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SINGAPORE: Jack Neo recently asked the question Where Got Ghost? Well, we think he needs to watch more plays because the obvious answer to that question of course is... in the theatres! Boo!
From the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre to the infamous (and soon-to-be refurbished) Victoria Theatre and its fourth floor dressing rooms, theatre practitioners swear on the presence of otherworldly patrons of the arts.
And since the Hungry Ghost Festival is still hovering about, we asked some theatre experts: Just how haunted are our theatres?
"Surprisingly, quite haunted," said Jonathan Lim, artistic director of Stages and author of Between Gods And Ghosts, the first volume in his Our Supernatural Skyline series.
Currently working on the yet to be titled second volume, which focuses on Malay supernatural tales and theatre accounts, Jonathan said: "Our theatres aren't tainted with bloody histories, nor are they even old buildings with violent pasts.
"Yet simply because they sit there, cold and empty most of the time, and then suddenly bursting to life with people, sound, light and the illusion of life - they are irresistible to haunt."
In actress and stage manager Neelam Chugh's opinion, meanwhile, all theatres are haunted - it's just a matter of where they sit on the spook-o-meter.
"Certain ones like SRT (DBS Arts Centre) are not necessarily housed by evil spirits but negative energies, whereas Victoria Theatre is completely haunted everywhere. You see things onstage, in the control room, the little crew room upstairs."
But don't turn our theatres into veritable ghost towns just yet. You see, most of the time, they're just like us. Except without a pulse.
Take it from Neelam - she's been attuned to the supernatural frequency since she was a kid.
"They're actually quite playful. They're also looking to be entertained. It's a free show for them," she said. "I treat them like normal people. Everyone who's not used to it is advised to talk to them like real people. Fearing them is not gonna do much good. They're sort of scared themselves."
But if you're really a scaredy cat who already has tickets to a show (damn your love for the arts!), Neelam has a couple of tips: Smudge yourself with burnt sage or carry around any form of black crystal (black tourmaline ones are the easiest to get).
If you're singing to yourself, "I ain't afraid of no ghost", read on as our theatre folk confess their scary backstage experiences.
OLD DRAMA CENTRE ENCOUNTERS (as told to Jonathan Lim, theatre director and chronicler of the supernatural)
A stage manager was sitting in the downstage right wings with a crew member, watching an actress perform a solo speech on stage. And she saw a tall, thin, pole-like figure - a hantu galah, she knew - emerging head-first from the floor of the opposite wing, cross behind the actress, unseen by anyone else, and go past them into the wall. It kept getting taller and taller, and by the time it vanished, the head was way above them.
There's also an account of a stage manager and operators in the control room hearing a voice near them speaking the actress' lines before the actress said them, as if in anticipation.
THE FAMILY VISIT (by Mohd Fared Jainal, visual artist, theatre performer and director)
I used to be an associate artist with Teater Ekamatra and I'd sometimes stay overnight at (the office in) Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre (Tapac).
I had three experiences within one year around 2005 or 2006, all around 3am, I think. The first one, I was alone in the office. When I sleep, I switch off the aircon and the fan. I was lying on this long bench and from the corner of my eye, I saw this floating figure... trying to fan me.
A few months later, I was about to go to sleep on a queen-sized mattress prop in the next room. I saw this mother-like figure who touched my hand - and it was warm. When I told the Tapac caretaker about it, he said that usually when the hand is warm, it is someone who has just passed away.
The third time, I was with (playwright) Alfian Sa'at. He was in the next room using the computer and I was watching a soccer game and lying on the couch in the other room. I was probably again in that transition stage and when I flipped over to face the other sofa in the room, there was a little boy who had curly long hair and was wearing pyjamas.
I couldn't move and began to say prayers - but then he walked towards me and put his ear to my lips as if trying to hear what I was saying!
Luckily, Alfian heard me moaning and he rushed in and shook me real hard.
I've made a joke about it: The first one is the father, the second is the mother and the little boy is the little brother... But I've yet to encounter the little sister. No way!
THE JOSS STICK ENCOUNTER (by Kuo Jing Hong, theatre director)
We had an encounter here (at the Stamford Arts Centre) when we started rehearsing for Rashomon. Everyone was supposed to bring objects that they felt reflected the essence of their characters. Then (actor) Alvin Chiam brought in joss sticks.
Within 10 seconds of lighting them, everything darkened as if the sun went out. Then, there was this black cloud swimming into the rehearsal room ... I got nauseous and I told the stage manager to take the joss sticks away. And a few seconds later, everything brightened up.
FUNDAMENTALLY SCARED (by Chua Enlai, actor)
It was while doing Fundamentally Happy in 2006 at The Necessary Stage (TNS) office in Marine Parade. My co-actor Alin (Mosbit) was already onstage, the crew was in the control room and everyone else was at front of house in the foyer. I was the only person backstage, warming up, and then I think there was a slight delay.
So, I went to the staff toilet next to the office and as I was done and washing my hands, I thought I saw one of the TNS girls walk in. She had long hair and was wearing white ... There were no lights and no one was there. I walked into the other office and there was also no one there. I forgot lines for that show. I was really quite distressed.
THE ARTIST AND THE WORKER (as told to Rizman Putra, actor)
Apparently there are a few sightings of this faceless figure wearing military camo pants walking around the space in Substation theatre. One of the technicians told me they've seen this figure hanging out. It must be a performance artist!
And at the Esplanade, apparently, there's a story about this Bangladeshi worker wearing a yellow helmet walking around. A lot of the technicians have told me they see him walking around in the middle of the night.
- TODAY/yb
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