designer 2015, Singapore Youth Award 2013 and the Silei is interested in crafting ASEAN Youth Award 2013. spaces and is always being crafted by space. She has designed spaces and sets for 13.13.13 CHLOE CALDERON (TheatreWorks, 2018), The Last Dance (Drama CHOTRANI Box and Arts Wok, 2018), Framed, by Adolf Deviser and Choreographer (The Finger Players, 2018), When We Dead Chloe is a movement artist Awaken (Intercultural Theatre Institute, 2018), based in Singapore. She Red Sky (Nine Years Theatre, 2016), I Am LGB has performed and trained internationally with (Loo Zihan for Singapore International Festival of Romançon Dance Company (Manila), B Supreme Arts, 2016), and With/Out (M1 Singapore Fringe (London), Ecole Des Sables (Senegal), Omi Festival, 2015 and Esplanade’s The Studios, 2017). International Dance Collective (Hudson), She has also assisted local and international Evidence/Ronald Brown Dance Community designers and artists in realising their concepts. (New York), Movement Research (New York), and Gati Dance Forum (New Delhi). Currently, Besides set design, Silei also works as a she performs for local dance companies P7:1SMA Production Manager for projects such as the and Chowk that work between the spaces of Singapore International Festival of Arts (2015 both traditional and contemporary. She is also to 2017). an Associate Artist with Dance Nucleus.

She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art ADRIAN TAN from the School of Oriental and African Studies Lighting Designer (London). When she's not dancing or writing, A graduate of LASALLE she is immersed with nature. College of The Arts, Adrian has designed shows that have www.chloechotrani.com been staged in the local and international arts scene. His work spans a wide spectrum of the Riduan Zalani is one of performing arts and outdoor light installations. Singapore’s most prominent LOO ZIHAN artists, versatile in producing and performing Deviser and He has worked with most major theatre and various drums and percussions, both traditional Multimedia Artist dance companies in Singapore, creating and contemporary. His diligence, discipline and Loo Zihan is an artist and designs and spaces for operas, dance and skills have made him an essential part of academic from Singapore experimental works, produced by companies numerous local and international performing working at the intersections of critical theory, like Singapore Lyric Opera, Singapore Dance

Theatre, T.H.E Dance Company, W!ld Rice and The Necessary Stage and Esplanade.

Several of his works have received theatre awards, including Monkey Goes West and Another Country by W!ld Rice, A Cage Goes In Search Of A Bird by A Group Of People, Bitch for the M1 Fringe Festival, and Dark Room, commissioned by the Esplanade for The Studios 2016. A graduate of LASALLE College of The Arts, Adrian has designed shows that have been staged in the local and international arts scene. His work spans a wide spectrum of the performing arts and outdoor light installations.

He has worked with most major theatre and dance companies in Singapore, creating designs and spaces for operas, dance and experimental works, produced by companies like Singapore Lyric Opera, Singapore Dance

MISS BRITISH

Theatre, T.H.E Dance Company, W!ld Rice and The Necessary Stage and Esplanade. CAROLENE LIEW Stage Manager Several of his works have received theatre Carolene received a BA (Hons) in Stage awards, including Monkey Goes West and Management from the Royal Welsh College Another Country by W!ld Rice, A Cage Goes of Music and Drama. She is a recipient of the In Search Of A Bird by A Group Of People, National Arts Council Overseas Scholarship Bitch for the M1 Fringe Festival, and Dark and the Lee Foundation Bursary. Room, commissioned by the Esplanade for The Studios 2016. Her theatre credits include, The Passion (National Theatre of Wales); The Face in the Mirror (Welsh National Opera); The Marriage of Figaro (Opera’r YVETTE NG Ddraig); Swimming with Sharks; Next to Normal; Costume Designer Gruesome Playground Injuries; Frozen; Chinglish; Yvette is a designer, stylist RENT (Pangdemonium! Theatre Company Ltd); and costume coordinator. Her Othello; The Merchant of Venice; The Tempest passion includes working for (Singapore Repertory Theatre); Company – The period and contemporary theatrical productions, Musical (Dream Academy Productions Pte Ltd); styling for live theatre and dance and photo Give Me Your Blood and I Will Give You My shoots. She recently extended her passion to Freedom (Singapore International Festival of YNG - creating products and having them made the Arts); The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey locally with women who work from home to help (Glowtape Productions); This Chord and Others; support their families. The Dog Who Goes Woof Woof; I am trying to say something true; The Bird Who Was Afraid When she is not busy working on her next project, of Heights; and Love Letters (Esplanade – Yvette can often be found practising crochet, Theatres on the Bay). or found in fabric shops near and far, actively sourcing for ideas and inspiration. Carolene is currently a full-time staff at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. EVELYN CHIA Production Manager In search of new challenges in life, Evelyn threw herself into theatre in 2003. She learns new things every day by working in different roles within various arts companies. She has worked throughout Europe and Asia and has extensive production experience that includes stage managing I La Galigo and Rumi - In The Blink Of The Eye, under the leadership of acclaimed director Robert Wilson; production managing Singapore International Festival of Arts 2016–2017; The King and I (Asia Tour) with Broadway Entertainment; West Side Story (Asia Tour) with BB Productions and various productions by Drama Box and W!ld Rice. Evelyn was also instrumental in the creation of SOTA's performance spaces and operations.

She is currently a full-time staff with Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.

16 A graduate of LASALLE College of The Arts, Adrian has designed shows that have been staged in the local and international arts scene. His work spans a wide spectrum of the performing arts and outdoor light installations.

MISS BRITISH

Theatre, T.H.E Dance Company, W!ld Rice and three-month stint in SRT’s Shakespeare in the The Necessary Stage and Esplanade. AMY FOO Park production of Julius Caesar in 2018. Assistant Stage Manager Several of his works have received theatre Since graduating from the Technical Theatre With circus group Born re Singapore, Amy takes awards, including Monkey Goes West and Trainee Programme (TTTP) with Esplanade in on stage management roles and has also been Another Country by W!ld Rice, A Cage Goes 2018, Amy has been actively involved in theatre coordinating the group’s annual Born re festival In Search Of A Bird by A Group Of People, and the performing arts as a freelancer with in Singapore since 2006. Bitch for the M1 Fringe Festival, and Dark varied roles backstage. Room, commissioned by the Esplanade Currently, Amy enjoys assisting in running school for The Studios 2016. As part of the TTTP with Esplanade, Amy assembly and community shows and helping to gained more hands-on exposure in set-up/ make simple props for PlayInc, a production strike processes for productions at Esplanade. and events company Amy was also part of the sound team in her

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Deviser & Director | Felipe Cervera

Devisers & Performers | Sharon Frese Kalaiselvi Grace Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai

Deviser, Composer & Musician | Riduan Zalani Deviser & Choreographer | Chloe Calderon Chotrani Deviser & Multimedia Artist | Loo Zihan

Set Designer | Chan Silei Lighting Designer | Adrian Tan Costume Designer | Yvette Ng Costume Coordinator | Nurhidayah Mahadi

Production Manager | Evelyn Chia, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

Stage Manager | Carolene Liew, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay Assistant Stage Manager | Amy Foo

Thanks to The Necessary Stage for the loan of particular props.

Parts of the text and some themes used in Miss British were conceived and developed in the original work The Extraordinary Travels of Miss British (2014) as part of The Orange Playground, The Necessary Stage’s laboratory platform.

17 AN ESPLANADE COMMISSION AND PRODUCTION

Esplanade Theatre Studio 11 – 13 Apr, Thu – Sat, 8pm 13 & 14 Apr, Sat & Sun, 3pm

1hr 30mins, no intermission There will be post-show talks on 13 Apr, Sat.

