What role does theatre play in Singapores civil society?

By: Neo Yu Zhen

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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA

What role does theatre play in Singapores civil society?

Introduction This essay argues that the theatre can cultivate an independent cultural sphere that encourages the growth of civil society. I am focusing on theatre because I think that under such explicit and legalized constraints1, the responsibility for critical commentary on society, culture and politics have ended up disproportionately on the shoulders of the arts, particularly the theatre2. Even when an artist simply transfers a slice of life onto canvas or stage, thereby reframing the ordinary as art, it forces the audience to distance itself, to take a fresh look and to come to a new understanding of the mundane.3

Therefore, by prompting the audience to critically re-examine social issues and problems, the Singapore theatre transforms into a political tool to advocate for greater civic engagement and which will ultimately lead to a more robust civil society. Civil society is important because it creates an independent, safe space that allows important and critical discourse to take place. This discourse leads to self-reflection and self-scrutiny that can help society deal with difficult problems such as implicit racism, elitism in Singapore and so forth. Ultimately, the creation

Here I refer to the multiple defamation cases and a climate of fear about having alternative opinions, and the lack of willingness to question the government. Other conventional tools such as the media, is also sadly handicapped by the governments control. 2 Chua Beng Huat, "Theatre, Social Critique and Politics," in Ask not: The Necessary Stage in Singapore Theatre, ed. Tan Chong Kee and Tisa Ng, 317-323 (Singapore: Times Editions - Marshall Cavendish, 2004). 3 Ibid.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA of an active civil society helps its citizens to grow and mature as thinking individuals.

To further elucidate my arguments, I will define what is civil society. It is a mature form of critical self-reflection, which marks the transition from a conventional orientation to fixed rules, unreflective duty and respect for authority, to post-conventional, critical attitude towards identity construction.4 Throughout the essay, I shall refer to civil society as the above definition.

In the essay, I will be using examples of forum theatre in Singapore, Off Center5, a play about mental illness in Singapore. I will also discuss the role of theater in schools. The structure of the essay is as follows: I will argue how theatre can contribute to civil society in 3 different ways; next I will discuss the limitations of the contributions of theatre to civil society; last but not least, I will conclude by demonstrating other possible paths to a vibrant civil society.

How can theatre contribute to civil society

Borrowing the framework from Animating Democracy, a program of Americans for the Arts, I argue that theatre can contribute to civil society with the following reasons. The first reason argues that artists in theatre can be a provocateur and an animator of dialogue, by provoking the audience to participate through
Terence Chong, "Civil Society in Singapore: popular discourses and concepts," Journal of Social Issues in SE Asia 20, no. 2 (2005): 273-289. 5 Off centre was originally commissioned by Ministry of Health to The Necessary Stage. However, after the play was written, the Ministry requested for a less extreme depiction of mental illness. The Necessary Stage decided to turn down the funding from Ministry of Health to avoid censorship and stage it on their own.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA Forum Theatre. My second argument examines the how theatre can educate the public about mental illness and change stereotypes, which will ultimately lead to an increase in awareness of marginalized groups. My final argument looks at theatre in schools as a form of engagement and building the future generation of active citizens.

1. Artists as a provocateur and animator of dialogue The arts can stimulate civic dialogue by bringing forward personal stories and the human dimensions of issues, reflecting multiple perspectives, giving permission for emotion Civic Dialogue as one form of civic engagement is dialogue about civic issues, policies, or decisions of consequence to peoples lives, communities and society.6 The example that I am using to illustrate the ar

Forum theatre, as espoused by the Necessary Stage in 1993, encourages dialogue and debate by allowing audiences to replace artists on stage. It works by having the actors first perform the entire play, and subsequently, after a short discussion, the audience will substitute certain roles in the play. The participating audience has to obey the social reality in the play and act out their own proposed solution to the plays problem. I think that forum theatre, before it was banned by the Singapore government, truly encouraged the audience to participate in a dialogue on difficult issues, and allowed them to give their own take on it. This avid participation by the audience in an active dialogue leads to an increase in awareness of social issues and removes the stereotypes of
Mark J Stern and Susan C Seifert, Civic Engagement and the Arts: Issues of Conceptualization and Measurement, Evaluation and Recommendations, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Americans for the Arts, 2009).
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA stakeholders in these issues by forcing the audience to step in the shoes of an actor and immersing in that scenario himself or herself. The independent and open space that Singapore theatre creates allows the audience to freely debate solutions for difficult issues and also encouraged people to consider alternatives and differing points of views.

