The artistic directors of homegrown companies discuss the changing landscape of live theatre

In the Name of Art From the purpose of theatre during these unprecedented times to the possibilities of the online medium, the artistic directors of local companies discuss the changing landscape of live theatre—and how they are pushing through the turmoi

Fans of local theatre would have probably caught a rare sighting this year: Adrian Pang, Ivan Heng and Gaurav Kripalani together on stage, er ... screen in a short film called The Pitch by Singaporean filmmaker Ken Kwek.

You might ask if the artistic directors of Pangdemonium, Wild Rice and Singapore Repertory Theatre, respectively, are even friends? For the record: they are friends and have been theatre colleagues for years, says Pang. “But the type of work that we do is different,” reasons Kripalani. “The show of solidarity of the three biggest companies coming together is an important message to send out.”

Heng adds, “One of the few silver linings in the pandemic has been this shift towards more collaboration and cooperation among the arts groups in Singapore. It’s reminded us of how we’re all in the same boat—one that was in real danger of sinking beneath the storm of Covid-19. We wanted to join forces—not just to raise funds to help us survive, but also raise awareness about the challenges faced by theatre-makers in Singapore right now. We will do anything in our power to help one another stay afloat, so we certainly don’t rule out more collaborations in time to come.” We are excited already.

We check in with the trio, along with the artistic directors of Checkpoint Theatre, The Necessary Stage and The Theatre Practice, to discuss how the pandemic has redefined the presentation of live theatre, and the need for a different “gathering” of artists and audiences, considering how it strikes at the heart of the very purpose of theatre—the collective experience of a live audience.