R18: Mature Themes MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

PLAYWRIGHT’S MESSAGE

It is always bittersweet when I am immediate “LGBT” subject matter. On the approached about re-staging Mergers other hand, in Singapore, the continuing (or one of the other members in the Invitation direct relevance of this piece and the to Treat trilogy). On the one hand, it is nice continued existence of Section 377A on to know that one’s work continues to dodge our statute books can be depressing. the charge of being outdated or no longer relevant. I always enjoy seeing a new Boy meets girl. Girl meets girl. The important (often younger) production team put their thing is that we meet. touch on the material; and I hope that the —ELEANOR WONG piece resonates generally beyond its

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

When I rst read Mergers and Accusations world that we live in may affect how we some years ago, I was fascinated by Ellen interpret their words and actions. For this and Lesley, who were the rst lesbian couple production, we have chosen to keep the I had encountered in a play. Coming back events in the play to the original time period, to the text for this production, I also started which would have been around the late to consider it from the perspective of Ellen 1980s and early 1990s. To get a better and Jon as a duo, a couple. Perhaps they understanding of the context, I spoke to a are friends whose love for each other, few women about their memories of that at some point, seeped beyond the neat era. While not intended to represent a full con nes of conventional friendship. At what or de nitive picture of that era, here are point would you consider yourself in love? some of the thoughts and experiences What if a part of you, or what you hope they shared that stayed with me: to have in life, may never be satis ed by him/her? How does one pursue personal • “People didn’t talk about homosexuality happiness while being ethical and as much back then. I didn’t know thoughtful towards the other party – are (many) other people who were gay.” the two antithetical? These questions seem • “It didn’t feel like there was a need to to surface in her relationship with Lesley ‘come out’ – other people might prefer too. Indeed, at the heart of it, the play not to know as well.” explores issues that are fundamentally • “Sometimes when I see girls holding human and relational, issues that remain hands in public, I wish I could have relevant across time. done that too when I was growing up.” • “In the past, there was more expectation Yet, every play also exists within a context. to get married and have children. Having The world that Ellen, Jon, and Lesley inhabit children seemed like ‘national duty’.” informs their perspective and, perhaps, inuences their choices. Similarly, the

19 MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

• “If you wanted to start a family, I’d like to thank the team at Esplanade for marrying the other sex felt like the the opportunity to direct this production, only realistic option.” especially Izumi our producer who has • “It was not surprising for gay people to been with us throughout the journey. marry the other sex. Some of those Many thanks to Eleanor Wong for creating marriages seem to work out quite well.” something so beautiful and giving us space to make it our own, and the exceptional These personal recollections served as a Mergers team for your hard work and starting point for the actors and me to brilliance. My deepest thanks to the imagine the world that the characters live wonderful people who have shared your in and respond to. As part of the process, personal experiences with us, Claire, Faith we also had various discussions and and the Checkpoint team for being a source improvised scenes to explore the text and of support, and everyone who has helped characters. The process of staging this the production in one way or another. production has been a rich one, and we Lastly, thank you very much for being would like to share it with you below. here with us today.

—CHEN YINGXUAN

SYNOPSIS

1It's complicated. Ellen wants to be with women Jonathan and Ellen are best friends. without the strings, and also with Jonathan (after a 1 They love each other , got married, and fashion). Jonathan wants to be a dad, with Ellen as had a child, just like everyone else. the mum, if possible.

A fairy-tale ending, surely?

At least that’s what they thought, until Lesley, an openly gay lawyer shows up at work one day.

20 MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

BIOS

Her sold-out one-woman cross-media ELEANOR WONG production #UnicornMoment (Esplanade's Playwright The Studios 2014) by Checkpoint Theatre was Eleanor is a trained lawyer nominated for Best Original Script at the 2015 and untrained playwright. Life Theatre Awards.

Her plays have been produced in Singapore Other theatre work includes: Army Daze 2 and the ASEAN region. Her works span from (2017), Boeing Boeing (2017) and Chinglish the prize-winning Peter’s Passionate Pursuit (2015), for which she was nominated Best (1985) to Initial Conditions (2015), a performed Actress. Television credits include Netix’s read of short pieces on love and quantum Marco Polo and Code of Law. Recently, she physics which arose out of a three-month represented Singapore at the Asian Academy stint as writer-in-residence at the Centre for Creative Awards in the Best Actress category Quantum Technologies. Other works include for her role in HOOQ’s How to Be a Good Girl. the ground-breaking Invitation To Treat – a trilogy Her feature lm credits include Rubbers, of plays consisting of Mergers & Accusations, Our Sister Mambo and 4Love. Wills & Secession and Jointly and Severably. Arguably before political theatre was cool, Photo credit Crispian Chan she wrote The Campaign to Confer the Public Service Star on JBJ for the inaugural Singapore Theatre Festival in 2006, where it played to SHANE MARDJUKI sell-out crowds and was restaged in 2007. Performer Shane Mardjuki’s entertainment career began fresh out of NS CHEN YINGXUAN and, not one to stay unknown Director for long, he was soon cast in theatre productions Yingxuan is a theatre director, such as The Snow Queen, O Rats the Pied Piper better known (if at all) perhaps and The Gingerbread Man, which was a nominee for directing A Good Death by of Best Ensemble Cast in Life Theatre Awards. Faith Ng for Esplanade’s The Studios (2018) and Café by Joel Tan for the Twenty Something He was seen in recent theatre productions Festival (2016), which was nominated for Best including Private Parts, Press Gang, Julius Caesar Script and Best Ensemble at the Life Theatre and Army Daze 2. One of his many productions Awards. Other productions she has directed includes a lead role in What The Butler Saw, an include Mosaic by Joel Tan for the Lit Up award-winning comedy about dysfunctional Festival (2014) and M1 Fringe Festival (2015), family relationships, laws of attraction, notions and The Car by Verena Tay for the Esplanade’s of sanity, identity and authority in an exceedingly Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I.) series (2017). She comic fashion. He was also in Victor Victoria is also a frequent collaborator of Checkpoint where he was cast alongside international jazz Theatre, most recently assistant directing sensation Laura Fygi. Normal by Faith Ng (2015, 2017). Shane Mardjuki is proudly represented by FLY Entertainment. OON SHU AN Performer FLY Entertainment Artiste Oon Shu An is an actor who Photo credit Joel Low Photography has been spreading her natural warmth and infectious energy across theatre, TV, lm and the internet. With a BA (Hons) in Acting from LASALLE College of the Arts, she is currently an Associate Artist with Checkpoint Theatre.

21 MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

AMANDA TEE NESSA ANWAR Performer Performer Amanda is a graduate of the A video director by day, Nessa Acting programme at LASALLE has acted under companies College of the Arts. including Singapore Repertory Theatre's Young Company, Teater Ekamatra, In 2011, she trained with the SITI Company and Checkpoint Theatre. She was active in Suria in New York. She was invited to perform under from 2011 – 2015, and was nominated Best Lead the Kevin Spacey Foundation in 2012, New York, Actress in the 2017 Tenerife International Film and in 2014, she she trained with the Suzuki Festival in the indie short lm Ketetapan. Nessa Company of Toga in Japan. graduated from NUS in Philosophy, where she studied playwriting and screenwriting under Her most recent theatre credit was W!ld Rice's Huzir Sulaiman and Wee Li Lin respectively. Press Gang as part of the Singapore Theatre Since then, she has written TV programmes, Festival. She has worked with the Singapore two award-winning short lms, and hosted a Repertory Theatre in Shakespeare in the Park's travel series InstaScram. She has presented a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream as full-length play titled Riders Know When It’s Mustardseed and Macbeth as one of the three Gonna Rain, and is also a founding member witches. Also, with SRT, she has appeared in of Singapore’s rst playwright collective Hello/Goodbye as Amanda, The Jungle Book Main Tulis Group. as Kaa/Girl, Bear and Chicken Get Ready for School as Chicken, Fried Rice Paradise as Photo credit Husrin Tahale Campari D'Cruz, and Pinocchio the Musical.

Other selected theatre credits include Normal WONG CHEE WAI by Checkpoint Theatre as Lynette Ang; The Last Set designer Bull: A Life in Flamenco, also with Checkpoint Chee Wai is a full-time freelance set designer. Theatre as part of SIFA 2016; Pandemic with UK He has designed and worked with various company Slung Low as part of SIFA 2012; Liao performing arts companies in Singapore. Zhai Rocks! with The Theatre Practice; National Broadway Company by TheatreWorks; Boom, Some of his recent works are Necessary Stage's Sisters: The Untold Stories of the Sister's Islands Off Centre (2019), W!LD RICE's Supervision, and Everything but the Brain by Jean Tay with Mama White Snake and Hotel, Leda and the Rage Sight Lines Entertainment; and《 K 变形记》 in (The Studios 2018) and Alkesah (Pesta Raya - Shanghai with Toy Factory Productions. Malay Festival of Arts 2018) at Esplanade, The Finger Player's ITSY THE MUSICAL, Nine Years Film and TV credits include ve seasons of Theatre's Art Studio (SIFA 2017), Fundamentally Mediacorp's Junction Tree as So a; NHK Japan's Happy (The Studios 2017), Twelve Angry Men Basic English for Adults Season 3; NHK Japan (Huayi - Chinese Festival of Arts 2013), Who's Wildlife’s Here Comes Darwin!; The Band on afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Macau Arts Festival Okto; and two sports programmes HOW 2 2013) and Art (Huayi - Chinese Festival of Arts and Sportszine. 2014), Sight Lines Entertainment's Lord of the Flies, Sling Theatre's Souvenir and 8 Women, Apart from the stage and TV, Amanda is a Blank Space Theatre's Red and Freud's voice-over artist for companies such as Darlie, Last Session. Osim, AIA, MacDonald's and SK-II.

