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SINGAPORE: It’s the year 2058 and a city in Southeast Asia – Singapore – is in the midst of a terrible disaster.
Not to fear, this is just about a dark-comedy play called "Apocalypse: LIVE!".
With the city being demolished by a mysterious rain of fire, a motley crew of characters - from intrepid reporters to overzealous army commanders and social activists - come together to try and rebuild their lives.
Why choose such a dramatic premise for the play?
Destroying the city gives him an artificial situation where he can explore certain issues, explains the playwright, former journalist Ken Kwek.
The main objective of the play is to provoke thoughts about the attitudes and behaviour of people after all material wealth is taken away from them.
"If this country fell apart, would one stay or leave?" questioned Kwek, who wants to make the audience aware of their identity and place for their home, Singapore.
While coming up with the details for this play, he had also tried to think of what ordinary people from different walks of life would think if everything was destroyed.
With a tongue in cheek, he jokes that it is quite difficult to shake off Singaporeans’ pragmatic mindset because they would probably be more concerned about commodity prices and whether their insurance would cover the costs borne by the disaster.
But more importantly, he believes that in trying situations, people would rise above all calamities and overcome obstacles for a greater good.
Other underlying issues Kwek explores in his first full-fledged play are close to Singaporean hearts, such as our pragmatic society, our obsession with economic progress, our government as well as constrains on the media and press.
However, central to his art-from is the space for creative expression and Kwek says he need not skirt around sensitive issues such as race and politics as "the medium of theatre... is a much liberal forum".
Unlike other conventional forms of media, he does not find himself having to censor much material or shy away from difficult topics.
As for actress Risa Okamoto, her character is an American-Asian reporter based in Singapore who tries to get to the bottom of the chaotic situation.
She shares that what greatly fascinates her about this play is how far Kwek’s imagination is stretched in projecting a Singapore that is set 50 years down the road!
For her, it is as close to speaking to a futurist!
When asked about how the theatre scene has evolved, both Kwek and Okamoto agree that the audience and the material from theatre companies have definitely moved forward in tandem to each other.
"Today’s audience is more sophisticated and they love watching material that catches their imagination and also challenges them," said Kwek.
"Apocalypse: LIVE!" is part of OCBC Singapore Theatre Festival and will be staged at the Drama Centre located in the National Library from August 20-24.
Visit www.singaporetheatrefestival.com for more information.
- CNA/jk
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