Welcome to the OCBC Singapore Theatre Festival 08 - our biennial festival dedicated to the development and staging of new Singapore plays. Encouraged by the overwhelming success of 2006's inaugural festival, we are excited to present 14 new plays by 6 theatre companies over the course of 3 weeks.
From bold, funny and irreverent, to whimsical, thought provoking and beautiful; from the intimate and personal, to the epic and fantastic; these plays represent the ideas of a generation of theatre artists reflecting on the problems and possibilities of our times.
By re-examining our history and legends, tackling urgent issues and musing about what the future might hold, the plays offer imaginative and critical perspectives.
Three themes stand out in this year's festival. The first is multiculturalism. In The Swordfish, then The Concubine, a multiracial Singaporean cast performs episodes from the Malay Annals, interpreted by a Chinese Malaysian playwright, revealing how a pre-colonial past is very much a vital part of our nation's heritage. In angel-ism, we witness a collaboration between a Chinese-language and a Malay-language theatre company, arguably the first of its kind in recent years.
Another theme is that of history and memory. The Last Temptation of Stamford Raffles is an ambitious, iconoclastic treatment of the life of Singapore's official founder, whereas I Am Queen provides us with a daring glimpse of turbulent pre-Independence Singapore and Malaya through the eyes of an exotic dancer. Tree Duet and House of Memory offer a contemplative account of the fragility of memories in a city of forgetting.
A final theme is that of the future. We are proud to present, in our final week, the works of some first-time playwrights. Apocalypse: Live! and the plays in Own Time Own Target would hopefully trigger a wave of new Singaporean playwrights, tackling themes as diverse as Armageddon and the Army. In the meantime, the plays presented by Magdalena (Singapore) assures us that women's voices will always be a crucial and invaluable aspect of our vibrant theatre scene.
W!LD RICE is delighted to welcome OCBC on board as the Title Sponsor for the 2008 Singapore Theatre Festival. OCBC's sponsorship of the Festival marks a dynamic new partnership between Singapore's longest established local bank and a nascent festival. With this gift, OCBC leads the way in supporting indigenous theatre, making a significant contribution towards a vital creative enterprise. Thank you, OCBC.
Any arts scene is only as good as its homegrown and original works, and we hope you will join us in investing in new work. The rewards can be very satisfying. Ultimately, it's about leaving a legacy of theatre classics to the future, and making a vital contribution to the cultural, social and intellectual life of the city.
- Ivan Heng, Artistic Director & Alfian Sa'at, Dramaturg
(Source: Wild Rice Programme)