22 MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

Ryann rmly believes that the art of theatrical PETRINA DAWN TAN sound design stems from a strong technical Lighting Designer foundation. On this premise, he focuses on Petrina Dawn Tan holds a creating beautiful technical pieces that integrate Master of Art with Merit in fully with other theatrical elements to create Collaborative Theatre immersive experiences for audiences. He strives Production and Design from the Guildhall to create and support works that encourage School of Music and Drama in London. She individuals to question their own lives and the practices scenic design and conceptualises world around them a little more. a range of projects including music festivals, circus acts and installations with elements of Although Ryann is married to his craft, he also audience participation. has dalliances with his guitar collection and other music paraphernalia. Petrina was nominated for Best Lighting Design in the M1-The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards 2017 for her work on Manifesto (The Necessary ANTHONY TAN Stage and Drama Box). Her set and lighting design Costume Designer on Recalling Mother (Checkpoint Theatre) has Anthony Tan has rmly been seen internationally as part of Esplanade’s established himself as a The Studios 2016, Singapore, Brisbane Festival fashion and costume designer 2016 and Oz Asia 2017, Adelaide. in Singapore, often through his works with various arts companies, and collaborations that Recent local lighting designs include Guards at span commercial works, theatre, musical and the Taj (Singapore Repertory Theatre), Souvenir dance. Anthony has been in costume design (Sing Theatre), Building a Character (W!LDRICE), since 1993; he has accumulated a long list of Here and Beyond (Toy Factory Productions), collaborative projects including wardrobe Thick Beats for Good Girls (Checkpoint Theatre) management with Cirque du Soleil. and Underclass (The Necessary Stage). Anthony is also a design educator with a leading Petrina is happy and excited to be collaborating arts institution in Singapore. He graduated from on Mergers and Accusations with this team! London College of Fashion (UK) with a BA(Hons) in Design Technology For the Fashion Industry More at: petrinadawntan.com (1999) and a MA in Costume Design for Performance (2010).

RYANN OTHNIEL Some of Anthony’s signi cant works include SENG The Crab Flower Club (咏蟹花 ) by Toy Factory Sound Designer Productions for Singapore Arts Festival 2009, Ryann Othniel Seng is Twelve Angry Men (Esplanade's Huayi - Chinese currently freelancing as a Festival of Arts) and Art Studio (2017 SIFA) by music recording and mixing engineer as well Nine Years Theatre. as a theatrical sound designer, producing for an art form he strongly believes in.

Initially forgoing a classical education, he dived straight into the theatre industry, working on multiple productions. Some of his works to date are A Good Death (Esplanade's The Studios 2018), Forked (M1 Fringe Festival) and You Are Here (Esplanade's Kalaa Utsavam - Indian Festival of Arts).

23 MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

AZY ALIAS NATALIE WONG Production Manager Assistant Stage Manager Azy studied English Literature but found herself Natalie graduated with a BA (Hons) in Arts working mainly in theatre after graduation. In the Management from LASALLE College of the Arts. last few years, she has worked with various local While in school, she interned at The Substation theatre companies and institutions as a Stage and started working part-time at Esplanade as and Production Manager. Most recently, she an Artist Liaison Of cer. After a couple of worked at The Necessary Stage (TNS) as their enriching years as an Admin Executive at local Production Manager, managing shows such Chinese theatre company Nine Years Theatre, as Off Centre (2019); Underclass by TNS and she decided to take a shot at working freelance Drama Box; Sanctuary, a collaboration between and has since worked on productions by Dream TNS and Hanchu-yuei from Tokyo; and Those Academy, Siong Leng Musical Association, Who Can’t, Teach (2018). Azy also designs for W!LD RICE and Drama Box. She is excited to the stage. Her design credits include: Glam be working on this production! Teater Muzikal by Teater Muzikal Collective; The Orange Production: Drip & Whale Fall – A Double - Bill by TNS; Absence | Presence by Just Theatre and Wright Assembly's Alamat Baharu. Azy can be contacted at [email protected].

TENNIE SU Stage Manager Tennie’s experiences in the performing arts varies from Chinese traditional music to modern dance and contemporary theatre. She feels privileged to witness the process from page to stage and the development of performers.

She is a Production and Stage Manager and is currently an Associate Production Manager with Nine Years Theatre (NYT). Her selected production management credits include: Lear is Dead and Art Studio by NYT, Cut Kafka by NYT & T.H.E Dance Company, Both Sides Now: Wind Came Home and Exit by Drama Box.

Her selected stage management credits include: Underclass by The Necessary Stage and Drama Box, Poop! by The Finger Players, It Won't be Too Long – The Cemetery, Dawn by Drama Box, Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral by Jeff Chen and main seasons of Frontier Danceland from 2014-2017.

24 MERGERS AND ACCUSATIONS

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Playwright | Eleanor Wong

Director | Chen Yingxuan

Performers | Oon Shu An Shane Mardjuki Amanda Tee Nessa Anwar

Set Designer | Wong Chee Wai Lighting Designer | Petrina Dawn Tan Sound Designer | Ryann Othniel Seng Costume Designer | Anthony Tan

Production Manager | Azy Alias

Stage Manager | Tennie Su

Assistant Stage Manager | Natalie Wong

Captions | Chong Gua Khee

25 BY NEO KIM SENG AN ESPLANADE COMMISSION AND PRODUCTION

Esplanade Theatre Studio Performances in English: 18 & 20 Apr, Thu & Sat, 8pm 21 Apr, Sun, 3pm

1hr 15mins, no intermission There will be a post-show talk after every performance. MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

My Grandfather's Road started off It is a project about ordinary people and as a personal project but has triggered their stories. Famous people already have varied responses from different people. their stories published in books. It is about It is not a nostalgia or heritage project. what happens when stories are forgotten It is a way for me to make reconnections and things disappear. with people and things from my past and renew these relationships. It is a project about the magic of listening and seeing. Because every face tells a It is a storytelling project. It is about stories story… or two or more. that make us who we are as a people. It is a project about never-ending stories —NEO KIM SENG because my mother said that you can never nish telling family stories.

27 MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

SYNOPSIS

Neo Kim Seng grew up in Pasir Panjang at My Grandfather’s Road was rst created Neo Pee Teck Lane, a side road named in 2015 for Cake Theatrical Productions’ after his grandfather, until he moved out in Running With Strippers. The Cantonese 1973. My Grandfather’s Road is a collection version was developed and presented as of stories of the familial haven that stood The Vault: My Grandfather’s Road, a along the road, stories that have helped programme of Centre 42, in Nov 2017. him reconnect with his idyllic childhood and his family’s history. It does not dwell The 2019 presentation of My Grandfather’s in nostalgia but instead explores how Road (RHDS) was developed in residence personal stories make us who we are now. at Centre 42.

The latest iteration of My Grandfather’s FIND OUT MORE Road will include new stories that were https://mygrandfathersroad.wordpress.com unearthed, new speculations and https://www.facebook.com/mygrandfathersroad/ reections, and forgotten histories.

Karen Tan will be joined on stage by Loong Seng Onn in the English version. In the Cantonese version, Tan Cher Kian and Gary Tang come together on stage this time.

28 MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

BIOS

his assorted bosses that his involvement in NEO KIM SENG theatre is important/relevant/useful/adds value Playwright and Director to his paying job. His favourite productions Neo Kim Seng is a cross- include A Language of Their Own, Three disciplinary practitioner Children, Lao Jiu and Beauty World. who has been involved in independent and large-scale projects in various capacities in Singapore and overseas GARY TANG since 1987. Performer Gary is always looking for He made his directing and writing debut with opportunities to perform on Decimal Points 810 presented by Cake Theatrical stage, in lm and in life. In his Productions in 2014. His multidisciplinary project daily life, Gary is more comfortable conversing My Grandfather’s Road was rst created for in Cantonese, Hokkien or Teochew than Mandarin. Cake in 2015. He has since developed theatrical versions in Cantonese and English and explored the work in an exhibition. TAN CHER KIAN Performer Tan Cher Kian aka CK, is a KAREN TAN Bornean Sabahan indulging Performer in his mid-life crisis making Karen moved to Holland Village the leap from an oil and gas engineering sales in 1974, at the age of seven. specialist to theatre practitioner. He started The Holland Village (not HV) his dalliances with the stage in 2017 through she still remembers had an open-air cinema; his af nity with his mother tongue (literally), outdoor tailor; loads of food, from Hakka, to Cantonese, that led him to the evolving work Indian, to Malay; no banks; a stationery shop of My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng. in the shopping centre; proper handicrafts and CK also co-produced IQ.ROCK RESTAGE by porcelain shops; an Olympic-sized swimming Anomalist Production and Stereo Genmai by pool (which she learned to swim in, as did her Ridhwan Saidi in 2018, both Malay language older child); a laundry; Mamak shops; GPs who productions in Malaysia. An aspiring writer and served the same whole families; a bus depot director, he is interested in works that break (where Starbucks is now, pretty much), a proper down barriers yet build bridges. wet market, and up until recently, a mosque.

