Veteran actors bring new scripts to life

TWO years ago, the Singapore Repertory Theatre invited award-winning Asian-American playwright David Henry Hwang (M Butterfly, Chinglish) to Singapore to give a workshop with aspiring playwrights. The two best scripts that emerged from the workshop were Dora Tan's A Wedding, A Funeral & Lucky, the Fish and Michelle Tan's Stand Behind the Yellow Line - Garisan Kuning.

Next weekend, the two plays are set to be performed together under the direction of Samantha Scott-Blackhall, as part of SRT's Made In Singapore series. The cast includes veteran actors Daniel Jenkins, Amy Cheng and Catherine Sng.

Dora Tan's A Wedding, A Funeral & Lucky, the Fish centres on the changing attitudes towards marriage. Seraphina (played by Cheng) lives abroad. She returns to Singapore to introduce her Caucasian partner (Jenkins) to her family. But a tragedy occurs, setting in motion a series of disastrous family revelations.

Dora Tan says: "Through the play, I hope to question the institution of marriage - do we really have to get married to find happiness and get what we want?"

Meanwhile, Michelle Tan's Stand Behind the Yellow Line - Garisan Kuning revolves around an unlikely friendship between a young, affluent woman (Jean Toh) and a homeless woman (Zelda Ng) awaiting her son's release from jail.

Michelle Tan explains: "The play's about the lines we draw around us. Who do we befriend and who do we ignore? It's about how we label and categorise people."

THE BUSINESS TIMES INSIGHTS

Powering Asean's Future 2026

Find out how enterprises are navigating power constraints and sustainability targets

ACCESS THE INSIGHTS

The Made In Singapore doublebill plays at DBS Arts Centre - Home of SRT from March 7 to 9 at 8pm, with 4pm weekend matinees. Tickets from $25 to $50 from Sistic