Dysfunctional families are a staple in theatre and film, and are often the basis for tension, conflict, and understanding differences. In The Necessary Stage’s (TNS) Three Years In The Life and Death of Land, past pain and trauma are what threaten to tear a multiracial family apart. But in many ways, isn’t that precisely the struggle of the average Singaporean family, as they do whatever it takes to find happiness?

Written and directed by Haresh Sharma, Three Years In The Life and Death of Land is now being revived for the Esplanade’s 2023 edition of The Studios, as it reflects on issues with land, space and place. We spoke to assistant director and TNS associate artist Deonn Yang, as well as cast members Lian Sutton and Sharul Channa (who play central couple Eric and Shalini), and Julius Foo (who was also in the original 1994 production), as we find out more about the Singapore condition, working on the play, and about accepting change. Read the interview in full below:

Bakchormeeboy: Lian and Julius are quite frequent collaborators with TNS, while Sharul is relatively newer. Is there any difficulty when it comes to matching working styles or chemistry, especially playing a married couple? For Deonn, what has the experience of integrating into TNS’ process and style been like?

Deonn: It has been a smooth and easy transition into TNS’ process and style because  I have been working and learning from Haresh since 2017, when he directed me in Nabilah Said’s Drip for the inaugural The Orange Production. I also participated in the 2021 iteration of Devising with Actors and Playwrights (DAP) workshop, and was assistant director to Haresh for the 2022 restaging of Acting Mad. Having the opportunity to learn TNS’ process and methodology during DAP and to see it in practice in Three Years and Acting Mad, = is something not many young practitioners get the opportunity to experience. So for that, I am thankful. In the rehearsal room, Haresh also gives me the space and freedom to voice my thoughts and opinions, and I always feel valued and appreciated in the workspace, which is definitely a nice feeling going to work!

Lian: The play is unlike a lot of TNS’s work – Yes of course, the themes are on brand, but the addition of all these kooky characters that aren’t at all naturalistic, paired with the fact that it is a much bigger cast than your usual TNS production makes the work so much more exciting to be a part of.

There will always be challenges when it comes to performing intimate relationships on stage. Sharul and I are quite lucky in that we are both married and have a wealth of knowledge (and behaviours) to draw from. Where it gets challenging, as with any acting work, is when the characters diverge from our own personal behaviours and responses – the important thing we’ve realised is to maintain is a sense of balance, non-judgement, and a good sense of humour (especially in the beginning of rehearsals where a touch of the hand may seem incredibly awkward). 

Sharul: Yes, I am fairly new and it was a very overwhelming experience for me initially. I think it takes a very understanding and mature actor to have alongside you to help you through the process too, I am glad Lian did that/is doing that. Having been trained in theatre but not having been directed by a director due to my profession of being a stand-up comedian and self-directing and researching my one-woman plays, you must be open to learning and cannot bring any ego or baggage to the working space. Thankfully, I am open to learning and Haresh has been patient with my process. 

Bakchormeeboy: Out of the four of you, only Julius has been involved in the previous version of the play. For Julius, how different is the work between then and now?

Julius: After the new edit, it is pacier. Back then, because this play was devised, there were naturally more explorations. I was much younger, and theatre-making was still such a novelty for me. This time round, the character is exactly my own age, so there is more personal experience to draw from. And there is now more technical awareness with regard to the actor’s craft. So it is a very different kind of excitement. Rehearsal-wise, we spent about a month blocking out the play, working with the set, which is quite challenging because we need to negotiate several levels.

Theme-wise, I realised that despite the advancement of communication technology, internet, mobile phones etc, people are still not communicating. Maybe there is more awareness and ideas of what communication is, but I am not sure if there are actual real connections.

Bakchormeeboy: This is the first time TNS is doing a show at the SingTel Waterfront Theatre. What has that process been like for both the cast and Deonn?