There were two productions that were performed in the style of Forum theatre. They are: MCP, a wifes attempt to cope with her abusive husband and Mixed Blessings, the painful familial and racial negotiations surrounding the love affair between a Chinese woman and an Indian man. 7 In these plays, people were called to reflect actively on the nature of the changing relations within families, between races and the ways by which rich and varied social meanings are produced out of ordinary, unremarkable activities.8 By reflecting on these ordinary day-to-day actions, the audience was able to reconsider their cultural and social attitudes towards certain kinds of stereotypical identities, such as being Chinese or Indian. It also demonstrated to individuals of their ability to change and dictate outcomes of a particular social situation.

I think that critical self-reflection shown above is extremely precious and important in Singapores society. Without contemplation of our identities and societal norms, our very notion of what it means to be Singaporean will be blurred behind more obvious pursuits such as economic gain. The participants of forum theatre took up this challenge [reflecting on what we owe ourselves and
Sanjay Krishnan, "What Art Makes Possible: Remembering Forum Theatre," in 9 Lives: 10 Years of Singapore Theatre, 200-211 (Singapore: The Necessary Stage, 1997). 8 Ibid.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA other human beings, instead of complaining how the government is intrusive] in a small but significant way: they negotiated with one another, without regard for where the government was in all this.9 This ultimately encourages critical thinking and self-reflection that encourages the fostering of a vibrant civil society.

2. Arts and culture as a form of education and awakening of social issues In this view of art, it focuses on the ability of the arts and culture to instruct or persuade the population.10 Art can also be used to enhance the publics understanding of social issues and its moral stance. I will be using the play Off Centre to show how a play can be used to change the publics perception of mental illness. This promotes active citizenry in social issues in Singapore and involves the participation of citizens in debates on traditionally ignored or taboo issues such as mental illness. Fundamentally, an active citizenry is imperative to a civil society. By educating the public about social issues, it leads to an awareness of issues, hence generating a more critical reflection of policies and issues concerning the nation.

Mental illness, also known as siao, gila, have been traditionally stereotyped by many as something bad and still is a taboo topic to certain people
Sanjay Krishnan, "What Art Makes Possible: Remembering Forum Theatre," in 9 Lives: 10 Years of Singapore Theatre, 200-211 (Singapore: The Necessary Stage, 1997). 10 Mark J Stern and Susan C Seifert, Civic Engagement and the Arts: Issues of Conceptualization and Measurement, Evaluation and Recommendations, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Americans for the Arts, 2009).
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA today. I must emphasize that Off centre does not attempt to idealize mental illness, but rather, it shows how we can relate to the mentally ill and how we are similar to them in our struggle for normalcy in our lives. The main characters of Off Centre are Saloma and Vinod, who attempt to lead their lives normally and find a connection even though they are off centre or mad. Vinod is a straight-A junior college student and school debater who suffers from depression.11 He meets Saloma, a schizophrenic girl who graduated from a vocational institute.12

Throughout the play, Vinod and Saloma utter truisms about the reality they inhabit, and it is the beautiful and often subtle manner with which this is played off against their other utterances which makes this play special.13 For example, Vinod tells Saloma, Saloma, we are not off centre. We are very centre. We are the core. We are right on target, on the dot, the arrow that slices the apple.14 By showing the characters struggles to be centre or normal while living in a mentally stringent and severe environment: Vinods parents want him to be smart, get a degree and ultimately move on to do his masters; while Salomas mother tries to help Saloma in her own way, yet at times she deny her daughter necessary medical help due to her lack of understanding of mental illness. The complicated nature of mental illness in Singapore is acutely portrayed in the play and tries to show the audience the challenges of the caregiver of a mental patient.