This is why being in My Grandfather's Road is HAYASHIDA KEN important to her. Music Composer Hayashida Ken is a composer, Photo Credit TheatreWorks (S) Ltd musician and educator with a keen interest in lm.

LOONG SENG ONN Constantly seeking to re-invent, he is driven Performer by the desire to explore the boundaries of Unwilling to lead the life of a music within a story. He has been invited to struggling actor, Seng Onn collaborate on projects such as Cloud (Festival moonlights as an actor by Tokyo) and, as a member of Riot !n Magenta, night while playing the part of a civil servant in festivals such as Laneway Festival and Neon by day. He has been dabbling in theatre since Lights Festival, among others. the ’80s, when he rst discovered that it was possible to trade in his boring existence for that of some in nitely more colourful character on stage. Ever since then, he has been persuading

29 MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

production value of every projects it undertakes. YEOMAMA BATIK At the same time, it provides reliable technical Costume Designer support and acute problem-solving sensibilities YeoMama Batik is a home- that safeguard the interest and integrity of the grown fashion label that production from conception, rehearsal and reinvents the way traditional ultimately, the show(s). Their expertise in both Asian textiles, particularly Javanese handmade hardware- and software-based production batik, are used. Thoughtfully designed by equipment, bridging creativity and methodical YeoMama and her daughter, the contemporary workow enables them to tailor-make solutions clothing they create for modern women suit to speci c requirements. different body types and ages. With them Fre@ks, your show is in control!!! YO SHAO ANN Lighting Designer EVELYN CHIA Shao Ann was the 2006 recipient of the Young Production Manager Artist Award for Technical Theatre from the In search of new challenges in life, Evelyn National Arts Council. He received a Master threw herself into theatre in 2003. She learns of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of new things every day by working in different California, San Diego. He was a Production roles within various arts companies. She has Manager with Esplanade from 2012 to 2015. worked throughout Europe and Asia and has Recent lighting design credits include: Off extensive production experience that includes Centre (The Necessary Stage) and OMM Goes stage managing I La Galigo and Rumi - In The to the Movies 3 (Orchestra of the Music Makers). Blink Of The Eye, under the leadership of acclaimed director Robert Wilson; production Esplanade productions he has worked on: The managing Singapore International Festival of Bird who was Afraid of Heights (PLAYtime 2018); Arts 2016–2017; The King and I (Asia Tour) with How did the Cat get so Fat? (The Studios 2018); Broadway Entertainment; West Side Story Rudram (Raga 2017); Yusof (Pesta Raya – Malay (Asia Tour) with BB Productions and various Festival of Arts 2015); 奇幻树顶 / The Magic productions by Drama Box and W!ld Rice. Treetop (Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2013); Evelyn was also instrumental in the creation of and The Magic Treetop (PLAYtime 2013). SOTA's performance spaces and operations.

She is currently a full-time staff with Esplanade - CTRL FRE@K Theatres on the Bay. (JEFFREY YUE) Sound Designer Ctrl Fre@k is a show and system design and management company specialising in areas like performing arts, themed attractions and commercial events. The brainchild of like-minded individuals who have extensive experience working in key areas of technical production including sound, lighting and video, as well as both production and technical management for all scales and in all manners of productions in these ever-expanding elds.

Started in January 2010, Ctrl Fre@k seeks to provide well-researched, ingenious and high quality design solutions that increase the

30 MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Director | Neo Kim Seng Writer | Neo Kim Seng (English) Tan Cher Kian & Gary Tang (Cantonese)

Performers | Karen Tan & Loong Seng Onn (English) Tan Cher Kian & Gary Tang (Cantonese)

Production Manager | Evelyn Chia, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Stage Manager | Nureen Raidah

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to the following for their support of the project since 2015:

All technicians, crew and creative team Loti Chek from 2015–2019 Liu Xiaoyi Cake Theatrical Productions National Archives of Singapore Centre 42 National Library Board, Singapore National Arts Council Dolly Neo A.R.T.S Fund Neo Beng Neo & Tan Tiong Hock Arts House Limited Christina Pearce Mrs Matilda Adikaran Saodah Ismail BooksActually Shanti’s Mum, Shanti & Guddi City Book Room Singapore Land Authority Tamares Goh Gracie Tan Knuckles & Notch Jezlyn Tan Kirsten Han Megan Tan Don Philip Kannangara Tan Beng Luan Don Samuel Kannangara Tan Beng Tian Don Stephen Kannangara Doreen Toh Dona Lilly Kannangara Bjorn Lee Varella Isis Koh Green Zeng & June Chua Anthony Koh Waugh Law Kian Yan My family, especially my mother, for still Lee Kip Lin Collection tolerating my nonsense all these years.

31 MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

CENTRE 42’S INTERVIEW When I started thinking about the full-length presented in new scenarios. I also fed the English version for 2018, however, I knew actors new stories, and CK and Gary then WITH NEO KIM SENG that I wanted an experienced female actor wrote the script together. who has known me for quite a long time. I wanted to see how different the character You spoke with more people to gather In 2015, independent theatre maker which featured a photo installation, a book of Neo Kim Seng would be, given Karen's stories for this version of My Grandfather’s Neo Kim Seng presented a work titled and a monologue about growing up on a gender and her different family background. Road. What was that experience like? My Grandfather’s Road as part of Cake road named after my paternal grandfather. When I was reworking the script, I also felt Theatrical Productions’ 10th anniversary It was not a nostalgic research project, but that the female voice in it was becoming Speaking with 80- and 90-year-olds about celebrations, Running with Strippers. rather it looked at reconnecting with things stronger, so I asked Karen to work with their memories of living on Neo Pee Teck Among other components, it contained an and people from my past and present. me to explore this further. Lane made me realise how fragile memories English-language monologue about his are, as they don't remember a lot of things childhood growing up on Neo Pee Teck Why did you decide to revisit the piece What was the best thing to have come that I want to ask them about. Yet at some Lane, a road named after his grandfather. in Cantonese when you developed it for out of the project so far? magical moments, the memories and Centre 42’s The Vault programme in 2017? telling of the stories become so clear and He revisited the monologue in October 2017 I've been reconnecting with people from my detailed, they’re like close-up shots in a as part of Centre 42's The Vault programme, My mother sat through two of my theatre past since the 2018 production, and it has widescreen lm. So with this version of where he worked with actors Gary Tang and projects and her grasp of English is not that been wonderful and fascinating just hearing My Grandfather’s Road, I'm thinking more Tan Cher Kian to present it in Cantonese. strong. My original intention was just to make them share their stories so generously. about forgotten stories and people, because In June 2018, he restaged My Grandfather’s a project that she could fully understand. it is so easy to rewrite history these days. Road with Karen Tan adding a new English What was your process like in continuing version into the mix. And now, in April But also, I grew up speaking Cantonese. to develop this work after the 2018 staging, And nally, tell us about one of your 2019, the team has returned with another Though I am less uent in Cantonese these especially with Loong Seng Onn now fondest memories growing up on Neo updated production to be staged as part days, somehow a language that you learn joining the team? Pee Teck Lane. of Esplanade’s The Studios. The piece is orally never goes away and becomes now called My Grandfather's Road (RHDS) embedded in you. I have a strong emotional I asked Seng Onn to be part of the new My father once built this imposing fortress- —which stands for "Rabbit Heart, Dragon attachment to the sound of Cantonese, version with Karen again because I have like rectangular structure below our huge Soul"—and Loong Seng Onn will be although I may not fully understand the known him for a long time. I'm reworking rambutan tree from old timber planks, for us performing alongside Karen. words. So the project was a way for me the script, throwing things away and adding to play. I can’t remember where he got the to reconnect with a relegated language, new material since I have many new stories timber from. It was in the shape of a lorry. We chat with Kim Seng to nd out more about sound and people. I am happy to say that now. Apart from certain lines that I insist It was huge, maybe longer than a 14-foot the creative journey of My Grandfather’s Road. my Cantonese has improved since 2017. cannot be changed, I'm open to actors lorry. The neighbourhood children had such suggesting edits. The actors are my great fun playing in it. But I think after a How did the original My Grandfather’s Why did you want to work with Karen Tan dramaturgs. They also question my intentions heavy thunderstorm, it became unsafe and Road in 2015 come about? for the 2018 English version? and help to tidy up the structure of the play. my father took it down. When I grew up later, and whenever I watch Akira Kurosawa’s Cake Theatrical Productions invited me to When I rst staged My Grandfather’s Road For the Cantonese version, I've decided to samurai lms and see the wooden be part of their Decimal Points project in in 2015, I worked with Bjorn Lee Varella as have both Gary and Cher Kian (CK) on stage fortresses and buildings in the scenes, 2014. For the second part of this two-year I was looking for a young actor, someone together, as each has a different energy. I always remember our own wooden project, they suggested that I think of a could sense the sensitive and vulnerable For the script, we rst discussed which fortress under the rambutan tree. project that can have a life after its rst side of my story. I was especially interested stories from the previous scripts—which Interview by Gwen Pew. A version of this interview incarnation. So I decided on a three-part to nd out how I would be portrayed by were also written by the actors—we would was rst published on centre42.sg in October 2017. project called My Grandfather’s Road, someone who didn't know me well. like to keep, and how those stories can be

