In this rare book, The Necessary Stage has compiled a stimulating collection of essays and discussions that survey aspects of 10 years of Singapore theatre. From a detailed pre-1985 history of the English language theatre in Singapore, to arts education, community theatre and playwriting; from an engagement with the methodology and collaborative practice of The Necessary Stage to a candid interview with premier Singapore dramatist, Kuo Pao Kun,&nbsp;9 Lives: 10 Years of Singapore Theatre&nbsp;will engage, i

9 Lives: 10 Years of Singapore Theatre

Writer

Today we're talking about change.&nbsp;

We believe that we have it in us to change - and change for the better. We would like to distinguish between right and wrong behaviours.&nbsp;

Basic values must be upheld and must stand as the cornerstone of any modern society we live in. For example, we need to create social stability, harmony and security. We must protect and promote strong family bonds. Decadent Western lifestyles and divisiveness through activism must be rejected. Socially irresponsible beha

_____ Can Change (2021)

Director

It’s International Friendship Day at MPSS but friendship seems to be the last thing on the students’ minds.

While the foreign students Adi, Anton and Liqin are questioning what to showcase at their booths and why there isn’t one for the local students, the Drama Club boys are unhappy about them not putting any effort towards the much anticipated Singapore Youth Festival (SYF).

Meanwhile, Carys is facing pressure at home for losing her spot as the school’s top Maths student.

Will she lose her top sp

International Friendship Day (2021)

Every day, we are inundated with dire consequences of the climate emergency.

In the face of this threat to humanity, what do we do? Recycle? Switch to environmentally-friendly products? Be a vegan? Stop having children? What can we do—and do our actions even matter?

Why do we have such different responses to climate change? What makes one a denialist, or another to commit acts of civil disobedience in the name of climate justice?

Can we as individuals, and collectively, affect change? Or will polit

The Year of No Return (2021)

A man stabs an MP at a Meet the People Session. But this is not their story.

It is the story of the man’s girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP’s wife, who tries to cope with her husband’s injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid’s employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy.

These three women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive.

The maid, the employer and the MP

Model Citizens (2021)

This interactive theatrical experience will feature excerpts of&nbsp;Off Centre&nbsp;that traces the friendships that the protagonist, Vinod, forges—one with Charlie, his ex-classmate from Junior College, and another with Saloma, who—like Vinod—struggles with a mental health condition.

Can Vinod draw support from his friends, in the face of social prejudices against those suffering from mental illnesses? Will their friendships be able to withstand the personal conflicts that each of them experience?

O

Off Centre (2020)

Our&nbsp;Reflections from Home&nbsp;series features a guest in the house for the first time!

Felix Heng joins our four ladies from&nbsp;Theatre for Seniors for&nbsp;Mari Memasak!,&nbsp;as they share about recipes close to their hearts—because one of the things they've been doing lots of during this COVID-19 period is to cook.&nbsp;Watch our seniors whip up a feast, with scrumptious treats like&nbsp;bak wan kepiting, kacang botol salad and dry tenggiri fish head curry - dishes that are intimately linked t

Mari Memasak! (2020)

Conceptualizer

What was the neighboorhood where you spent your childhood years like?&nbsp;
Do you remember the street hawkers in those days, selling your favourite food?&nbsp;
What sort of stories did you hear about the residents in the area?
How was your dating life like back then?

These were some of the prompts that our four ladies from Theatre for Seniors were provided in preparation for&nbsp;My Childhood Home, an online Zoom improvisation that is part of the&nbsp;Reflections from Home&nbsp;series.&nbsp;

Over 

My Childhood Home (2020)

How do our seniors view the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic? In this improvisation - part of our&nbsp;Reflections from Home&nbsp;series - our four intrepid ladies from Theatre for Seniors shared their thoughts on how different countries have been managing the unprecedented crisis that has impacted the world.&nbsp;

To begin the process, we asked our seniors to watch a handful of videos, amongst which included late night comedy shows that lampooned world leaders who bungled their national r

COVID-19 Responses Around the World (2020)

Following&nbsp;Reflections from Home&nbsp;which&nbsp;featured&nbsp;four members of The Necessary Stage's Theatre for Seniors, Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma invited our senior participants to develop monologues on their thoughts about going green. &nbsp;

After their video monologues, each of the seniors were assigned&nbsp;a documentary on green issues to watch. These documentaries covered issues as diverse as plastic pollution, food waste, and how the younger generation can teach seniors how to be mor

Going Green (2020)

Welcome to the club! Make yourself at home, but this is not your house. Don't forget to tip us! We are your&nbsp;perempuan-perempuan joget&nbsp;(dancing girls) Zubaidah and Rukiah. Do you like our kebaya? Come to our club and we will share with you our stories and songs. Our show is not like other shows. This is a time travel show. We will bring you to the past—during the heyday of the 1960s - and to the future. You want to dance? Later we can dance. First, sit down. And enjoy the ride.