Adeline Chia, "Off Centre is right on," The Straits Times, May 15, 2007. Ibid. 13 Kirpal Singh, "Introduction," in Off Centre, I-XVII (Singapore: Ethos Books, 2000). 14 Haresh Sharma, Off Centre (Singapore: Ethos Books, 2000).
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA First performed to rave reviews in 1993, Off Centre by The Necessary Stage (TNS) was lauded as a seminal play highlighting the plight of mental patients.15 The play was subsequently invited to open the Mental Health Awareness Week in 1994. Asked why the NCSS [National Council of Social Service] is featuring Off Centre, Miss Geraldine Loh, its divisional manager of public relations and public education, says: "The play explores mental health issues very truthfully and will open a challenging discussion on such issues. It is a powerful educational tool because it gets people involved. They will learn much more about mental health this way."16 This shows the Off Centre is very successful in educating the public about a difficult issue such as mental illness and is a truthful depiction of the struggles in the illness.

A heightened awareness of difficult issues such as mental illness through the theatre helps audience to relate better to these issues, and educates the public about these issues. It ultimately leads to a change in stereotypes and misconceptions about mental illness, and help provoke debate on the challenges faced by individuals in these situations. The theatre can help include marginalized groups such as mental patients into the society and educate the public on largely ignored or taboo problems like Aids, mental illness and so forth.

Essentially, an educated and active citizenry is the key to a civil society. An educated and inclusive public will allow an engaging critical discourse on the nature of our society to foster. From this seemingly chaotic discourse on the
Adeline Chia, "Off Centre is right on," The Straits Times, May 15, 2007. The Straits Times, "Play on mental health to be staged again," The Straits Times, February 12, 1994.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA intrinsic values of society, civil society will eventually tends towards a natural equilibrium that provides a generally equitable solution for Singapores problems.

3. Arts as engagement and inclusion: Bringing theatre to local schools by The Necessary Stage and National Arts Council Theatre can be a form of engagement by exposing it to new audiences such as students. It can help the students to learn about social issues from varying perspectives, and also discover more about Singapores culture, history and identity. According to American for the Arts, there are new forms of arts engagement, reflecting current trends in participatory cultures People are seeking active and participatory arts opportunities for example, taking arts classes, joining a community theatre group17 Essentially, these kinds of collaborations place great importance on process, the inclusion of multiple voices and perspectives, and depth of audience engagement.18 This eventually leads to an increase in awareness of issues and problems faced by the society at present.

On 8 Janurary 1993, the three-part Arts Education Programme (AEP) for primary, secondary and junior college students was announced by the National

Mark J Stern and Susan C Seifert, Civic Engagement and the Arts: Issues of Conceptualization and Measurement, Evaluation and Recommendations, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Americans for the Arts, 2009). 18 Ibid.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA Arts Council (NAC).19 The AEP was installed in 1993 as a facilitator between local schools and arts groups.20 It covers theatre, music, dance, literature and invites local arts groups to tailor workshops and performances with the students needs in mind.21

The scheme's three parts are:

Arts Exposure Programme: A selection of 173 dance, music, drama and opera performances by 12 established arts groups and artistes.

Arts Experience Programme: A series of theatre-in-education, drama-in education and lectures cum demonstrations on theatre, dance, and music. Seven groups, including The Necessary Stage, Act 3, Sriwana and the Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, will conduct the performances.

Arts Excursion Programme: School visits to theatres and exhibitions in which students will meet performers, talk to the directors, playwrights or choreographers and examine sets, props and costumes.22

Julia Goh, "Arts programme for all students to start next month," The Straits Times, January 8, 1993. 20 Terence Chong, "Soceity-State Collaboration in Singapore: The Necessary Stage and the Arts Education Programme," in Ask Not: The Necessary Stage in Singapore Theatre, ed. Tan Chong Kee and Tisa Ng, 269-286 (Singapore: Times Edition- Marshall Cavendish, 2004). 21 Ibid. 22 Julia Goh, "Arts programme for all students to start next month," The Straits Times, January 8, 1993.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA The scheme allowed students to be exposed to issues beyond the usual academic subjects through theatre and helped them to understand national issues on a simpler level. According to Mr Teo Han Wue, NAC's director (Arts Development), cultivating interest among the young in the arts and promoting it through education are generally regarded as key factors in creating an artistically vibrant society.23 By melding stories of the past, issues of the present and future problems into a performance or a story, it encourages the students to think beyond their current grades and academic results. It also motivates them to question the status quo of society and ask questions about their identity and about their culture. Hence, through questioning and learning about themselves and Singapore, the students are more aware of problems in Singapores society and are better equipped to become active citizens in the future.