Deonn: Oh, this is a tricky question! Of course, I look forward to seeing the work on the Singtel Waterfront Theatre (SWT) stage, but I don’t really know what to expect. I know it’s a new space and a big space but I’ve never done a show there, and any time I’ve watched something at the SWT, the space constantly changes. I think that’s part of the excitement of being a part of Three Years. It’s something new and different. For phase 2 of our rehearsals, we have been rehearsing at the Drama Centre’s Visitors Centre (DCVC) and even that is so different from rehearsing at TNS’ space at Paya Lebar. I think space is such an important part of rehearsals, and our rehearsals at DCVC has been preparing us for when we bump-into SWT. I’m excited to see it all come together in theatre!

Lian: This production marks my third time (lucky me!) working in the new theatre. The first was in-the-round, the second was a traverse setting, and now we’re going to bumping-in to a good old fashioned proscenium arch. It’s exciting to experience the theatre in all its possible configurations. 

Julius: I have never performed in the Waterfront Theatre before. I cannot comment. But as far as rehearsals are concerned, there is no difference from the usual process i.e. it will be good to have more time for rehearsals in the actual space.

Sharul: I haven’t been to that theatre space yet so I am excited to know what it will be like.

Bakchormeeboy: Based on the trailer at least, this play seems to be one of TNS’ “less serious” plays, with its more whimsical characters and dialogue. In your experience, does approaching serious topics from a lighter angle make it easier to access and understand, or do audience members generally leave the theatre thinking of it as light and not “important”?

Deonn: I love approaching serious topics from a lighter angle, even for my own works that’s my preferred approach. I think this approach makes it more digestible and accessible for people, and encourages conversation and dialogue post-show. I wouldn’t say that Three Years is one of TNS’ “less serious” plays, I think the marketing team chose a fun and accessible extract of the script. At its core, the play is still full of complex characters and conflict, layered with humour and heart. 

Lian: Great theatre should have polarising effects, drama is conflict, comedy and tragedy live in the same world – Personally, the seriousness and the sadness often hit harder when the play is funny and enjoyable as well. But I think audiences will take away different things from the play, if they don’t think it is all that serious, that’s not a bad thing too. We shouldn’t be too elitist about the message of plays. After all, they came to watch theatre instead of Netflix!

Julius: I think it is less heavy… politically compared to some of TNS’ previous productions. But it is nonetheless serious in what it is trying to convey. I think in any creations, it is a kind of dialogue between the creator and the recipient through the work. So as in any conversation, it needs to engage both parties. 

So, it very much depends on who your target audience is. In this case, it is presented to a general public, so the challenge is to strike a balance between entertainment and driving the message home. If some of the audience get the message (or messages because there will be some who will see beyond what we intended), good.And if some go home feeling entertained, good also. At least they had a good time.

Then there will be some who have problems with the show, and that is fine also. Hopefully, they will give their feedback regarding what it is that they have a problem with. And hopefully, it can generate some discussions. So, previews are important before a show opens. And even when the show is on the road, changes are still possible if there is an on-going dialogue with the audience.

Sharul: I think when there is a comic element to a serious play, it makes the audiences think harder about the issue as opposed to being completely serious about it. The message sticks with the audiences as long as the joke does. 

Bakchormeeboy: The theme of family and unusual families, especially considering the central couple is a mixed-race couple, seems to be one of the key ideas here in the show. Has Singapore progressed to the point where such alternative families and arrangement from the standard nuclear family have become more of a norm? Is marriage even something that should still be on people’s minds, beyond its necessity for a BTO?

Deonn: Surely, we must be past the point of thinking families only consist of the standard nuclear families. To be honest, I don’t know if I can confidently say that Singapore as a nation has progressed to the point that she is embracing such alternative families and arrangements, but I think communities within the nation has. We cannot deny that families come in all forms, and they are all around us. I can hope that one day Singapore will fully embrace and accept all units of families. 

Lian: That’s the great thing about this play, it features a mixed race couple, and a lot of the world is centred around that couple, yet, it isn’t at all the central theme. Whether you’re the same race, or mixed race, inter-religious, or come from the same faith, the struggles you will have will be ultimately the same: Do you follow tradition, or do you neglect it? Do you agree with me or not? Or even just boiling down to, do we actually understand each other at all?

Julius: I do not think it has become a norm, but I am quite sure the younger generation is much more open to alternative family structures and marriage means quite a different thing to them. However, there is still the majority who is still more conservative. I am not exactly sure if there is any actual communication between the different generations. It seems many things are not addressed openly.

