In 1999, The Necessary Stage presented Completely With/Out Character, a docu-theatre monologue devised by Paddy Chew, in collaboration with playwright Haresh Sharma and director Alvin Tan. The monologue was a candid account of Paddy’s experiences as the first individual to come out as a person living with HIV in Singapore. With/Out is an interpretation of Paddy’s monologue, conceptualised by artist Loo Zihan. It was first presented in 2015 to rave reviews as part of the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival. This 2017 commission by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay -The Studios series presents a reimagining of this monologue, and examines its relationship to the written and video documents.
With/Out was first developed in residence at Centre 42, and commissioned by the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival in 2015.