Some might argue that this ultimately leads to students to be subversive, but I argue otherwise. To me, the introduction of issues beyond academic topic through theater leads to an openness of thought and the liberality to dream beyond the present. As mentioned above, a keen awareness of social issues enables the youth to be an active citizen, which according to Singapore 21, means: taking an active part, as a citizen, in making the country a better place to live. It means realizing every citizen has a stake in this countryInstead of leaving it to the Government to do all the thinking, they offer feedback and suggestions founded on thoughtful consideration, with the aim of making things

Julia Goh, "Arts programme for all students to start next month," The Straits Times, January 8, 1993.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA better24 Using this definition, the introduction of theatre in schools allows students to think outside the box and be socially aware. Even if the students are not motivated to be socially aware, the introduction of theatre ultimately creates an independent cultural sphere for students to explore and be inspired.

Therefore, the introduction of theatre in schools will enable students to be socially conscious and aware, and perhaps become active citizens in the future. Although the effects of this is not tangible and clear-cut as the two other examples, I think that theatre in schools has the most potential to create a future generation that contains creative, active citizens that lead to a more robust civil society. This is because theatre in schools are able to reach out to a larger audience, and even to students who would not have had the opportunity to watch a play or any form of artistic performances. Hence, I think that engaging students via theatre about social issues is very important and should not be belittled.

Limitations of theatres contribution to civil society: Censorship in Singapore

I shall now move on to discuss the limitations of theatres contribution to civil society. The strongest impediment to theatres contribution to civil society was and still is censorship. Although the current trend in Singapore for the arts is tending towards regulation instead of outright censorship, many arts group still

Terence Lee, "The Politics of Civil Society in Singapore," Asian Studies Review, 2002: 97-117.
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA call for a more transparent process of regulation. I think that censorship speaks of a bigger issue in the sphere of regulation and control in Singapore. Kuo Bao Kun says it all in his interview below.

In an interview with Alvin Tan, the artistic director of the Necessary Stage and Sanjay Krishnan, Kuo Bao Kun, Singapores renowned late playwright that was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act for allegedly promoting the leftist ideology through his plays, comments: They want to control everything. Now they want to produce arts programmes and this is what I heard from the Singapore Arts Center people. You control all the theatres, all the time and space, all the grants, all the festivals, and now you are producing programmes. Where is the arts community in all this? What say do we have? We are coming back to this lack of autonomous cultural sphere.25

The issues that he mentioned in 1996 during his interview are largely still the same in 2011. The essential element needed in promoting a vibrant theatre and civil society space is autonomy which Singapore still lacks currently. However, I think that the approach towards arts and civil society over the course of building Singapore has changed. This changing stance towards an independent cultural space can be seen via the transition of leadership, from strong man Lee Kwan Yew to a more technocratic, softer Goh Chok Tong. Presently, Lees son, Lee Hsien Loong helms the leadership chair in Singapore. The policies of

Kuo Pao Kun, interview by Sanjay Krishnan and Alvin Tan, , Between Two Worlds: A conversation with Kuo Bao Kun, (August 30, 1996).
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA pragmatism and economic growth continue, but we see a hesitant and unsure liberalizing of the arts and of civil society.

According to William Peterson, a professor who helped created the Theatre Studies Program in NUS: In fact, it is in the long term best interests of the state to nurture and support artistic products that tap into endless niche market that encourage consumption and fragmentation because the more advanced theatre becomes in Singapore, the more it may ultimately disengage from the social and political life of the nation.26 Ultimately, I think that censorship has it merits, like classifying adult genres aside from more innocent themes. However, I think that censorship should be a transparent process and should not impede the progress of civil society in Singapore.

Conclusion

The answer to my question what role does theatre play in Singapores civil society, is not a simple yes or no. It really depends on the upcoming direction of the government, and the new generation of theatre groups. In recent years, although under strict regulation, forum theatre was allowed again. I attended a watered down version of it at a play called Can Change at the M1 Fringe Festival. There was certainly not like what Sanjay Krishnan described above, but it was something new and fresh. Ultimately, I think that the theatre and the arts should be allowed to grow independently and separately from the state institutions.