Directed by Alvin

Kebaya Homies (2020)

Welcome to the 2025 Singapore Theatre Icon Awards, where we want to pay tribute to YOU! Celebrate with us and witness the unveiling of our industry icon of the year. Would it be the cleaner we pretend was invisible, or the driver we ignore? Or could the accolade be given to the rigger we never see on stage, or the transcriber who’s not even acknowledged?&nbsp;

Who are these people beyond their job descriptions—and do we even care?

Written by&nbsp;Ellison Tan&nbsp;and directed by&nbsp;Alvin Tan,&nbsp;W

We Were So Hopeful Then (2019)

Don't Know, Don't Care&nbsp;looks at a family trying to deal with terminal illness within the household. Wrapped up in their own lives, the family members 'don't want to know', and prefer to leave the caregiving to strangers. Soon, they realise they have to know, and they discover the importance of being there for each other. &nbsp;

Can a time of illness allow a family to finally share a bond and experience joy?&nbsp;


Don't Know, Don't Care (2019)

Facilitator

There is no past without colonisation,&nbsp;and there is no future without it.

As we commemorate the bicentennial of the founding of Singapore, let us take a moment to express our gratitude to our founding father/s for their foresight in transforming Singapore from a small fishing village to a global metropolis. We are civilised!

Let's marvel at how, all over the world, our land has been plundered, our laws kept archaic and our freedoms curtailed by those in power. Let us honour our pursuit of economi

Civilised (2019)

The Necessary Stage’s critically acclaimed play,&nbsp;Off Centre, returns 26 years after its premiere in 1993. Written by Haresh Sharma and directed by Alvin Tan,&nbsp;Off Centre&nbsp;is a landmark play in the history of Singapore theatre, best remembered for presenting an honest and unflinching look at mental illness and the stigma surrounding it.

Off Centre&nbsp;follows the unlikely friendship between Saloma and Vinod, and traces their journeys as they deal with their personal conflicts as well as soci

Off Centre (2019)

In 2016, Drama Box and The Necessary Stage presented the groundbreaking sold-out production&nbsp;Manifesto, that delved into the relationship between art and politics.

This year, the two companies collaborate once again on a brand new work that explores poverty, inequality and human dignity in Singapore.

Underclass&nbsp;tells the story of Xinyi, who finds herself in a downward spiral after losing her job and her flat. When she moves into a rental unit, she meets Johari, and they strike up an unlikely 

Underclass (2018)

Co-Director

Written and directed by Cultural Medallion recipients Haresh Sharma and Alvin Tan respectively,&nbsp;untitled cow number one&nbsp;is about the journey of a widowed cow. The play, which is divided into 12 sections and covers the 12 days of mourning, is strongly influenced by Hindu and Buddhist texts, images and myths. This monodrama is performed by Gloria Tan for the first time in Bahasa Indonesia.&nbsp;

UCNO has been performed in Macau International Fringe Festival (2000) Asian Theatre Festival in Busan 

untitled cow number one (2018)

A terminally ill woman hires a digital legacy company to record video greetings for her children to watch long after she is gone.

In our technologically accelerating world, this scenario of social media legacy planning has become a reality. In the digitised future, memories can be made immortal. Our data can be turned into bots. Protests can happen from the comforts of our own homes. Humans, androids and robots are all adrift in cyberspace.&nbsp;

The Necessary Stage continues its 30th anniversary seas

Sanctuary (2017)

Two best friends and fellow actors perform the first scene of a play and decide to change it. As fiction and truth become interwoven, they share stories, secrets and sweets. A meditative play about the things you lose and the things you search for in life,&nbsp;Whale Fall&nbsp;explores the redemptive power of art and friendship.&nbsp;


Whale Fall (2017)

First staged in 1990 and subsequently in 2010 to full houses at the Singapore Arts Festival,&nbsp;Those Who Can't, Teach&nbsp;is a Singaporean theatre classic by Cultural Medallion winners Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma.

Set in a secondary school, the play looks at the madcap lives of teachers and students - with often hilarious results. As the teachers struggle daily to 'nurture and groom', the students prefer to hang out and chill. In the meantime, they all have to deal with the dreaded 'parents'.&nbsp;


Those Who Can't, Teach (2017)

In real life, there are no rehearsals and no second takes.

Actor, Forty&nbsp;features Golden Horse Award-winner Yeo Yann Yann returning to the Chinese theatre stage in a special&nbsp;Huayi&nbsp;commission.&nbsp;

This new original monologue sees Yeo collaborating with Cultural Medallion recipients, director Alvin Tan and playwright Haresh Sharma of The Necessary Stage. Candid and conversational, it examines the myriad identities that we take on and cast off in life - just as an actor does when she adop

Actor, Forty (2017)

In 2013, award-winning actress Siti Khalijah Zainal brought The Necessary Stage's&nbsp;Best Of&nbsp;to life, playing the role of a young Malay Muslim woman going through divorce.&nbsp;

Now, accomplished TV and stage actor Sani Hussin takes the stage as the husband to share his side of the story in&nbsp;Best Of (His Story),&nbsp;written by Haresh Sharma and directed by Alvin Tan.&nbsp;

What happens when the estranged couple reunite at the Syariah court? What does he say to a wife seeking divorce? What 

Best Of (His Story) (2016)

Rosnah is a young Malay Muslim woman who leaves home for the first time to study in London. As she navigates her new environment with determination, she forges new connections with friends who differ from her in all respects - personality, race and religion.