32 MY GRANDFATHER’S ROAD (RHDS)

When I started thinking about the full-length presented in new scenarios. I also fed the English version for 2018, however, I knew actors new stories, and CK and Gary then that I wanted an experienced female actor wrote the script together. who has known me for quite a long time. I wanted to see how different the character You spoke with more people to gather In 2015, independent theatre maker which featured a photo installation, a book of Neo Kim Seng would be, given Karen's stories for this version of My Grandfather’s Neo Kim Seng presented a work titled and a monologue about growing up on a gender and her different family background. Road. What was that experience like? My Grandfather’s Road as part of Cake road named after my paternal grandfather. When I was reworking the script, I also felt Theatrical Productions’ 10th anniversary It was not a nostalgic research project, but that the female voice in it was becoming Speaking with 80- and 90-year-olds about celebrations, Running with Strippers. rather it looked at reconnecting with things stronger, so I asked Karen to work with their memories of living on Neo Pee Teck Among other components, it contained an and people from my past and present. me to explore this further. Lane made me realise how fragile memories English-language monologue about his are, as they don't remember a lot of things childhood growing up on Neo Pee Teck Why did you decide to revisit the piece What was the best thing to have come that I want to ask them about. Yet at some Lane, a road named after his grandfather. in Cantonese when you developed it for out of the project so far? magical moments, the memories and Centre 42’s The Vault programme in 2017? telling of the stories become so clear and He revisited the monologue in October 2017 I've been reconnecting with people from my detailed, they’re like close-up shots in a as part of Centre 42's The Vault programme, My mother sat through two of my theatre past since the 2018 production, and it has widescreen lm. So with this version of where he worked with actors Gary Tang and projects and her grasp of English is not that been wonderful and fascinating just hearing My Grandfather’s Road, I'm thinking more Tan Cher Kian to present it in Cantonese. strong. My original intention was just to make them share their stories so generously. about forgotten stories and people, because In June 2018, he restaged My Grandfather’s a project that she could fully understand. it is so easy to rewrite history these days. Road with Karen Tan adding a new English What was your process like in continuing version into the mix. And now, in April But also, I grew up speaking Cantonese. to develop this work after the 2018 staging, And nally, tell us about one of your 2019, the team has returned with another Though I am less uent in Cantonese these especially with Loong Seng Onn now fondest memories growing up on Neo updated production to be staged as part days, somehow a language that you learn joining the team? Pee Teck Lane. of Esplanade’s The Studios. The piece is orally never goes away and becomes now called My Grandfather's Road (RHDS) embedded in you. I have a strong emotional I asked Seng Onn to be part of the new My father once built this imposing fortress- —which stands for "Rabbit Heart, Dragon attachment to the sound of Cantonese, version with Karen again because I have like rectangular structure below our huge Soul"—and Loong Seng Onn will be although I may not fully understand the known him for a long time. I'm reworking rambutan tree from old timber planks, for us performing alongside Karen. words. So the project was a way for me the script, throwing things away and adding to play. I can’t remember where he got the to reconnect with a relegated language, new material since I have many new stories timber from. It was in the shape of a lorry. We chat with Kim Seng to nd out more about sound and people. I am happy to say that now. Apart from certain lines that I insist It was huge, maybe longer than a 14-foot the creative journey of My Grandfather’s Road. my Cantonese has improved since 2017. cannot be changed, I'm open to actors lorry. The neighbourhood children had such suggesting edits. The actors are my great fun playing in it. But I think after a How did the original My Grandfather’s Why did you want to work with Karen Tan dramaturgs. They also question my intentions heavy thunderstorm, it became unsafe and Road in 2015 come about? for the 2018 English version? and help to tidy up the structure of the play. my father took it down. When I grew up later, and whenever I watch Akira Kurosawa’s Cake Theatrical Productions invited me to When I rst staged My Grandfather’s Road For the Cantonese version, I've decided to samurai lms and see the wooden be part of their Decimal Points project in in 2015, I worked with Bjorn Lee Varella as have both Gary and Cher Kian (CK) on stage fortresses and buildings in the scenes, 2014. For the second part of this two-year I was looking for a young actor, someone together, as each has a different energy. I always remember our own wooden project, they suggested that I think of a could sense the sensitive and vulnerable For the script, we rst discussed which fortress under the rambutan tree. project that can have a life after its rst side of my story. I was especially interested stories from the previous scripts—which Interview by Gwen Pew. A version of this interview incarnation. So I decided on a three-part to nd out how I would be portrayed by were also written by the actors—we would was rst published on centre42.sg in October 2017. project called My Grandfather’s Road, someone who didn't know me well. like to keep, and how those stories can be

33 When I started thinking about the full-length presented in new scenarios. I also fed the English version for 2018, however, I knew actors new stories, and CK and Gary then that I wanted an experienced female actor wrote the script together. who has known me for quite a long time. I wanted to see how different the character You spoke with more people to gather In 2015, independent theatre maker which featured a photo installation, a book of Neo Kim Seng would be, given Karen's stories for this version of My Grandfather’s Neo Kim Seng presented a work titled and a monologue about growing up on a gender and her different family background. Road. What was that experience like? My Grandfather’s Road as part of Cake road named after my paternal grandfather. When I was reworking the script, I also felt Theatrical Productions’ 10th anniversary It was not a nostalgic research project, but that the female voice in it was becoming Speaking with 80- and 90-year-olds about celebrations, Running with Strippers. rather it looked at reconnecting with things stronger, so I asked Karen to work with their memories of living on Neo Pee Teck Among other components, it contained an and people from my past and present. me to explore this further. Lane made me realise how fragile memories English-language monologue about his are, as they don't remember a lot of things childhood growing up on Neo Pee Teck Why did you decide to revisit the piece What was the best thing to have come that I want to ask them about. Yet at some Lane, a road named after his grandfather. in Cantonese when you developed it for out of the project so far? magical moments, the memories and Centre 42’s The Vault programme in 2017? telling of the stories become so clear and He revisited the monologue in October 2017 I've been reconnecting with people from my detailed, they’re like close-up shots in a as part of Centre 42's The Vault programme, My mother sat through two of my theatre past since the 2018 production, and it has widescreen lm. So with this version of where he worked with actors Gary Tang and projects and her grasp of English is not that been wonderful and fascinating just hearing My Grandfather’s Road, I'm thinking more Tan Cher Kian to present it in Cantonese. strong. My original intention was just to make them share their stories so generously. about forgotten stories and people, because In June 2018, he restaged My Grandfather’s a project that she could fully understand. it is so easy to rewrite history these days. Road with Karen Tan adding a new English What was your process like in continuing version into the mix. And now, in April But also, I grew up speaking Cantonese. to develop this work after the 2018 staging, And nally, tell us about one of your 2019, the team has returned with another Though I am less uent in Cantonese these especially with Loong Seng Onn now fondest memories growing up on Neo updated production to be staged as part days, somehow a language that you learn joining the team? Pee Teck Lane. of Esplanade’s The Studios. The piece is orally never goes away and becomes now called My Grandfather's Road (RHDS) embedded in you. I have a strong emotional I asked Seng Onn to be part of the new My father once built this imposing fortress- —which stands for "Rabbit Heart, Dragon attachment to the sound of Cantonese, version with Karen again because I have like rectangular structure below our huge Soul"—and Loong Seng Onn will be although I may not fully understand the known him for a long time. I'm reworking rambutan tree from old timber planks, for us performing alongside Karen. words. So the project was a way for me the script, throwing things away and adding to play. I can’t remember where he got the to reconnect with a relegated language, new material since I have many new stories timber from. It was in the shape of a lorry. We chat with Kim Seng to nd out more about sound and people. I am happy to say that now. Apart from certain lines that I insist It was huge, maybe longer than a 14-foot the creative journey of My Grandfather’s Road. my Cantonese has improved since 2017. cannot be changed, I'm open to actors lorry. The neighbourhood children had such suggesting edits. The actors are my great fun playing in it. But I think after a How did the original My Grandfather’s Why did you want to work with Karen Tan dramaturgs. They also question my intentions heavy thunderstorm, it became unsafe and Road in 2015 come about? for the 2018 English version? and help to tidy up the structure of the play. my father took it down. When I grew up later, and whenever I watch Akira Kurosawa’s Cake Theatrical Productions invited me to When I rst staged My Grandfather’s Road For the Cantonese version, I've decided to samurai lms and see the wooden be part of their Decimal Points project in in 2015, I worked with Bjorn Lee Varella as have both Gary and Cher Kian (CK) on stage fortresses and buildings in the scenes, 2014. For the second part of this two-year I was looking for a young actor, someone together, as each has a different energy. I always remember our own wooden project, they suggested that I think of a could sense the sensitive and vulnerable For the script, we rst discussed which fortress under the rambutan tree. project that can have a life after its rst side of my story. I was especially interested stories from the previous scripts—which Interview by Gwen Pew. A version of this interview incarnation. So I decided on a three-part to nd out how I would be portrayed by were also written by the actors—we would was rst published on centre42.sg in October 2017. project called My Grandfather’s Road, someone who didn't know me well. like to keep, and how those stories can be