William Peterson, Theatre and the Politics of Culture in Contemporary Singapore (Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2001).
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA Theatre is not necessarily political, but it can potentially be. However, an oppression of alternative streams of thought and censorship in this day and age is certainly not going to work with the advent of new media.

Finally, I think that for an establishment of a full-bodied and vibrant civil society, it requires more than the arts helming the call for change. Recently, human rights groups like Maurah, Aware, and animal advocacy groups has sprung up recently in spite of the governments tight controls and laws. I think that arts has a good opportunity to educate and show the public an alternative solution to todays problems; and demonstrate how to navigate along sensitive boundaries and issues like race, religion and politics but it needs the help of other nongovernmental interests groups to push for an active and exciting civil society.

I think that disallowing and banning sensitive issues to be discussed in the public arena would only encourage individuals to keep their thoughts and ideas to themselves. Misconceptions about certain groups of people, like homosexuals or minorities would not be tackled, but allowed to foster and continue. A lively and open discussion of topics in a public, educated and somewhat controlled arena would actually lead to a more educated, well-informed public that could make better social decisions and less social tensions. The arts can very well accomplish these objectives if allowed to do so. Sweeping things under the carpet does not make these issues or problems go away. The dont ask, dont tell policy is not going to work in todays environment when misinformation is acutely available and constantly perpetuated.

Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA To conclude, I would like to end with a quote from Professor Kwok about the arts: If you go back to childhood and the games that children play this is artmaking in its most fundamental forms. The arts open us to possible worlds, alternative worlds which we never thought could be real, but because we could imagine them, there is a possibility that they can be realSingapore could not have developed without some measure of creativity. This creativity came from very strange and harsh conditions, where people had to use their wits, you know, to imagine and to invent things and to pretend sometimes they could do it and they did it, in many ways.27

Kian Woon Kwok, interview by Sanjay Krishnan, , Arts Education in Civic Society: A forum on Arts Education in Sinagpore, (August 27, 1996).
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Neo Yu Zhen Government of SEA References: Beng Huat, Chua. "Theatre, Social Critique and Politics." In Ask not: The Necessary Stage in Singapore Theatre, by Tan Chong Kee and Ng Tisa, edited by Tan Chong Kee and Tisa Ng, 317-323. Singapore: Times Editions - Marshall Cavendish, 2004. Chia, Adeline. "Off Centre is right on." The Straits Times, May 15, 2007. Chong, Terence. "Civil Society in Singapore: popular discourses and concepts." Journal of Social Issues in SE Asia 20, no. 2 (2005): 273-289. Chong, Terence. "Soceity-State Collaboration in Singapore: The Necessary Stage and the Arts Education Programme." In Ask Not: The Necessary Stage in Singapore Theatre, edited by Tan Chong Kee and Tisa Ng, 269-286. Singapore: Times Edition- Marshall Cavendish, 2004. Goh, Julia. "Arts programme for all students to start next month." The Straits Times, January 8, 1993. Krishnan, Sanjay. "What Art Makes Possible: Remembering Forum Theatre." In 9 Lives: 10 Years of Singapore Theatre, 200-211. Singapore: The Necessary Stage, 1997. Kwok, Kian Woon, interview by Sanjay Krishnan. Arts Education in Civic Society: A forum on Arts Education in Sinagpore (August 27, 1996). Lee, Terence. "The Politics of Civil Society in Singapore." Asian Studies Review, 2002: 97-117. Mathi, Braema. "Growing civil society in Singapore." Social Space, 2008: 80-83. Pao Kun, Kuo, interview by Sanjay Krishnan and Alvin Tan. Between Two Worlds: A conversation with Kuo Bao Kun (August 30, 1996). Peterson, William. Theatre and the Politics of Culture in Contemporary Singapore. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2001. Sharma, Haresh. Off Centre. Singapore: Ethos Books, 2000. Singh, Kirpal. "Introduction." In Off Centre, by Haresh Sharma, I-XVII. Singapore: Ethos Books, 2000. Stern, Mark J, and Susan C Seifert. Civic Engagement and the Arts: Issues of Conceptualization and Measurement. Evaluation and Recommendations, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia: Americans for the Arts, 2009. The Straits Times. "Play on mental health to be staged again." The Straits Times, February 12, 1994.