Is she able to balance tradition and liberal ideas without losing her identity?&nbsp;

One of The Necessary Stage's well-loved early plays by Resident Playwright and Cultural Medallion recipient Haresh Sharma,&nbsp;Rosnah&nbsp;is a monodrama about 

Rosnah (2016)

It’s International Friendship Day at MPSS but friendship seems to be the last thing on the students’ minds.

While the foreign students Adi, Anton and Liqin are questioning what to showcase at their booths and why there isn’t one for the local students, the Drama Club boys are unhappy about them not putting any effort towards the much anticipated SYF.

Meanwhile, Carys is facing pressure at home for losing her spot as the school’s top Maths student.

Will she lose her top spot to an international scho

International Friendship Day (2016)

Are you living a life to fulfil someone else's purpose?

Helmed by Cultural Medallion recipients Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma of The Necessary Stage,&nbsp;Ghost Writer&nbsp;offers a glimpse into the lives of characters intertwined by blood and ties that bind - and suffocate.&nbsp;

A young dancer who has undergone traditional training feels dislocated within her artistic practice in her home country. A new expatriate wife detached from her immediate reality draws inspiration from the writings of stranger

Ghost Writer (2016)

1963. A young painter is forced to abandon his family and his art when he is embroiled in the tumultuous politics of the era.

1987. Three writers are detained by the Internal Security Bureau, each making different choices that will leave indelible marks on their lives.

2016. Artists occupy a derelict building in a bid to present their works free from state intervention, but find themselves entangled in market and personal politics instead.

2024. Successors of a theatre company discover that it has 

Manifesto (2016)

Creator

A group of sassy seniors are living in luxury at Singapore's most upscale retirement home. Strong, confident and fiercely independent, they have an opinion about everything, and are not afraid to voice their thoughts.&nbsp;

When trouble starts brewing at the home, their friendship is tested. Can they work together? Will they remain together? Should they form a K-Pop group?&nbsp;

Pioneer (Girls) Generation&nbsp;is a no-holds-barred comedy with sharp and critical observations about ageing and everything

Pioneer (Girls) Generation (2015)

In&nbsp;untitled women number one,&nbsp;two women talk about their relationships, their past and future. Featuring Edith Podesta and Ethel Yap, the play looks at the notions of pain, death and interdependence, drawing from stories about gender, sexuality and womanhood.


untitled women number one (2015)

untitled cow number one&nbsp;is about the journey of a widowed cow through 12 days of mourning. Performed by Sharda Harrison and Bani Haykal, the play is influenced by Hindu and Buddhist texts, images and myths, and incorporates physical movement and soundscape.&nbsp;


untitled cow number one (2015)

Will you fight for freedom knowing the inevitable loss ahead?

A mother pins her hopes upon her son, unknowingly hindering his own dreams. A teacher struggles to accept her protégé whose ambitions steer her away from tradition. A writer drawn to his muse faces the reality of their unresolved chapter.

These relationships collide in The Necessary Stage's&nbsp;Gitanjali [I feel the earth move],&nbsp;a brand new interdisciplinary and intercultural production inspired by the writings of Nobel Prize winner R

Gitanjali [I feel the earth move] (2014)

An original, evocative, multilingual and inter-disciplinary production, devised with ITI’s graduating actors who come from countries as diverse and distant as India, Italy, Bolivia, The Philippines and Singapore. Cloud Messenger tells their stories of living in Singapore, their struggles, joys and challenges, as well as the messages they wish to convey to their loved ones.

This production is a collaboration with some of Singapore’s leading artists such as Bani Haykal, Brian Gothong Tan, Jaclyn Tan, Steve

Cloud Messenger (2014)

The Necessary Stage's latest production by Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma grapples with the issue of road rage.&nbsp;

A unique production involving social media interaction,&nbsp;Poor Thing&nbsp;will invite audiences to watch a video clip of an accident before they enter the theatre to catch the 'live' action on stage.

During the performance, more clips will be posted online which audiences can view and comment on.

Poor Thing&nbsp;challenges you to explore what drives road rage in Singapore.&nbsp;


Poor Thing (2014)

On the cusp of Japan's surrender during World War II, a Japanese general suffers a stroke and is tended to by a Malay gardener. As they spar, having heated debates about the war, the present is revealed: a Japanese man in a relationship with an Indian woman in Kuala Lumpur; his ex-wife coming to grips with an astrologer's predictions; their son, studying in the United States and confronted by his classmates about Japan's past.&nbsp;


Mobile 2: Flat Cities (2013)

After performing to full houses in 2009, 2010 and 2011, The Necessary Stage's Theatre for Seniors is back with&nbsp;Encore IV: Love Life!

