The Necessary Stage presents all new productions of scripts from talented young writers.
Amidst their 30th anniversary celebrations and the throng of restagings, The Necessary Stage will be developing new scripts from young local playwrights under their newest project, The Orange Production.
Newly launched as part of TNS’ 30th anniversary celebrations, The Orange Production aims to mentor and workshop smaller, portable works with new artists. The very first edition premieres in August, and will showcase a double-bill featuring Nabilah Said’s Drip, together with Faith Ng’s new play Whale Fall. With artistic director Alvin Tan directing Whale Fall and Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma overseeing Drip, the Cultural Medallion recipients are sure to infuse these new works with an air of professionalism when they’re brought to life.
Photo Credit: Mish’aal
Nabilah Said’s Drip has been described by Sharma as “simple yet incisive and funny, capturing the joy and pains of everyday life in unexpected ways.” In Drip, Azam and Xiaoyan have to confront their differences when Azam’s mother and sister make a surprise visit at home. Clashes of culture, religion and gender lurk within the still waters of everyday life and threaten to undo familial ties. This also marks the first time Sharma will be directing a play not written by him. Drip explores the intricacies of family dynamics as they navigate through waters affected by an interracial marriage, and will feature actors Deonn Yang, Faizal Abdullah, Shafiqhah Efandi and Nurijah Sahat.
Photo Credit: Jared Van Doorn
On the other hand, Whale Fall is a meditative play about loss and the search in life, where two characters explore the redemptive power of art and friendship. In Whale Fall, two best friends and fellow actors perform the first scene of a play and decide to change it. As fiction and truth become interwoven, they share stories, secrets and sweets. Starring US based Singaporean actors, Liz Lazan and Jeane Reveendran, Alvin Tan is excited about the freshness of the material and marks the first time he is working with Faith Ng. While Faith herself is no stranger to the world of theatre, with previously acclaimed works written by her, she comments that The Orange Production has encouraged her to take more artistic risks and push her playwriting to new, different heights.
Under the masterful tutelage of TNS’ very best and supported by a more than capable cast, we can only feel excited at young playwrights getting a chance to shine and showcase their work, and expand the canon of Singapore’s scripts, and absolutely look forward to catching and supporting The Orange Production.
The Orange Production will play from 10th – 13th August at the Necessary Stage Black Box. Tickets available here
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