Sharul: I think mixed race couples and affairs have been on the forefront in the recent news. Mixed-race marriages and affairs will never go out of norm! By the way, couples are having issues finding BTOs at the moment, so I think it will strike a chord for sure.

Bakchormeeboy: It’s been a long time since we last saw TNS feature a whopping 12 member cast. How does it feel to include this many actors onstage, and how is the process of juggling them all like?

Deonn: It’s a lot to see! From the outside, as the assistant director, I’m always trying my best to see the entire picture and to balance the space and moments, so I will say that it can get quite confusing and a lot! But with this bigger cast, I get to work with some old friends as well as some new colleagues, so it has also been a lot of fun. While we get our share of laughter in, when it comes to the work they also buckle down and deliver as professionals, so it has made juggling much easier!

Lian: It’s always great to have a big cast, lots of great and talented people being so generous with their choices on stage. We’re quite lucky. I guess noise and focus management might be the downside! Ask the stage management team! Ha!

Sharul: I have so much respect for Haresh, Deonn and the entire team for dealing with it well. I mean they have lost some hair but that’s the normal process of ageing, RIGHT?

Bakchormeeboy: It may be in the title, but it’s not very evident in the synopsis: how do you feel the play links back to the Studios’ theme of Landings? Do you feel hopeful or pessimistic about the state of land and how we treat the land in Singapore?

Deonn: Each character in Three Years has a special relationship with the space and land that they are on. Some desire to leave, some want to stay, some are there as a result of their circumstances, but they all share the space. They experience different things across the span of the three years, but the land that they are on stay the same, and despite the cracks that have formed over time, the foundations of the land and their relationships remain solid and strong. 

I understand the need and desire to grow and expand, but I do wish that sometimes we could hold on to spaces for a little bit longer. To grow and develop without the need to knock it down and start over. 

Julius: With regard to the theme of Land, I think there is more awareness of land use today compared to 30 years ago but because we are so pragmatic, we are generally quite resigned. Singapore has always been very pragmatic when it comes to its land use. However, people are more aware of striking a balance.

I think the National Parks Board has done a wonderful job in managing the amount of greenery on the island. I really appreciate the efforts in the balancing nature and built-up. However, the fact that the size of the island is limited, and with the population projection of 6.9 million, our parks and nature will always be crowded and the Causeway, always jammed. So it is not so much being pessimistic or hopeful, but more of feeling helpless.

Sharul: I think Singapore is beautiful country that is always “under-construction”.

Bakchormeeboy: Change is the only constant – is this something we should just accept? Or does it very much depend on the kind of change as well?

Deonn: Some changes are good, and some changes are not, so I think it depends on the kind of change. Changing from using plastic bags to recyclable bags? Good change. Accept. Changing yourself to be accepted by someone else? Maybe not so good change, maybe don’t accept. We cannot deny change, it’s all around us. If the changes help us grow as people, or positively impacts the world that we live in, then why not? But if the change forces us to compromise on who we are or adversely affects the world, then maybe no, don’t accept it. We have a voice, we can use it and make a change.

Lian: How we treat the big things in our lives, land and space, are often reflected in the smaller things – our relationships to the spaces, or even in the spaces. Change is inevitable but how we change and into what are the real questions we should be asking ourselves, I believe that is the main link between the story and the larger theme of Landings.

Julius: I think the first thing one needs to do is to acknowledge that fact. Thereafter, you do what you can. What is important is the change within oneself. Often, we talk of big external changes but are we even aware of ourselves, our own thoughts and intentions? If we are, then are we able or willing to effect that change? Outward change is only temporary. 

Just like the play, after 30 years, outwardly, with the advancement of science and technology, there has been so much change but are people really communicating? Are we really listening to one another?

Sharul: Change IS the only thing constant and it is one of the most difficult things to accept—especially when it brings a lot of pain and discomfort. Thankfully, it is constant and change happens yet again and maybe it resolves things? Come watch the play to find out.

Image credit: Tuckys Photography

Three Years in the Life and Death of Land plays from 5th to 13th August 2023 at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre. Tickets available here

The Studios 2023 runs from July to September 2023 at the Esplanade. Full programme and tickets available here