Featuring a series of locally written and devised short plays,&nbsp;Encore IV: Love Life&nbsp;explores the joys and pains of love in its various manifestations.&nbsp;


Encore IV: Love Life (2013)

Artistic Director

Award-winning actress Siti Khalijah Zainal takes centre-stage in this brand new one-woman show specially created for her by Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma.&nbsp;

Best Of&nbsp;looks at issues of the day through collective stories and personal reflection.&nbsp;

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate o

Best Of (2013)

October&nbsp;takes a look at the lives of a group of elderly people, all living in a small neighbourhood that is undergoing upgrading. Into this scenario comes a young and ambitious property agent looking for prospective sellers. As their paths cross, they each find new sources of strength for renewal, regeneration and rejuvenation.&nbsp;


October (2012)

How do we connect with one another whilst acknowledging and appreciating our differences?

A woman who is a victim of a social scandal proves her fidelity by passing a test. Yet her society does not believe her. She is exiled by her husband who is dedicated to serving his people and so has to listen to their discernment to remain in power. Will she sacrifice for the larger good and suffer the unjust allegation to be with her husband or will she walk?

Based on Asian myths,&nbsp;Crossings&nbsp;takes us o

Crossings (2012)

A layered and moving exploration of power, sexuality, spirituality and survival in the post traumatic world, this multimedia, multiracial and multinational romp is interwoven with the stories and emotional landscape of its characters.&nbsp;godeatgod&nbsp;is an intimate, personal and at times funny exposition about trying to live a better life; a take on censorship in the context of art; and an examination of love and grief.


godeatgod (2012)

Inspired by the writer’s personal battles with eczema,&nbsp;The Boy Inside&nbsp;is a dramatized reading featuring live soundscapes in the intimate setting of the Dance Studio. First written in 2007, when Wang Liansheng was serving his National Service, this heartwarming and thought-provoking piece seeks to relook the idea of parenting and challenges us to question the notion of what it means to raise or be the “perfect” child.

This project also brings together the creative talents of director Alvin Tan a

The Boy Inside (2012)

Singapore. Singapura. Temasek. Where does a name begin? When does a country begin? The Necessary Stage examines present-day Singapore by bringing historical characters to life. Factual and fictional characters merge with real and imagined events to create a theatre that makes the impossible possible.&nbsp;

Looking at themes of Migration, Harmony and Identity,&nbsp;SINGAPORE&nbsp;probes deeply into a country's history and along the way, the psyche of the people occupying it. Featuring a very politically-c

SINGAPORE (2012)

Kartini and Juliana are not your typical mother-daughter pair - one loud and overbearing, the other straitlaced and on the threshold of entering politics. Together, they are Gemuk Girls and proud of it. When they receive shocking news that Kartini's father had been detained in the 1960s, the floodgates of the family's past are thrown open. Can a family survive as they struggle to reconcile the past with the present? Will Kartini and Juliana continue to be Gemuk Girls?&nbsp;


Gemuk Girls (2011)

Examine contemporary Singapore with The Necessary Stage as the company revisits historical characters, merges fact and faction, and have them interact in real and imagined events. Looking at the themes of migration, harmony and identity,&nbsp;SINGAPORE&nbsp;probes deeply into a country's past and the psyche of the people. Featuring a 'politically correct' multi-racial cast, the play is seriously funny and deceitfully truthful.


SINGAPORE (2011)

After two successful presentations, The Necessary Stage's Theatre for Seniors is back with&nbsp;Encore III: Family Knots.&nbsp;

Featuring a series of short plays mostly conceived by the participants,&nbsp;Encore III: Family Knots&nbsp;depicts different aspects of family life and the challenges of living in multi-racial and multi-lingual Singapore.&nbsp;

Be prepared to laugh, cry and be entertained by the witty, humorous and emotionally charged performances by the members of Theatre for Seniors.&nbsp;

Encore III: Family Knots (2011)

A foreign journalist is taken to task after writing some objectionable articles. A university exchange student tries to organise a forum on campus and encounters obstacles.&nbsp;

The lives of these unlikely individuals meet and intertwine in The Necessary Stage's latest production. Characters clash, tensions run high, and truth is questioned. Can we turn back time and return to a harmonious past?

Who is allowed to speak out for what they believe? Do we welcome the views of foreigners? Or should they '

Balek Kampong (2011)

A man stabs an MP at a Meet the People Session. But this is not their story. It is the story of the man's girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP's wife, who tries to cope with her husband's injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid's employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy.&nbsp;

These 3 women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive.&nbsp;


Model Citizens (2011)

Those Who Can’t, Teach is a classic of The Necessary&nbsp;Stage, first staged in 1990 as part of the Opening of&nbsp;The Substation.&nbsp;20 years later, the original creative team of director Alvin&nbsp;Tan and playwright Haresh Sharma, will revisit, revive and&nbsp;revamp the play into a contemporary classic.&nbsp;Set in the backdrop of a secondary school, the play&nbsp;looks at the madcap lives of teachers and students,&nbsp;with often hilarious results.&nbsp;As the teachers struggle daily to ‘nurture an

Those Who Can't, Teach (2010)

The Necessary Stage's Theatre for Seniors is back with&nbsp;Encore II: Heartland! Heartland!