梁金成滨海艺术中心委约与制作

滨海艺术中心小剧场粤语演出, 附英文字幕: 4月19日星期五，晚上8时 4月20日星期六，下午3时

演出时长约1小时15分钟(无中场休息)。演出结束后将有演后交流会。 When I started thinking about the full-length presented in new scenarios. I also fed the English version for 2018, however, I knew actors new stories, and CK and Gary then that I wanted an experienced female actor wrote the script together. who has known me for quite a long time. I wanted to see how different the character You spoke with more people to gather In 2015, independent theatre maker which featured a photo installation, a book of Neo Kim Seng would be, given Karen's stories for this version of My Grandfather’s Neo Kim Seng presented a work titled and a monologue about growing up on a gender and her different family background. Road. What was that experience like? My Grandfather’s Road as part of Cake road named after my paternal grandfather. When I was reworking the script, I also felt Theatrical Productions’ 10th anniversary It was not a nostalgic research project, but that the female voice in it was becoming Speaking with 80- and 90-year-olds about celebrations, Running with Strippers. rather it looked at reconnecting with things stronger, so I asked Karen to work with their memories of living on Neo Pee Teck Among other components, it contained an and people from my past and present. me to explore this further. Lane made me realise how fragile memories English-language monologue about his are, as they don't remember a lot of things childhood growing up on Neo Pee Teck Why did you decide to revisit the piece What was the best thing to have come that I want to ask them about. Yet at some Lane, a road named after his grandfather. in Cantonese when you developed it for out of the project so far? magical moments, the memories and Centre 42’s The Vault programme in 2017? telling of the stories become so clear and He revisited the monologue in October 2017 I've been reconnecting with people from my detailed, they’re like close-up shots in a as part of Centre 42's The Vault programme, My mother sat through two of my theatre past since the 2018 production, and it has widescreen lm. So with this version of where he worked with actors Gary Tang and projects and her grasp of English is not that been wonderful and fascinating just hearing My Grandfather’s Road, I'm thinking more Tan Cher Kian to present it in Cantonese. strong. My original intention was just to make them share their stories so generously. about forgotten stories and people, because In June 2018, he restaged My Grandfather’s a project that she could fully understand. it is so easy to rewrite history these days. Road with Karen Tan adding a new English What was your process like in continuing version into the mix. And now, in April But also, I grew up speaking Cantonese. to develop this work after the 2018 staging, And nally, tell us about one of your 2019, the team has returned with another Though I am less uent in Cantonese these especially with Loong Seng Onn now fondest memories growing up on Neo updated production to be staged as part days, somehow a language that you learn joining the team? Pee Teck Lane. of Esplanade’s The Studios. The piece is orally never goes away and becomes now called My Grandfather's Road (RHDS) embedded in you. I have a strong emotional I asked Seng Onn to be part of the new My father once built this imposing fortress- —which stands for "Rabbit Heart, Dragon attachment to the sound of Cantonese, version with Karen again because I have like rectangular structure below our huge Soul"—and Loong Seng Onn will be although I may not fully understand the known him for a long time. I'm reworking rambutan tree from old timber planks, for us performing alongside Karen. words. So the project was a way for me the script, throwing things away and adding to play. I can’t remember where he got the to reconnect with a relegated language, new material since I have many new stories timber from. It was in the shape of a lorry. We chat with Kim Seng to nd out more about sound and people. I am happy to say that now. Apart from certain lines that I insist It was huge, maybe longer than a 14-foot the creative journey of My Grandfather’s Road. my Cantonese has improved since 2017. cannot be changed, I'm open to actors lorry. The neighbourhood children had such suggesting edits. The actors are my great fun playing in it. But I think after a How did the original My Grandfather’s Why did you want to work with Karen Tan dramaturgs. They also question my intentions heavy thunderstorm, it became unsafe and Road in 2015 come about? for the 2018 English version? and help to tidy up the structure of the play. my father took it down. When I grew up later, and whenever I watch Akira Kurosawa’s Cake Theatrical Productions invited me to When I rst staged My Grandfather’s Road For the Cantonese version, I've decided to samurai lms and see the wooden be part of their Decimal Points project in in 2015, I worked with Bjorn Lee Varella as have both Gary and Cher Kian (CK) on stage fortresses and buildings in the scenes, 2014. For the second part of this two-year I was looking for a young actor, someone together, as each has a different energy. I always remember our own wooden project, they suggested that I think of a could sense the sensitive and vulnerable For the script, we rst discussed which fortress under the rambutan tree. project that can have a life after its rst side of my story. I was especially interested stories from the previous scripts—which Interview by Gwen Pew. A version of this interview incarnation. So I decided on a three-part to nd out how I would be portrayed by were also written by the actors—we would was rst published on centre42.sg in October 2017. project called My Grandfather’s Road, someone who didn't know me well. like to keep, and how those stories can be

阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

导演的话

《阿爺條路 ~ 兔心龍魂》的开始是个人的这是讲述平凡人的故事因为名人已经有人纪实，但却意外引发不同群体的不同反应。为他们的故事编写著书。这是探讨当故事被对我而言，这并不是一些怀旧或历史回顾的遗忘，东西渐消失，我们该如何面对的。项目。这是一个我跟过去的人与事的重新连接，和这些曾经的过去重建关系的渠道。这也是关乎聆听与看见的奥妙。因为每一张脸孔都有无数的故事。。。我只是想把一些故事诉说：一些塑造我人生的故事；一些细水长流的故事因为，梁金成我母亲说过“家人的故事是永远说不完的”。

35 阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

简介

梁金成 (Neo Kim Seng) 在以他的爷爷命名《阿爺條路》于2015年在 Cake Theatrical 的巴西班让梁丕德巷度过童年，直到1973年 Productions 的《Running With Strippers》搬走为止。《阿爺條路～兔心龍魂》结集了一首次呈献；再发展的粤语版则在2017年11月连串在这条巷子发生的家族事件，这些协助了于42新剧中心（Centre 42）的平《The Vault》他重新连接童年与家族的历史。这部作品非呈献。在怀旧，而是探索个人的故事如何塑造我们。《阿爺條路～兔心龍魂》2019版本出自于42 最新系列的《阿爺條路～兔心龍魂》包括了新剧中心的驻团创作。最新发掘的故事，新的推测与反思，以及被遗忘了的历史。欲知更多详情英语版本将由陈慧娟 (Karen Tan) 与龍承安 https://mygrandfathersroad.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/mygrandfathersroad/ (Loong Seng Onn) 联合呈献。

粤语版本则由陈子健 (Tan Cher Kian) 与邓官洪 (Gary Tang) 共同演出。

36 阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

演职员简历

梁金成邓官洪编剧/导演演员梁金成是一位跨界艺术工作者，邓官洪总是寻找在舞台、电影自1987年起就在国内外，以不同和生活中表演的机会。在日常的身份参与独立及大型的艺术生活里，比起用华语，他更喜项目制作。欢用广东话、福建话或潮州话来与人沟通交谈。

