BOOM: Shaking up Singapore’s theatre-scape

PUBLISHED June 19th, 2012 07:54 am | UPDATED March 28th, 2016 02:07 pm

To all those who say that theatre is not for them – that they can’t relate to it, that it’s too abstract – hear this!

Up and coming theatre company Sight Lines is here to change that with their mission to bring relative, current and social issues to the stage under the banner of art. Whether it be a local play, modern classic or Broadway show, they have got their sights firmly on bringing productions to the stage which will really enable you – the audience – to connect with the subject matter. A new wave of theatre so very much needed, in my humble opinion.

And there’s nothing that speaks more boldly of that than their second production – BOOM – which will be running at the DBS Arts Centre from 29 June – 8 July.

Written by award-winning playwright Jean Tay, BOOM centres on Singapore’s favourite obsession – property and land. While the play made its first outing in 2008 on the back of the first-flurry of en bloc fever, today it stands as relevant as ever as icons like Bukit Brown Cemetery and the KTM Railway corridor are headed for the ‘once upon a time’ category, as they are adeptly traded in favour of property development. Cue photo of agents desperate to seal a deal:

BOOM tells the story of an ageing heartlander (Fanny Kee) – unwilling to sell her home she has grown to love, her conniving property agent son (Andrew Lua) who is eager to make a quick buck from the potential sale,

and the idealistic civil servant (Erwin Shah Ismail) who is assigned with the herculean task of relocating graves. It’s a glimpse into a surreal world where the dead aren’t allowed to rest in peace and heaven is a luxury sky villa with A1 designer decor, where the line between living and dead, between fantasy and reality, is constantly blurred in this comic yet serious tale about en blocs and exhumations. Expect a good dose of quick-witted dialogue laced with rip- roaring humour and poignant moments.

Like many others, this is a subject close to Director Derrick Chew’s heart. One half of the powerhouse behind this rising star in our local theatre-scape alongside Associate Director Engie Ho. I had the opportunity to catch up with them and two members of the cast – Erwin Shah Ismail and Vincent Tee – during rehearsals to ask them a few questions about the production.

What prompted you to bring Boom back onto the stage again, 4 years on?

Derrick:  Personally, I really identify with the storyline for a number of reasons – my old home went en bloc so I went through everything from experiencing the fever to moving out. I watched the original production, and Jean Tay is a good friend of mine. In addition to that, my National Service stint was at the Ministry of Home Affairs and so I could really identify with the politics at the heart of the story. Four years on, en bloc fever hasn’t gone away – it’s almost like people are more used to it. I see history repeating itself, but people are becoming more accepting of it – and so for me Boom is a way to shake up people’s memories and get them connecting with the issue again.

What makes this production different from the one that first graced the stage in 2008?

Derrick: Well, firstly apart from Fanny, all the cast members are entirely fresh. In fact, apart from myself and Fanny, none of the cast members saw that initial production so they are going into it very green. We are also treating the production in a more surrealistic and minimalistic way. It’s less about physical sets, and more about playing with mirrors and lighting and using these as a way to morph one setting into another.

One of the things that Sight Lines puts emphasis on is nurturing fresh actors – tell us a bit about what it is like directing the emerging talents in this production, and what it is they bring to the table.

Derrick: When we say fresh, really the term is used very loosely – it’s used more in the sense that they are still mouldable. For example Vincent Tee, who pays the corpse, is a television and film veteran, and this is his first time in English theatre. He brings with him a more local, Chinese angle, that of someone who has experienced pain and suffering, but also his film experience. On the other hand, Erwin Shah who plays the civil servant is one year out of acting school and brings with him that freshness and fun that goes hand in hand with a recent graduate.

Vincent and Erwin, tell us a bit about some of the challenges you face in the roles you play?

Vincent: Playing a corpse is actually very challenging – finding how to give a corpse the voice they deserve and how to communicate that, and how to stay still throughout while still playing with expressions is pretty tough.

Erwin: I’ve done a variety of roles but this is the first time I’ve been speaking out to the audience for two-thirds of the time while speaking to the corpse behind me – and that’s all I can reveal!

Now what I love about Sight Lines is their refreshing approach. You won’t see the usual merry-go-round of actors which seems so standard of cast lists in Singapore, and bringing together actors from different walks of life who have never worked together before makes for a very fresh, unique dynamic. And it’s clear that Derrick’s open approach is like a breath of fresh air to his cast, paving the way for a hotbed of ideas when developing their characters.

Perhaps this fresh approach also comes from the fact that Derrick is in fact not trained in directing theatre per se, having come from a film background. But fret not – this seems not to be an obstacle, with his film background quite obviously adding a lot to his productions. Hint: look out for the smooth transitions between scenes as opposed to clumsy black outs.

So now back to the production at hand. Now in case it skipped your attention, in a nutshell I think you should a) go and see this production and b) go, support and embrace Sight Lines who are trying to bring theatre back to where it belongs under Derrick and Engie’s inspired guidance –  and that’s to the people.

But if that’s not enough to encourage you, let’s here it from the cast and crew themselves about why you should go and see it!

Erwin: ‘There will be at one last thing in the show you will relate to.’

Vincent: ‘Just come and witness the corpse!’

Angie: ‘This play will challenge your perspective of what home and family means.’

Derrick: ‘Boom is a uniquely Singaporean play – it is a family drama, yet political satire; a comedy yet ends with tragedy –  so buy a ticket and experience all of this in 2 hours – value for money very Singaporean right?’

And what if you’re not a local? Well if you’re reading this and you’re not a local, BOOM will be yet another way of understanding and connecting with this fascinating country that you currently call your home.

BOOM runs at the DBS Arts Centre, Home of SRT on 29 June- – 8 July. Tickets range from $40 – 55. Book through SISTIC for Friday – Sunday shows here and for weekday tickets email [email protected]. For more information on show times and  Sight Lines see their website here.