The Vault: Sau(dara)

Thirty years ago, a remarkable English-language theatre production was staged in Singapore. Three Children, written by Malaysian playwright Leow Puay Tin, is a story about three grown-up siblings who return to their childhood home to confront their past.

The 1988 production of Three Children by TheatreWorks took many bold steps at a time when professional Singapore theatre was in its infancy. It brought together theatre powerhouses from both sides of the Causeway – Krishen Jit and Ong Keng Sen – who shared directing duties. Together with the cast, they created a boundary-pushing, multicultural work that challenged both local theatre and its audiences.

In 2018, young theatre company Bhumi Collective revisits Three Children. In homage to the 1988 production, the creative team draws from the original text and the performers’ childhood memories. Sau(dara) is an original work based on play and traditional Indonesian Pakarena dance, and features newly-composed music. Performed in English and Malay, English translation provided.