他的首个导演与创作作品是跟Cake剧团《小数点 810计划》（2014）的合作。多媒介创作《阿爺條路》陈子健则是他在2015年再次与Cake剧团的合作。之后他演员把这部创作发展成戏剧版本，先后以粤语和英语就唤他CK也可以的陈子健，是演出，还透过展览对内容作进一步的探索和发掘。一位在面临中年危机时从石油与天然气工程销售专才跨越到剧场从业人的东马沙巴汉子。2017年他开始他陈慧娟熟悉的方言——广东话，投入在戏剧的表演舞台演员上；也就是因为他对广东话游刃有余的驾驭，陈慧娟在1974年七岁时搬迁到促成他成为梁金成《阿爺條路》的演员之一。荷兰村居住。在她的记忆中， CK 也为马来西亚的 Anomalist Production 和这是荷兰村曾经的模样：有个 Ridhwan Saidi 两家制作公司分别共同制作了露天影院、户外裁缝、很多吃的；客家的，印度的， IQ.ROCK RESTAGE 及 Stereo Genmai，两部马来的，什么都有，可是没有银行，另有一家文具都是马来语剧。作为一位有志于戏剧创作的编剧店在购物中心内，数家手工艺品店和瓷器店，还有与导演，CK对能够打破语言藩篱又能让不同语一个奥林匹克规模的游泳池（她和后来她年纪较言接轨的作品尤其感兴趣。大的孩子都是在那里学游泳的），一家洗衣店，印度叔叔经营的便利店，全家人看病都找他的家庭 HAYASHIDA KEN 医生，巴士车总站（即现在星巴克所在地），一个作曲万物俱全的湿巴刹，还有一个至今还在的回教堂。 Hayashida Ken是一位对电影有浓厚兴趣的作曲家、音乐家这就是参与《阿爺條路》对她的重要性。和教育家。照片来源: TheatreWorks (S) Ltd 他不断寻求音乐艺术的重新创造，希望能竭尽所能的在一个故事中探求音乐的界限。他曾受邀参龍承安与东京国际剧场艺术节合作项目；他是新加坡演员电子流行乐队Ri ot !n Magenta 的成员之一，曾参不甘以苦苦挣扎的演员生涯为与新加坡独立音乐祭 (Laneway Festival) 和 Neon 生的龙龍承安，选择了白天当 Lights Festival 等多个大型活动。公务员，夜里兼职演员。从80 年代开始，他就已是剧场中人，因为他发现自己相对枯燥的生活可以在戏剧舞台上个个色彩缤纷的人物里从中得着慰籍。此后，他不断说服他的老板们，说他参与戏剧是重要的/相关的/有用的/可以为他的受薪工作增值。他最喜欢的作品包括 A Language of Their Own、《三个小孩》、《老九》和《美世界》。

37 阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

YEOMAMA BATIK EVELYN CHIA 服装设计制作经理 YeoMama Batik 是个本土时尚为了寻找生活中的新挑战，Evelyn 于2003年品牌。品牌重塑传统亚洲纺投身剧场，在不同的艺术团体中担任不同的职务，织品，特别是爪哇的手工蜡染每天汲取不同的养分。她拥有丰富的剧场制作经方式。由 YeoMama Batik 和她女儿精心设计的验，足迹遍及欧洲和亚洲，参与及负责的制作包括，服装，为不同身型与年龄的现代女性赋予满满的罗伯特威尔森的《盖里哥》和 Rumi - In The Blink 时代气息。 Of The Eye，新加坡国际艺术节（2016与2017）的制作管理工作，还有百老汇音乐剧《国王与我》和《西城故事》的亚洲巡演，以及戏剧盒和野米杨韶安剧团的多部制作。此外，她也主导并协助新加坡灯光设计艺术学院表演空间的创建和运作。杨韶安荣获2006年国家艺术理事会的青年艺术家奖（剧场技术类别），他毕业自加州大学圣地牙目前她是滨海艺术中心的全职职员。哥分校的纯艺术硕士班；在2012年至2015年间担任滨海艺术中心的制作经理，参与的制作有：《恐高的鸟儿》（PLAYtime 2018）、《猫儿怎么这么肥》（实验剧场2018）、Rudram（印度乐|舞蹈| 戏剧 2017）、《尤索夫》（马来艺术节2015）、奇幻树顶（华艺节2013）和《魔术树顶》（PLAYtime 2013）。近期的灯光设计作品包括：必要剧场的《偏》、创乐者交响乐团的《乐团看电影之三》。

CTRL FRE@K (JEFFREY YUE) 音效设计 Ctrl Fre@k 是一家演出与系统设计管理公司，专攻表演艺术、主题景点和商业活动等领域。公司在技术制作领域，包括声效、灯光与录影，以及大小规模的制作与技术管理方面经验丰富。

自2010年1月起，Ctrl Fre@k 力求提供精心研究，独创并高质量的设计解决方案，提高其承接的每个项目的价值。另外，更提供可靠的技术支援和对解决问题抱持刻不容缓的积极态度，保障整体制作从构思到彩排到最终演出的完整性。公司在硬件或软件方面都具专业知识，无论是器材设备、桥接创造力，或是有条理的工作流程，都能够为各不同的制作要求量身定制解决方案。

38 阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

制作团队

鸣谢

感谢以下伙伴至2015年起的全力支持:

All technicians, crew and creative team Loti Chek from 2015–2019 Liu Xiaoyi Cake Theatrical Productions National Archives of Singapore Centre 42 National Library Board, Singapore National Arts Council Dolly Neo A.R.T.S Fund Neo Beng Neo & Tan Tiong Hock Arts House Limited Christina Pearce Mrs Matilda Adikaran Saodah Ismail BooksActually Shanti’s Mum, Shanti & Guddi City Book Room Singapore Land Authority Tamares Goh Gracie Tan Knuckles & Notch Jezlyn Tan Kirsten Han Megan Tan Don Philip Kannangara Tan Beng Luan Don Samuel Kannangara Tan Beng Tian Don Stephen Kannangara Doreen Toh Dona Lilly Kannangara Bjorn Lee Varella Isis Koh Green Zeng & June Chua Anthony Koh Waugh Law Kian Yan 我的家人，特别是我的母亲，这些年来仍然 Lee Kip Lin Collection 在包容我的任性。

39 阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

42新剧中心专访梁金成我认识承安已有好长的日子，因此，我邀请他和慧娟携手一起呈现这个新版本。我正在重写剧本，因为我有很多新的故事，所以在舍弃一些内容的同时，加入了一些新的内容。除了 2015年，独立剧场制作人梁金成推出新作，除此之外，我本身是说广东话长大的。尽管我一些台词句子是我坚持一定不能更改之外，英语独白《阿爺條路》。该作是Cake剧团成立现在的广东话并不是太流利，可是曾经学过的我对演员所建议的抱持开放的态度。演员是 10周年庆典Running with Strippers的演出剧语言却从未离开过我，它甚至已和我融为我最好的编剧。他们也会对我的意向提问，并目之一。《阿爺條路》叙述的是梁金成在以他一体。对于广东话的语音，我有很强的情感协助完善剧本的结构。祖父命名的梁丕德巷（在巴西班让）度过的归属，无论我是否明白每个字，就光是听到，童年故事。就觉得很亲切。所以，这个项目对于我来说，至于广东话版本，我决定把官洪和子健两人放也是让我可以跟式微的语言，以及声音和人在同一个舞台上，因为他们各有不同的能量 2017年10月梁金成重温此作，并在42新剧中心重建关系。我很开心自2017年后，我的广东话和能力。剧本方面，我们先讨论决定要保留那的 The Vault 平台上推出由邓官洪和陈子健以好像又进步了一些。些演员们写的部分以及该如何以新的方式呈广东话演出的版本。2018年6月，他将之重演现在这次的版本里。我也跟演员们分享一些并与陈慧娟合作推出全新的英语版本。在即你为什么跟陈慧娟合作2018年的英语版本？新的故事并让他们两人一起合作把这些写进将来临的4月，这些曾经合作的创作与演员团新剧本里。队，将再一次的在滨海艺术中心的《实验剧场》当我在2015年首演《阿爺條路》时，演员是系列中推出最新版本，此番剧目定名为《阿爺 Bjorn Lee Varella，当时我就想要跟年轻的你同更多的人交谈来为这最新版本的剧本集條路 ~ 兔心龍魂》，龙龍承安将与陈慧娟共同演员合作，我希望找到能够敏感的感受到我结故事，有什么样的体验？演出。的故事中脆弱一面的演员。我特别想知道不认聆听那些80、90几岁的老人家回忆住在趁新版本上演之际，我们和梁金成进行了一段识我的另一个人，会怎么样的诠释我的故事。梁丕德巷的故事时，让我意识到记忆是那样访谈，听他分享有关此剧的创作历程。的脆弱，因为我想问的很多事情他们都没能然而，在2018年当我开始构思将它发展成一记起。不过，偶尔也出现一些奇妙的时刻； 2015年最原始的《我阿公的路》是如何产生的？部完整的英语版本时，我知道我需要一位既那就是当他们的记忆是那么的清晰和完整的认识我而又有经验的女演员。我很想知道慧时候，画面感就像阔荧幕电影的特写镜头 Cake剧团在2014年邀请我参与他们为期两年娟从女性的触角，并且跟我有不同的家庭背那样。所以，在这次的版本里，我更关注那些的“小数点计划”。在计划的第二部分，他们建议景，她将如何诠释我梁金成这样的一个角色？被遗忘的故事和人物，因为今时今日，历史是我构想一个可以在首演后继续焕发新生命的当我重写剧本时，我也感觉到由女性发声的多么容易的被改写！项目。我因此决定来个“三部项目”《阿爺條路》必要性越来越强，于是我找来慧娟同我一起 —— 借由一个摄影装置展、一本书和一部独创作，更进一步的挖掘并丰富这部创作。最后，请和我们分享你在梁丕德巷成长时期白戏，说的就是有关我在以我祖父名字命名最美好的回忆。的梁丕德巷成长的故事。这故事不是怀旧或截至目前为止，这个项目给你最好的感受是是历史回顾的研究项目，而是我跟过去和现什么？我的父亲曾经在我们家那棵巨大的红毛丹树在的人与事的重新连接。下，用旧木板建了个像堡垒的矩形结构让我们自2018年的版本起，我一直都在同我过去相在那里玩耍。我不记得他从哪里找来这些为什么你在2017年为42新剧中心的 The 关的人物重新接触。聆听他们慷慨的分享他木板，其形状就像一辆罗里，很大，也许比14 Vault 平台重新创作时改以广东话呈现？们的故事，是件既美妙又让人着迷的事！尺长的罗里还要长。邻居的孩子也都乐在其中。但我记得好像是一场暴风雨后，它变得不安我母亲曾经来看过我的两个剧场演出，虽然 2018年的演出之后，你是如何按部就班的全所以父亲就把它给拆掉了。我长大后，每当她的英语能力不强。进一步发展这部作品，尤其是让龙承安加入我看黑泽明的武士电影时，看到里头那些木团队？制的堡垒和建筑，就会联想到我自己曾经拥有我只是单纯的希望她能完全明白我的戏。的红毛丹树下“堡垒”的美好时光。

