Theatre History Overview - Part 45 - Singaporean Theatre

Singaporean theatre started in the 1950s. However, the development and growth of Singaporean history is difficult to trace because Chinese, Malay, and English theatre in the country all developed parallel to each other. These communities did not tend to cross boundaries.

Local playwrights emerged in the 1960s. These playwrights wrote in English. This was a first for Singaporean playwrights. Before this, English theatre was only done by the British people that lived in Singapore. The 1962 play Mimi Fan by Lim Chor Pee is considered Singapore's first English play.

In general, the 1970s were difficult for theatre in Singapore. Tamil theatre had small audiences, so it was difficult to find any patrons. English theatre suffered with withdrawl of British troops. However, Chinese theatre thrived in Singapore for a small time until there was a crackdown on leftist theatre.

In the 1980s, multilingal productions were staged. Singapore also saw high quality scripts such as The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole and Emily of Emerald Hill and productions. Amateur theatre groups like TheatreWorks and Necessary Stage turned professional.

The local theatre scene had developed its own identity by the early 1990s. The paved the way for new amateur theatre groups. By the 2000s, Singaporean playwrights were examining political and social issues, including those that many people find taboo.

In April 2014, a digital archive of Singaporean history was established at an art center called Centre 42. Many straight plays and musicals continue to take place throughout Singapore.

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