Presented by leading local theatre company W!LD RICE, the Singapore Theatre Festival (STF) returns to centre stage for its sixth edition in July 2018. For the first time, the Festival will have two Directors: Ivan Heng and Alfian Sa’at. Together, they have curated a thrilling new line-up of plays by Singapore’s emerging, established and undiscovered playwrights. The Festival will also see the launch of a new scheme that will make available 500 free tickets for students and youths.
From 5 to 22 July, this singular arts event will celebrate contemporary Singaporean theatre through the development and presentation of new and original home-grown writing. The plays in this year’s Festival explore a diverse range of social themes and the latest hot-button topics. Each playwright speaks out and speaks up on issues affecting Singaporeans today, including media freedom, surveillance, racism and the value of our national heritage and history.
As the only Festival in Singapore that focuses on presenting fully realised productions of new local writing, this season will feature seven plays making their world premieres, including former Straits Times journalist Tan Tarn How’s Press Gang. One of Singapore’s finest dramatists and social commentators, Tan makes his Festival debut with this political thriller that doubles as a satirical commentary on media self-censorship and offers first-hand insight into the workings of the so-called free press.
The Festival prides itself on its collaborations with undiscovered and emerging playwrights, many of whom have since made a name for themselves in Singapore’s theatre scene. This year, first-time playwrights Ruth Tang and Chong Woon Yong will take to the stage, offering fresh and unique perspectives on theatre and the arts.
Under the auspices of W!LD & Free, 500 free tickets for the Festival will be set aside for young people and students from the ages of 16 to 25. All interested and eligible individuals can sign up via the festival website, www.singaporetheatrefestival.com, from 9 April to 30 April, on a first-come-first-served basis.
There will also be many opportunities for audiences to engage with the themes, ideas and issues raised by the eight plays in the Festival. A series of Festivities have been planned that will include discussion forums, readings of new plays, and a dramaturgy workshop.
Tickets for the Singapore Theatre Festival go on sale on 9 April for W!LD RICE Angels. Tickets for the general public go on sale on 23 April, with early-bird discounts and package deals available. For more information, visit www.singaporetheatrefestival.com.