40 阿爺條路～兔心龍魂

我认识承安已有好长的日子，因此，我邀请他和慧娟携手一起呈现这个新版本。我正在重写剧本，因为我有很多新的故事，所以在舍弃一些内容的同时，加入了一些新的内容。除了一些台词句子是我坚持一定不能更改之外，我对演员所建议的抱持开放的态度。演员是我最好的编剧。他们也会对我的意向提问，并协助完善剧本的结构。

至于广东话版本，我决定把官洪和子健两人放在同一个舞台上，因为他们各有不同的能量和能力。剧本方面，我们先讨论决定要保留那些演员们写的部分以及该如何以新的方式呈现在这次的版本里。我也跟演员们分享一些新的故事并让他们两人一起合作把这些写进新剧本里。

你同更多的人交谈来为这最新版本的剧本集结故事，有什么样的体验？

聆听那些80、90几岁的老人家回忆住在梁丕德巷的故事时，让我意识到记忆是那样的脆弱，因为我想问的很多事情他们都没能记起。不过，偶尔也出现一些奇妙的时刻；那就是当他们的记忆是那么的清晰和完整的时候，画面感就像阔荧幕电影的特写镜头那样。所以，在这次的版本里，我更关注那些被遗忘的故事和人物，因为今时今日，历史是多么容易的被改写！

最后，请和我们分享你在梁丕德巷成长时期最美好的回忆。

我的父亲曾经在我们家那棵巨大的红毛丹树下，用旧木板建了个像堡垒的矩形结构让我们在那里玩耍。我不记得他从哪里找来这些木板，其形状就像一辆罗里，很大，也许比14 尺长的罗里还要长。邻居的孩子也都乐在其中。但我记得好像是一场暴风雨后，它变得不安全所以父亲就把它给拆掉了。我长大后，每当我看黑泽明的武士电影时，看到里头那些木制的堡垒和建筑，就会联想到我自己曾经拥有的红毛丹树下“堡垒”的美好时光。

41 CULTURFIX

25-27 APRIL 2019 THURSDAY - SATURDAY

MACHINE EMPATHY CRASH COURSE

_A DEEP LEARNING COURSEWORK BY CULTURFIX

_FIX ONLY THAT WHICH IS BROKEN

A WORK-IN-PROGRESS BY CULTURFIX

Esplanade Annexe Studio 25 & 26 Apr, Thu & Fri, 7.30pm & 9.30pm 27 Apr, Sat, 3pm, 5pm & 7pm

45mins *limited to 20 VAAs per course FREE admission – please register via www.esplanade.com/raw2019 Advisory: Some Coarse Language.

42 MACHINE EMPATHY CRASH COURSE

MESSAGE FROM RAW ARTISTS

Smart cities, phones and streetlights—the In a world where arti cial intelligence and idea of “smartness” in these instances automation govern intimate aspects of our often point to notions of ef ciency, where lives, we ask what it means for a person to a machine is able to analyse and compute be corrected by an algorithm. What is it in data made available in order to determine need of correcting and what of it is deemed the most ef cient way to manage resources; incorrect? How might a machine compute it is the ability to regulate, optimise and empathy and express the algorithms of correct the allocation of resources. But as care? Could an empathetic machine disrupt we yield to the convenience of algorithms the narrow logic of ef ciency, and expand that scaffold the infrastructure of our wider horizons of possibility? everyday lives, we forget to question the inherent biases that are reproduced in This is a crash course to unlearn our own these systems that skew the trajectory machine empathy. of our lives.

SYNOPSIS

At CulturFix, all our Virtual Assistants for CulturFix offers artists the best affective Artists (VAA) embody our motto - x only experience in intermediary assistive care. that which is broken. As our VAA, you will be trained to be empathetic by our state To participate as our VAA, you will be of the art deep learning model in order to required to attend our Machine Empathy identify the various ‘broken links’ of your Crash Course. Please proceed by assigned artist and to assist them in the completing this application and our process of re-establishing connections. Control Moderator will be in touch with you.

43 MACHINE EMPATHY CRASH COURSE

BIOS

internationally, Aqilah has cemented herself BANI HAYKAL as an in-demand audio-visual artist. Writer & Co-Director Bani Haykal experiments with Aqilah previously worked on projects text + music. commissioned by the Art Science Museum, Esplanade's Mosaic Music Festival, Lasalle and As an artist, composer and musician, Bani’s more, seeing Aqilah not only unveiling her visual research interests culminate into works of creations in Singapore’s nest venues but also various forms including installation, poetry collaborating with the likes of SAtheCollective, and performance, revolving around modes Canvas Conversations, FERRY, Bani Haykal, of interfacing and interaction in feedback / George Chua and Zeekos Perakos, to just name feedforward mechanisms. He is a member a few. Overseas, Aqilah brought her take on music of b-quartet and Soundpainting ensemble and visuals to stages or performance spaces Erik Satay & The Kampong Arkestra. throughout Asia and Australia, performing in art museums and galleries. In his capacity as a collaborator and a soloist, Bani has participated in festivals including Media/Art Kitchen (Indonesia, Malaysia, DINU BODICIU Philippines and Japan), Liquid Architecture Costume Designer and Singapore International Festival of Arts Dinu Bodiciu is a Romanian- (Singapore) among others. born designer, currently living and working in Singapore at the Lasalle College of the Arts. His clothing has been SHAWN CHUA famously worn by Lady Gaga and he is more Co-Director known for designing hats in The Hunger Games Shawn's research engages movie series. He designs garments and hat with embodied archives, collections that challenge the way we think about uncanny personhoods and the relationship between the human body and the participatory frameworks of play. He has clothing. His ready-to-wear line of luxury baseball presented his research at the Asian Dramaturg's caps is stocked by renowned international Network, The Substation, State of Motion, boutiques from Colette in Paris to Ca4La. and Performance Studies international (PSi). In 2012, he was awarded the National Arts Council Scholarship and he holds an MA LEONARDUS ADI in Performance Studies from Tisch School PRASETYA of the Arts at New York University, and a BA in Product Designer / Engineer Cultural Anthropology from Waseda University. Leo is the founder and lead He currently teaches at LASALLE College of the designer at ADI-Designs, Art, and serves on the Performance Studies which specialises in tailored solutions for international (PSi) Future Advisory Board. complex design and engineering problems. Shawn is a founding team member of Bras He has worked closely with a range of clients, Basah Open, and is part of the group that from global corporations to individual artists, runs soft/WALL/studs. and utilises rapid prototyping and specialised techniques coupled with quality technology, robotics, electronics, and programming. AQILAH MISUARY UI / Sound Designer Aqilah Misuary is a mainstay performer in the Singaporean music scene both on and off stage. From commanding audiences with her live visuals and music both locally and

44 MACHINE EMPATHY CRASH COURSE

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Writer & Co-director | Bani Haykal

Co-director | Shawn Chua

UI / Sound Designer | Aqilah Misuary

Costume Designer | Dinu Bodiciu

Product Designer / Engineer | Leonardus Adi Prasetya

Stage Manager | Carolene Liew, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

ABOUT THE STUDIOS: RAW

RAW is a developmental platform within The Studios for artists to present their works-in-progress. Audiences are encouraged to gain deeper insight into the creative process of our artists through these presentations.

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Esplanade is a charity and not-for-proﬁt organisation. www.esplanade.com EsplanadeSG Help us bring the joy and inspiration of the arts to EsplanadeSingapore di erent communities, including the underserved. #esplanade #mydurian different communities, including theunderserved. Help usbring thejoyandinspiration oftheartsto Esplanade isacharity andnot-for-proﬁtorganisation. www.esplanade.com #esplanade #mydurian EsplanadeSingapore EsplanadeSG

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