Featuring a series of short plays mostly devised by the participants,&nbsp;Encore II: Heartland! Heartland!&nbsp;depicts the Singaporean lifestyle in the high-rise buildings of HDB heartlands. Meet colourful characters in our public spaces such as coffeeshops, elevators, void decks and even markets. Peek behind their closed doors to witness domestic and familial scenes that reflect our common basic struggle for e

Encore II: Heartland! Heartland! (2010)

It is the story of the man's girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP's wife, who tries to cope with her husband's injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid's employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy.

These three women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive.&nbsp;

The maid, the employer and the MP's wife. Are they all model citizens?&nbsp;


Model Citizens (2010)

Today we're talking about change. Some people may think that change can be good or bad. We believe that we have it in us to change for the better.&nbsp;

We would like to distinguish between right and wrong behaviours. Basic values must be upheld and must stand as the cornerstone of any modern society we live in. For example, we need to create social stability, harmony and security. We need to value traditional families and the importance of marriage. Socially irresponsible behaviours such as racism, reli

_____ Can Change (2010)

A Singaporean woman and a Russian man fall in love, where do they settle down? Two lonely women form a deep bond. What happens when tragedy strikes? A dying man and his confidant exchange stories of love and sacrifice.

What is it like to be caught in a rut when the world around you is moving at such high speed?

Poignant, humorous and provocative, SOFAMAN celebrates the humanity of difference.

A ground-breaking intercultural and multilingual collaboration incorporating soundscape and multimedia.


Sofaman (2009)

ENCORE: An Evening of Ageless Theatre is a showcase from the participants of The Necessary Stage's Theatre For Seniors Programme.

The 3-year programme, which was launched in April 2008 with support the Council for Third Age, comprises participants ages 50 and above undergoing a series of workshops with professional facilitators, led by Artistic Director Alvin Tan. The initiative was designed to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge in drama.

Their end-of-first-year presentation,&n

Encore: An Evening of Ageless Theatre (2009)

Inspired by the title of a poem by Australian writer Henry Lawson, Past Caring is an interdisciplinary theatrical collaboration involving artists from Singapore and Australia. Urgent issues of adoption, displacement, family, land and journey will be weaved together into a complex and contemporary presentation of text, music, multimedia and movement. In a year-long process, the project involved artists making field trips, conducting interviews and creating and presenting nascent works in Singapore and Melbou

Past Caring (2009)

As the world advances its research on life sciences, stem cell and artificial intelligence, what impact is there on human life and relationships? What does the future hold? Can life be built from scratch?

Directed by Alvin Tan, written by Haresh Sharma and first staged during the National University of Singapore Arts Festival in March 2008, Frozen Angels is a thought-provoking performance exploring current issues of science using digital media and theatrical performance.


Frozen Angels (2009)

The Necessary Stage celebrates the award-winning collaboration of Director Alvin Tan and Playwright Haresh Sharma with a provocative new work.

Kartini and Juliana are not your typical mother-daughter pair - one loud and overbearing, the other straitlaced and on the threshold of entering politics. Together, they are Gemuk Girls and proud of it.

One day, they receive shocking news about Kartini's father who has been arrested and detained in the 1960s. Suddenly the floodgates of the family's emotional pa

Gemuk Girls (2008)

As the world advances its research on life sciences, stem cells and artificial intelligence, what impact is there on human life and relationships? What does the future hold? Can life be built from scratch? Frozen Angels is a workshop-performance exploring current issues of science, using digital media and theatrical performance.


Frozen Angels (2008)

To celebrate its 20th Anniversary, The Necessary Stage presents a brand new play that deals with the issue of living, dying and pain in between.

Set in a hospice, Good People is about the ups and downs of the relationships between Miguel, the new Medical Director; Yati, the jaded nurse; and Radha, the terminally ill patient addicted to marijuana for pain relief.

As the three get to know each other, complications arise. If Radha gets caught, will she be given the death penalty when she has only a few m

Good People (2007)

First staged in 1993 to critical acclaim, Off Centre is recognised as a landmark play in the history of Singapore theatre, best remembered for bringing mental illness and its patients' plight to the attention of the media and general public in Singapore. The play traces the friendship of Saloma and Vinod and the hurdles they have to overcome, including social stigmas, prejudices and personal conflicts. Off Centre has also been selected by the Ministry of Education as the first Singapore play to the offered 

Off Centre (2007)

Eric, a 30-year-old social worker, returns to his childhood neighbourhood and looks for the home of his old neighbour. He finds that the couple are still living there, older and with children. As Eric and his old neighbour Habiba reminisce 'the old days', a shocking secret is revealed - one that would forever change their lives.

Fundamentally Happy takes an unflinching look at the personal and emotional issues surrounding paedophilia, without judgement or blame.


Fundamentally Happy (2006)

We don't think twice about the abundance of foreign workers in our midst — the silent&nbsp;Indonesian man cleaning our void deck, the Filipina maid raising our child, the Thai worker&nbsp;constructing our roads...&nbsp;But what are the stories behind these anonymous people?&nbsp;What families have they left behind? What legal and illegal obstacles have they overcome?&nbsp;Do they even have a name?

