Following the 2023 edition of the 24- Hour Playwriting Competition held at the Figment Club House in July, T:>Works is delighted to announce the winners from the Open and Youth categories. In celebration of these playwrights’ accomplishments, T:>Works will also present an afternoon of dramatised readings of select winning scripts on 3rd February 2024 at 72-13.

This year’s judges – Aidli Mosbit, Chong Tze Chien and Joel Tan – awarded the following writers the top three places and a special mention in their respective categories:

OPEN CATEGORY:
• First Prize: Threnody by Wong Chen Seong
• Second Prize: In The Limbo by Choy Chiaw Yee
• Third Prize: A Static Life by Choy Chee Yew
• Special Mention: Motion Sickness by Yam Rong Yao, Timothy

YOUTH CATEGORY:
• First Prize: Khichuri by Triparna Poddar
• Second Prize: Buy My House by Er Kay Lynn
• Third Prize: A Voracious Shark, Gorge, and Corner by Eng Wan-Yu Owena
• Special Mention: Back Again by Ariel Mary Puhaindran

The winners of both categories will receive cash prizes of $350 for the first prize, $250 for the second prize, and $150 for the third prize. In addition, all winners will also receive a one-year membership to Figment Arts Club, which provides access to a network of global citizens through creative events and activations.

After three successful years of navigating digital and hybrid formats, T:>Works celebrated the competition’s return as a fully on-site experience at Figment Club House, with support from the South East Community Development Council. One of the key themes T:>Works has been exploring in the last few iterations of the competition is sustainability and ecology. Beyond the realm of green and climate change concerns, the theme encompasses the holistic sustainability of our surroundings, from urban planning, architectural renewal, and sustainable cityscapes to resource conservation, and the creation of eco-friendly spaces.

To encourage rumination on this year’s competition themes of urban renewal and sustainable living, participants were required to integrate various stimuli into their plays, from specific spoken lines, and a plot point, to keywords like “sustain”, “reduce” and “conserve”. A guided evening walk around the eclectic Geylang neighbourhood filled with historical richness, including a pit stop at Eng Tiang Huat, a Chinese cultural store, served as a catalyst for further inspiration.

This year’s winning entries meditate on familiar preoccupations of family, dislocation, and home through inventive, irreverent, and theatrical lenses. The scripts showcased exceptional originality, craftsmanship, and vision as the prompts were weaved into engaging narratives and well-developed characters all within the flurry of 24 hours. Says judge Chong Tze Chien: “The top winners had their unique visions matched by their ability to paint characters vividly, anchoring them in emotional wants and backstories, rendering their narrative trajectories clear and effective.”

Joel Tan comments: “The winners in the Youth category showed remarkable confidence and ambition, addressing mature themes in complex and original ways. While the open category winners showcased rich narratives with many confessions of long-held hauntings.”

“Figment Club House embodied the spirit of heritage, restoration, and sustainability, fuelling an inspiring celebration of creative expression. This fusion of ideas and history ignited a collective passion for storytelling, bridging our past with a sustainable future,” said Aidli Mosbit.

Select scripts will go through development by T:>Works alongside established directors, writers, and performers. To round off this year’s 24-Hour Playwriting Competition and to celebrate the playwrights’ achievements, T:>Works will be hosting dramatised readings of these scripts on 3rd February 2024 at 72-13. More information on the event will be provided in the new year.

The 24-Hour Playwriting Competition is poised to make a dynamic return in July 2024, brimming with fresh energy and innovative concepts. T:>Works remains steadfast in its mission to encourage and challenge participants to thoughtfully engage with the contemporary world through their writing.