Wild Rice’s latest status quo-challenging show tackles art censorship in Singapore.
The new output , which premiered in March at Singapore ’s cutting edgeWild Ricetheater , work an otherwise opaque bureaucratic cognitive operation into an unfastened dialogue between a dramatist ( played by Farah Ong ) and a retell , anon. IMDA officer . The one - woman - show traces the various ways in which censoring has taken form in Singapore , from colonial earned run average randomness ascendancy of public performances to modern solar day cultivation state of war .
What ’s ironic — and perhaps a little meta — is that , like every other play in the country , The Death of Singapore Theaterhad to be screened by the IMDA . While Sa’at ’s show was approved , it was not eligible for any Ulysses Simpson Grant or funding . “ In spite of this , we have persisted with the bravery of our convictions , letting the period of play speak for itself , ” Ivan Heng , establish artistic director of Wild Rice , says . “ This has won the hearts of audiences and patron who buy ticket or make angel donations . Alfian ’s shimmer is close to sell out its run . ”
There are few countries in the world in which hearing , after know a provocative work of art for the first clip , are conditioned to question how it got past the censor . “ [ The play ] is about the police officer that have been put in our heads . We have get so used to this censorship that we have begin to police our own thoughts ” say Heng . “ But ultimately , it ’s an entreaty for us to be more open and alert to the thought and opening of theater , ” he says .
Wild Ride is known for producing boundary-pushing theater in Singapore.|Photo courtesy of Wild Rice
Heng , who in 2013 experience Singapore ’s high aesthetic pureness , the Cultural Medallion , is no stranger to championing prowess that challenge the position quo . The artistic managing director founded Wild Rice theatre society in 2000 ( “ Wild ” denoting something from the ground , and “ Rice ” as a variety of staple fibre ) . It ’s one of the more prolific theater company in Singapore ( The Death of Singapore Theateris one of 11 productions this year ) , boasting entirely in - house works , 90 % of which are compose or conform by Singaporean playwright . Before finding a home plate atFunanshopping center in 2019 , the fellowship perform across a act of historical locale , like theVictoria Theater , theDrama Centre , and theEsplanade .
One might not expect such an heroic , 358 - seat theater to exist inside a mall , but in Singapore — where you may depend upon a ferris rack inside theMarqueenightclub , which is also inside a mall , which also happens to be inside theMarina Bay Sands Hotel — it ’s nothing new . The performing arts building complex — officially called the The Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre — is not only locate inside a mall , but also within Singapore’sCivic District , affording Heng ’s company greater visibility and prominence .
“ We ’re straight opposite the Supreme Court , next to the Houses of Parliament , ” Heng says . “ theatre is a public forum where people can forgather to reflect on the problems and possibilities of our times , and we ’re really quite at the beat mettle of Singapore , where conversations that weigh are happening . ”
Actress Farah Ong taking center stage in ‘The Death of Singapore Theater.'|Photo courtesy of Wild Rice
The theater - inside - a - center feature Singapore ’s only driving force stage , modeled after theRoyal Shakespeare Company’sSwan Theatre in Stratford - Upon - Avon . element of Singapore ’s theater of operations story are wander into the intent of the edifice . The back rampart and cap , for example , are made from repurposed woodwind once used to stage wayang carrying into action , a kind of public puppet theater that existed in the country over 80 old age ago . “ It ’s very moving to know that this wood has been trod on by performers since even before the Japanese military control , ” Heng says .
Theater - leaver will also notice diamond - model walls inspired by Singapore ’s old National Theatre on River Valley Road , which was built in 1963 . The National Theatre ’s five - designate frontage represented the five stars of the Singapore masthead , which embody the values of democracy , pacification , progress , justice and equivalence . “ At that time of Singapore ’s newly found independency , leaders call back it a great mind to have a dramatics to convey the great unwashed together , so that they could lionise our diversity , ” Heng says . But after being declared structurally dangerous in 1986 , the building was demolished to make manner for the construction of an throughway .
The National Theater was an other attempt to keep the arts alive in Singapore . It ’s an effort that continues on today , as originative works can sometimes fight to coexist in such a hard-nosed , outwardly glossy companionship . In case you did n’t know , the marketing of chewing gum is forbidden . But the rules can get much more serious . For one , the government legitimatise sexual activity between men in 2022 , but at the same fourth dimension , amended the constitutionto prevent court challenges that in other countries have led to the legalisation of same - sex marriage .
The Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre makes use of reclaimed wayang timber.|Photo courtesy of Wild Rice
In the grammatical case of theater production , the IMDA will comb through all multimedia material assort with the workplace and react with interview advisories or ratings . “ All plays dealing with LGBTQ+ characters or issue are given an “ ‘ R18 – Homosexual Content ’ , ’ ' Heng explain . “ The moment you say a play should not be seen by anyone below the age of 18 , you wrench people off . ”TheAsian boy Trilogy(2013 ) , a late work from Alfian Sa’at explore the gay community in Singapore , fall dupe to such ratings .
“ In spite of the many ‘ out of restrict marker , ’ like race , religion , sexual activity , and politics , Wild Rice has grapple to stage our productions without any cuts for over two decades . We have done so by having open and sincere conversations with the censor , ” Heng say . What ’s more coarse , he explains , is for censoring to take the form of funding cuts on drama that , in the government agency ' survey , do not adjust to social norm of mainstream economic value . casing in point : The Death of Singapore Theatre .
Nonetheless , the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre is a real triumph for Heng , who spent the last twenty years recommend for habitation - grow theatre of operations and powering through funding deletion . “ We have a burgeoning , diverse scene from experimental work to blockbuster musicals , ” he says . The artistic director is also proud of the mode modern Singaporean playwrights are adopt decolonization , staging productions in Malay , or Chinese .
Ivan Heng and the cast of ‘Tartuffe,’ Wild Rice’s last production, take a curtain call.|Photo courtesy of Wild Rice
Because the venue unfold right before COVID , last year was the first full twelvemonth of programming at the raw theater . “ We grow and confront 10 production , which brought together close to 50,000 multitude , ” Heng aver . “ And we also create more than 500 jobs for our industry . ” For tourist who are looking to understand the pulse of a res publica , Heng conceive there ’s no better boulevard than a local theater production .
He sound out , “ Many masses visit Singapore for two days , two nights , maybe a three - day layover before they go to another space . And , of course , they go to Marina Bay Sands , they do Little India , they do Gardens by the Bay . But I think if you really want to empathise the dream , the disappointments , the care , and the hopes and dreams of a masses — come to the theater . ”