Directed by Alvin Tan and Tatsuo Kaneshita with Haresh Sharma as head writer, Mobile&nbsp;is&nbsp;a unique c

Mobile (2006)

Rosnah&nbsp;was created by Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma in 1995, featuring Aidli 'Alin' Mosbit. The monodrama, previously staged in Singapore and Melbourne, tells of a girl's journey to study abroad against her parents' wishes. Alin directs emerging artist Siti Khalijah bte Zainal in this reprise commissioned for the Festival.

(Source: The Necessary Stage Programme)


Rosnah (2006)

It has been forty years since the separation of Singapore from Malaysia. In addition to the annual fireworks, watch sparks fly as Malaysia's Dramalab and Singapore's The Necessary Stage come together to parade characters in Malaysia and Singapore over the past four decades. Join in the fun as we present an intimate and humorous spotlight on people and situations in the context of Singapore and Malaysia.


Separation 40 (2005)

The Tsunami tragedy on Boxing Day 2004 was one of the most traumatic crises in recent human history of natural catastrophes.

The Necessary Stage, with our history of engaging society and reality, will present a look at human behaviour in the aftermath of last year's tragedy.

Rather than impart a single narrative, this production will comprise voices of people affected by the Tsunami.

Texts, multimedia, sonic narrative, this production will be brought together in contemporary theatre practice, not t

Boxing Day: The Tsunami Project (2005)

After a sold-out run in August 2002, this year's godeatgod is a reconceptualised version of that original staging, with a new cast including Rody Vera from the Philippines, Eriko Wada from Japan and esteemed local actors Aidli 'Alin' Mosbit and Peter Sau.

A layered and moving exploration of power, sexuality, spirituality and survival in the post-traumatic world, this multi-national, multi-media romp is interwoven with the stories and emotional landscapes of its characters.

Writing in response to 9/11,

godeatgod (2004)

Mourning is such hard work.
You want to cry but you don't want to be unglam.
And what do you wear to your friend's wake if you have to go to a club after that?

The death of someone special causes a group of friends to re-examine their lives and their feelings about death.
Fundamentally questions are asked:
Will I go to hell if I'm a bitch?
Am I spending too much time at the Gym?
Can I be gay and married?

The group of friends soon make important realisations:
That you can be married and gay
Tha

Top Or Bottom (2004)

Get your Pride Flags out!
Mardi Gras&nbsp;is back!

After a successful sold-out run last year during Singapore's PINK month - August! - this sexycrazycool play is back to make you laugh, cry and gasp!

A group of people come together to organise Singapore's first Pride Parade. They plan to hold the March at the Padang, with dykes on bikes, fags and fag hags, leathers and feathers; they want to shout out loud and be proud...

As they plan, the tension mounts; the cracks in their relationships surface.

Mardi Gras (2004)

"I left in the morning, with a bottle of water, in search of her."

So begins a woman's journey--a journey filled with chance encounters, strange visions and transient connections. In the course of the woman's search, she encounters various characters from her past--the old matchstick man, the young girl, the boatman and the angel.

As day turns into night, as her water bottle slowly becomes empty, the woman is forced to confront her journey: "When someone is searching, the only thing your eyes see is w

koan (2004)

A layered and moving exploration of power, sexuality and spirituality and survival in the post-traumatic world, the multiethnic, multimedia romp is interwoven with the stories and emotional landscapes of its characters.

Writing in response to 911, playwright Haresh Sharma excavates the tragedies that surfaced--dishonesties, power struggles, corruption and egos--which have made the world an elimination platform dominated by the powerful. Where do we look to for the new moral order?

godeatgod&nbsp;is an

Mardi Gras presented as part of the necessary stage's fundraising drive.

A group of people come together to organise Singapore's first Pride Parade - Singapore's first Mardi Gras. They plan to hold the March at the Padang, with dykes on bikes, fags and fag hags, leathers and feathers; they want to shout out loud and be proud...

Excuse? Will they even get a license? Um, will we?

As they plan, the tension mounts; the cracks in their relationships surface. Jokes turn to bitchiness, which turn to clawi

Mardi Gras (2003)

REVELATIONS explodes with a narrative tapestry of stories, images, movement and soundscape culminating in an overarching theme of hope and salvation in seeming chaos. Created by Young Artist Award recipients Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma, and Singapore's enfant terrible Jeff Chen and Chong Tze Chien, the multi-sensory epic REVELATIONS will be nothing short of prophetic.&nbsp;

Revelations.
A man arrives home after 9 years.
Brother and sister struggle to take care of each other.
A married couple strives t

REVELATIONS (2003)

Stop the press. She is not Wonder Woman. She is only a Thai Hooker. She can't save the world.

