ART IMITATES LIFE
Where do you feel Singapore’s literature scene is right now, and where is it headed?
It’s an exciting time to be in the arts scene now. Social attitudes are shifting, and there is a growing sense that the arts are an important aspect of Singapore’s identity. Publishing houses and theater companies are taking greater interest in mentoring new writers and providing better support for those currently writing. There are increasing spaces to publish, stage and workshop new writing. There are also more funding opportunities, and young writers and new writing have been getting more publicity from the media.
What are your thoughts on the impact that digital publishing and audiobooks may have on what you do?
We are beginning to lose the ability to reach out to each other in person because society is increasingly saturated with technology. Augmented and virtual reality are so much a part of our everyday existence. This makes the live element of theater all the more potent and powerful. There is nothing quite like watching actors – real physical bodies moving in space – giving themselves and their time so fully to audiences, who give their attention and time in return. It’s a magical experience for me to witness that connection between performers and audiences.
What do you feel people are seeking when they read books or attend productions, and especially those by Singapore authors?
I can’t speak for them, so I’ll speak for myself – Growing up, I was exposed to a lot of works that did not reflect the reality that I experienced and lived in. I felt that a lot of the languages that I listened to, such as Hokkien and Teochew, were being negated in the media. I wanted to reclaim them. Singlish, in particular, has often been criticized for being “broken” and used as a way to induce slapstick humor. But Singlish can also be poetic, playful and inventive. It can express deep and complex thoughts, and draw people together on a very intimate level. I’ve tried to draw out these nuances in my plays, and it always makes me glad when audience members come up to me and tell me that these stories capture slices of their own lives, and they feel seen, heard, and a little less alone (as do I).
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