As previously reported by ARTINFO, the Singapore Theatre Festival returns to the LaSalle College of the Arts for its fifth edition, which will run June 30 to 24 and feature eight new plays, including the century-sweeping historical drama “HOTEL,” the comedy “My Mother Buys Condoms,” and LGBT drama “Let’s Get Back Together.”Following our interview with festival director Ivan Heng, we spoke with Kenneth Chia and Mark Ng, pwriters of “Let’s Get Back Together.” Based on testimonials from 50 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, the play explores the fun and frustrations of LGBT life in Singapore.Let’s start with some background. What rights do LGBT people have or not have in Singapore?Kenneth Chia: They can go about their business so long as it doesn’t interfere with the State’s promotion of heteronormative ideals. But frankly, the community lives in uncertainty – the government’s reluctance to remove Section 377a of the Penal Code (criminalizing sex between two men) is a massive obstacle. Personally, I feel the issue lies in the practical rights LGBT couples are denied - the access to affordable housing like straight couples, financial planning, health, and insurance benefits. LGBT couples unfortunately cannot take advantage of State benefits in these areas, and placed at a disadvantage.Mark Ng: LGBT people also remain largely invisible to the rest of society. Although there may not be as much outright violence or homophobia as compared to other societies, there is still a prevalent attitude of ignorance and discrimination. This makes the process of coming out that much harder and trickier to navigate, leading to some choosing to find a better life elsewhere at the cost of leaving their own families and friends. The play comes from interviews you conducted with over 50 people. How, did you choose whom to interview, and what was one story that particularly stood out for you?KC: We didn’t choose. Rather, we let the community decide whether they wanted to speak with us. Sure we reached out and cast a wide net, but we literally interviewed everyone who came forward. This was very important because it was our goal to let unheard stories be told.MN: We did not set out to treat this play as a check and balance sheet and to represent as many people as possible because that would have been impossible. Rather, we chose the stories that had the greatest degree of relatability and honesty. The main purpose is to paint as compelling and strong a picture as we can of the very real problems these individuals have faced.The story that stood out for me belonged to the Muslim gay man who talked about how he reconciled his faith with his sexuality and how his relationship with Allah was his own and nobody else’s. This sense of peace and fulfillment is something many LGBT individuals seek to find with their own faiths and to see that happen in such a moving way for this man should resonate very strongly for anyone, regardless of faith or beliefs.How did you turn these interviews into a play?KC: Creative arguments at 3am, hours of transcribing, many packs of cigarettes and coffee!In all seriousness, the editing process was grueling, especially since we were first time playwrights with so much responsibility placed in our hands. To help, we engaged our interviewees at almost every step of the process, making sure we were representing them accurately. We also let the interviews dictate the narrative structure of our play, as opposed to imposing one: more often than not, their stories began with a coming out process, followed by exploration of their newfound identity, disillusionment and then evolving into a hope for the future. So this is what guided us.Mark, you directed this play as well as writing it. What problems did you face in trying to stage the play?MN: The biggest problem I faced was allowing the words of the interviewees to come through to the audience without it being swallowed by every other element within the theatre. I had to strike a fine balance between theatricalizing and stripping back the text. I was also more focused on creating a visual aesthetic that added to the authenticity and emotional weight of the words of the interviewees that also integrated seamlessly with the text.What message do you hope theatergoers take from the play?KC: They’re free to take whatever message they wish from the play. After all, these stories will all mean something different to each audience member, just as the LGBT community’s relationship with everyone else. I only hope they come out kinder, more informed and more compassionate toward community because really, we’re all human. Everyone has a story and struggle and triumph – if only we’d listen.MN: Let's Get Back Together was created to paint an honest and comprehensive portrait of a community that has long been the subject of intense public scrutiny. I hope that as you watch these compelling and personal testimonies unfold, you will be as moved as we were by the courage, humor, passion and joy that these individuals have showed despite all the obstacles they have faced. These stories are happening all around us every day; stories we might think are not our responsibility but which in fact affect all of us. More importantly, that even after you have left the theatre, you will continue raising the important questions that we really need to be asking ourselves about how we treat people who are different from us and start moving towards a truly inclusive society.“Let’s Get Back Together” runs July 7-10 at LaSalle College of the Arts’ Flexible Performance Space.
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