All hell is breaking loose. The world is on the brink of World War III. The world needs superheroes. An American boy is abducted. An ex-beggar holds him hostage. His parents demand justice, compensation and salvation. But superheroes in Thailand are not Clark Kents, Bruce Waynes or Diana Princes. They are gigolos, hookers and drags. Who will save the boy? Who will save his parents? Who will save the supermen, ba

WWW (2002)

Different stories are interwoven in this multi-media, multi-racial romp

TWO BROTHERS: He needs Kor Kor by his side.
HUSBAND &amp; WIFE: Someone's dying and they can't do anything about it.
PATRICIA MOK &amp; NORLEENA SALIM: They want to change the rules and no one can stop them.

Once there were two of us... and that's it.&nbsp;


godeatgod (2002)

Staging

it's a jungle out there. And it's raining shit so do something dammit!

Say it: I HAVE THE POWER TO FIGHT. To KILL. To Love. To Be who I wanna Be. They can try But they can't take that away from you. they can't touch YOU.&nbsp;

Abuse suxxX!!! But you're a survivor And you're Gonna Make it!!!


ABUSE SUXXX!!! (2001)

It is seven days after Dr Sun Yat Sen’s death.&nbsp;His second wife, Chen Cui Fen, sits, waiting for&nbsp;his ‘return’. She clings on to a watch which&nbsp;he left her in his will. She soon realises that&nbsp;time is not what it seems to be, that an image&nbsp;can be an imitation...

What happens when a woman loves too much? What happens when a man is too great? What happens beyond revolution?&nbsp;

This potent collaboration between The&nbsp;Necessary Stage and The Theatre Practice is&nbsp;inspired by 

One Hundred Years in Waiting (2001)

Dreaming Up a Prince is a hilarious play written and directed by Natalie Hennedige about the issues of parental guidance in the area of boy/girl relationships and underage sex. How will the characters judge raging hormones and meaningful relationships? You get to decide the fate of the characters in this interactive theatre experience as your suggestions will be acted out on stage.


Dreaming Up A Prince (2001)

Family Affairs (A Dramatic Double Bill)

Join TV celebrities Mark Richmond (from Triple Nine), Elaine Cheah (from Spin), Loke Loo Pin (from Triple Nine and Nominee for Life!&nbsp; Theatre Awards), Annie Ferrao (from Spin and School Days), and Sean Liow (from School Days) in this double bill of plays which promises to be an entertaining and thought-provoking journey of resolving conflicts and managing differences in the family.&nbsp;

Late Nights

In Late Nights we witness how a family undergoes a pred

Family Affairs (2001)

In Late Nights we witness how a family undergoes a predicament of bringing up an adolescent daughter. What are the channels of communication available and how does a typical Singapore family manage tensions and conflicts? As we watch this family handle this situation, many other possibilities may appear in our imagination as to how one would handle a similar situation. Art often reflects life and this situation is something some families undergo. Sometimes living together for a long time makes it more diffi

Late Nights (2001)

Freak Sons &amp; Daughters is a tragedy at its comic best! Come face to face with the unique and strange bonds that exist between family members. It is about black sheep and oddballs, pillars of strength and curses, all within two perfectly normal families. Dangerously funny, it is a must-see for anyone who knows what it is like to have a family.


Freak Sons & Daughters (2001)

The Necessary Stage's Black Box will be transformed into a nightclub of performances, stand-up comedy and of course, dance! Starring a mix of local actors and young celebrities such as Elaine Cheah, Melody Chen, Caleb Goh and Rodney Oliverio, the night will be hosted by comedian, Hossan Leong. Catch DJs from Zouk spinning hits, and students from the Multi-media department at LASALLE - SIA College of the Arts will be contributing a visual feast of images and video clips to the night.


Sex Education Party (2001)

TALK&nbsp;was first staged in 1994. For this version, we have made extensive changes. The initial impetus behind the original was the whole idea of talk shows and media. It was a send-off, a spoof, a satire.

For this version, we are working with two very giving and dedicated actors, Darren Chiam and Peter Sau. We spent a few rehearsals improvising different scenarios, exploring various styles and forms, discussing etc.&nbsp;The play/production has taken a different slant. It's now less clear, less cohere

Talk (2000)

From veteran actors to new faces; from theatre to dance; Stories and images that are both poignant and universal;&nbsp;Under the Last Dust&nbsp;is a rare Singaporean production; one that transcends language and gender; one that connects us all as humans living at the edge of life... a return to innocence.


Under the Last Dust (2000)

A play about what happens in modern-day Singapore when an Indian Boy dates a Chinese girl.


Mixed Blessings (2000)

3Some&nbsp;(RA18) officially opens The Necessary Stage's new home at Marine Parade. Come and hooray! hooray! with us at&nbsp;3Some;&nbsp;a landmark virgin penetration of the heartlands!&nbsp;


3Some (2000)

In&nbsp;Bud,&nbsp;two stories combine to make many. On the one hand, there is a tale of six performers in a Garden City, haunted by their life-changing experiences of a mysterious green-fingered cowboy called Bud. On the other, there are fragments of&nbsp;Mad Dog Blues:&nbsp;a madcap caper of a play by Sam Shepard populated by an assortment of lost and drifting casualties of popular culture.&nbsp;

At the heart of both stories if a quest: For a new Bud, and for treasure. And, as with all picaresque journe

Bud (1999)

Set Constructor

Completely With/Out Character&nbsp;was a&nbsp;play devised by Alvin Tan, Haresh Sharma And Paddy Chew. This is a&nbsp;landmark production in Singapore, featuring the first man in Singapore who came out in public to talk About his experience as a&nbsp;HIV victim.


