The annual Singapore Fringe Festival, organised by The Necessary Stage (TNS) has become an institution for independent theatremakers both locally and internationally to present their work, providing a platform for them to stage provocative, cutting-edge performances that deal with pertinent discussions in society and about those on the margins. Now in its 21st edition, watch as Fringe 2025 tackles the theme of displacement, from people to homes, the self to nature—and how we can overcome it.

Think ‘displacement’ and one would likely see it as being synonymous to the violent untethering of people from their homelands and communities. Today, we are all witnesses to this, impotent as we scroll through endless photos and footages on the abject horrors in Ukraine and Palestinian lands—and these are only the most visible crises amongst many others like in Sudan, Yemen, and Syria. We read with horror about people forced to embark on perilous journeys due to economic impoverishment or political persecution, many of who lose their lives or face further discrimination and harm in unfamiliar lands. We are helpless in the face of devastating heatwaves, wildfires and collapsing ice shelves, no thanks the accelerating climate crisis that we have an active hand in.

Perhaps rather appropriately as well, the theme coincides with a kind of displacement that the Fringe is facing as well, after the announcement that title sponsor M1 will pull out after supporting the festival since its inception for 20 years. As such, the team at The Necessary Stage are calling for urgent donations to ensure the continuation of the festival. To contribute towards the Fringe Festival Fund, visit donate.necessary.org or Giving.sg.

In the line-up for 2025, artists responded to TNS’ prompt with their concerns about the current state of the world, and their hopes and visions for a better future rooted in community, healing and reconciliation. In our line-up of seven works, we see a diversity of works exploring the theme of displacement—a forced movement or relocation of people from their original or usual place, position, or state. This dislocation and disruption have a significant impact on people’s lives, not merely a violent change to their physical location, but also their mental state, cultural identity, even for future generations. A total of seven works have been shortlisted and will be presented at Fringe 2025, as follows:

The Necessary Stage (Singapore) presents a fresh staging of Haresh Sharma’s Eclipse, directed by Associate Artist A Yagnya. A moving monologue helmed by award-winning actor Shrey Bhargava and featuring Hindustani classical vocalist Sveta Kilpady, Eclipse depicts three generations of men in a family and their journeys and personal understanding of the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition. As they confront the debilitating history of the forced migration and its scars on generations to come, they unveil more about their familial relations and secrets left unspoken.

WePushTheSky by Qabila (India) weaves together food, song, story, myth, and history into an interactive solo performance that reflects on the urgent social reality where friendships and communities can dangerously be divided by politics of hate.

A Judges’ Pick at Melbourne Fringe 2023, I Am Seaweed by Mm And Something Happens Here (MASHH)/ Cheryl Ho & Rachel Lee is an interactive multimedia theatrical show that creates space for respite in an overwhelming society that is constantly pushing us to be more productive and skilful, often at the expense of one’s mental health. Fringe 2025 will also be presenting the first accessible performance with deaf interpreters in Singapore Sign Language for I Am Seaweed.

What happens if winter one day disappears from the world and can be only found in fairy tales, art, and historical accounts? Siren Theatre Co (Australia) brings us the award-winning performance The End of Winter that encourages us to examine the climate crisis and the vanishing of seasons.

Tony Bonani Miyambo (Kafka’s Ape, Fringe 2023) returns to the Fringe with a powerful performance Commission Continua by Noma Yini (South Africa). As Bright Maluleke—a shy, socially awkward government archivist—diligently copies and files official documents detailing the violence and injustices in the country’s history, he begins to vent about his frustration with and sense of futility towards South Africa’s struggle for real change and reconciliation.

Birds Migrant Theatre (Singapore), another Fringe 2023 alumnus, is back with a bold and heartfelt work about war and the refugee crisis. Created and performed by migrant workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh alongside Singapore actors, The Troupe looks at how displaced people strive for a better future and how humanity is dealing with the aftermath of war and conflicts.

Conceptualised and directed by Noor Effendy Ibrahim and Ruby Jayaseelan, and written and devised by students from the BA (Honourss) in Performance Making programme at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Dancing with the Ghost of My Child is a visceral and experimental physical theatre performance exploring vulnerability, trauma and the desire to heal.

Once again, TNS will be continuing their collaboration with Official Accessibility Partner Equal Dreams to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of the festival for all, including those with disabilities, which includes features such as Plain English versions of text on the Fringe website, visual stories for travelling to theatres, captions for in-theatre performances, and speech-to-text interpretation available for post-show dialogues, all with the aim of making the Fringe a positive, accessible experience for as many people as possible.

In a world that seems to be under continual assault, as war rages on in some parts of the world, the climate crisis continues to escalate. Doomscrolling may exacerbate the sense of futility, but we can choose to make positive change. As we journey through these remarkable stories of individuals confronting personal and communal adversity, may we realise that we are indeed bound to one another, that we can do something rather than be passive. We can, in desperate times, still be each other’s keepers. TNS hopes that audiences can find a sense of community in the works in Fringe 2025—works that question political polarisation, encourage empathy and compassion, and build bridges between generations and communities.

The 2025 M1 Singapore Fringe Festival will run from 8th to 19th January 2025. More information and full line-up available here

To contribute towards the Fringe Festival Fund, visit donate.necessary.org or Giving.sg.