Completely With/Out Character (1999)

Devisor

Powerfully driven by the artistic team renowned for its daring forays into sensitive social issues, the dynamic ensemble of&nbsp;Walking Into Doors&nbsp;will give you a no punches pulled, in your face exposé of violence in the Singapore home.&nbsp;


Walking Into Doors (1998)

Oedipus in my Universe (an interview with Zoe Tay Bee Hoon)

1. What is the 1st thing you must do when you want to become an actress?
– You have to take good care of yourself and always look pretty at all times!!

2. What is your favourite costume?
– My favourite costume is the gown for Juliet.

3. Who do you secretly wish you were?
– Rose in&nbsp;Titanic.&nbsp;Because it's... just so romantic!

4. What is the worst pick-up line you have heard?
– "Miss, can I borrow a light?"... because they sho

Whoever Finds It, I Love You... (1998)

Artistic Consultant

I Want to be a Superstar

I want to be like... The Beatles, John Coltrane, The Cosmic Guru, Edwyn Collins, John Zorn, Mother Teresa, Barry Adamson, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, Duo Wei, DJ Shadow&nbsp;

I dig... Humpback Oak, Chinese Rock, The Little Prince, Roni Size, Chris Ho, Chungking Express, Genesies, Coca Cola, Internet, Cigarettes, Holland Drive

I see... watch... think about... World War II, the Taleban, Death of Music, Revelations, Light years, Virtual Reality, the global economy, Asian economic 

John at the Quay (1998)

Ode to a Father

I'd come home at night and see him.
Opening envelopes,
Tabulating orders,
Counting the money,
Collating different quantities.&nbsp;
Sorting photos, stamping them, writing down serial numbers,
Filling order envelopes.&nbsp;
Always systematic, always careful, always silent.

Or I'd come home at night and see him.
Rocking His Chair,
Watching Channel 8.
I'd say hi, he'd say hi, and then
He'd go back to laughing at whatever was on the screen.&nbsp;
Always focused, always keeping 

Silent Man (1998)

The Good Son

The Malay peribahasa say, "GENGGAMBARA API BIAR SAMPAI JADI ARANG."

A poem from the Malays:&nbsp;
Buah mangga diluar pagar
Ambil galah tolong jolokkan
Saya budak baru belajar
Kalau salah tolong tunjukkan

My mother always say, "Airdicincang tak akan putus."
My boss always say, "Do what you can do today, don't put it off until tomorrow."&nbsp;
I always say to myself, "Take life a day at a time."

"Love yourself, be yourself and be true to yourself."
"Like me for what I am not fo

Every Moment is a Birth (1998)

Superfriends at the Hall of Justice explores how a basic human function, such as communication, is problematised. Solipsism and narcissism replaces the humility to learn and the process of self-discovery. As the desire for stability and self-definition becomes the premise for existence, truth is no longer an important journey one takes to depart from the familiar centre.


Superfriends at the Hall of Justice (1998)

"You keep looking in the mirror for any tall-tale signs... a wrinkle, a spot, a lesion or maybe a mark that says PWA or HIV: person with AIDS or HIV positive. But nothing... nothing... And you think, maybe it was all just a bad dream."

Two 19 year olds. Best of friends. Believing that anything is possible. But what happens when one of them discovers he is HIV-positive? Prejudices are confronted and friendships tested as he struggles to tell his best friend about his illness. Poignant, honest and touching

Thicker Than Water (1998)

Technical Manager

One Table, Two Chairs is about a man’s search in an urban jungle for a sense of belonging. Through reflection and movement, through songs and slides, One Table, Two Chairs seeks to question the everyday and the ordinary.


One Table, Two Chairs (1997)

In LAND, a plot of land transforms from a cemetery to a condominium site. In the process, three stories are presented where ancestors are worshipped, ghosts are unearthed and a handphone becomes a murder weapon.


Land (1997)

With humour and passion, Galileo (I feel the earth move…) interweaves the true life of visionary astronomer Galileo and the lives of modern characters who face dilemmas of their own. A high energy tale of deception, power and persecution.


Galileo [I feel the earth move] (1997)

An exploration of Malays and Chinese in Singapore past and present, the play is divided into six episodes:

Sang Nila Utama has a vision for tomorrow.

People run amok.

SitiMat tells the story of the nangka.

Three sisters try to resist rape.

Father knows best.

Virgins bathe at the well.

Using music, movement, humour and strong visuals,&nbsp;Pillars&nbsp;weaves yesterday's folklore and fables with today's images and metaphors, and brings you into a quirky new world which is also your home.

Alvin Tan

PARTICIPATION IN C42

WORKS DOCUMENTED IN THE ARCHIVE

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