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proletariat's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
phua_jieying's review
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
(Full disclosure: Am Faith's junior college schoolmate)
machadamia's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'll give a short review of the main 3 plays in the book:
Normal - all at once heartbreaking and insightful, Normal is a peek into the mentality and lives of students who are deemed to be 'normal' which in Singapore, is not normal at all. This is the main reason I borrowed the book, because I've heard of this play before but never had the chance to watch it. It didn't disappoint, and even though she could have given the characters a happy ending to make it hopeful, I'm glad she left it on a more ambiguous note, because not every ending for these 'normal' kids are happy, but not every ending is sad too.
Wo(men) - I'd have to admit that this one is probably the weakest out of the three for me. I didn't really enjoy it at all nor did it make me think. I just felt like it was full of theatrics. I understood what she was going for and the dialogue did feel so realistic and well written, I just couldn't grasp what the point of it was.
Till death do us part - This play realised some very real fears of mine in terms of marriage. Marriage till this stage is sad and it really highlighted to me the importance of having your own life and having independence. Being a housewife is so damaging to one's autonomy and creates this kind of power imbalance that isn't healthy for a relationship in the long run. Love can seem to solve everything but in actual fact, this is the result of what life can turn out to be like.
The rest of the stories were well done but none as strong as these 3. I think the one with the 2 gay men caught my attention most for the short ones after.
Normal - all at once heartbreaking and insightful, Normal is a peek into the mentality and lives of students who are deemed to be 'normal' which in Singapore, is not normal at all. This is the main reason I borrowed the book, because I've heard of this play before but never had the chance to watch it. It didn't disappoint, and
Wo(men) - I'd have to admit that this one is probably the weakest out of the three for me. I didn't really enjoy it at all nor did it make me think. I just felt like it was full of theatrics. I understood what she was going for and the dialogue did feel so realistic and well written, I just couldn't grasp what the point of it was.
Till death do us part - This play realised some very real fears of mine in terms of marriage. Marriage till this stage is sad and it really highlighted to me the importance of having your own life and having independence. Being a housewife is so damaging to one's autonomy and creates this kind of power imbalance that isn't healthy for a relationship in the long run. Love can seem to solve everything but in actual fact, this is the result of what life can turn out to be like.
The rest of the stories were well done but none as strong as these 3. I think the one with the 2 gay men caught my attention most for the short ones after.
mustardseed's review
5.0
faith ng's plays are incredible. her dialogue is so natural, and her characterisation is really really good - her plays feel particularly authentic to singapore, too. enjoyed reading them tremendously and wish i could just watch a single one (if not all lol).
favourites:
- normal - a look into the NA stream in singapore, really empathetic yet dramatic portrayal of the lives of students and teachers, within a framework of this larger national narrative (and particularly incisive into our edu system - personally, an important look into smth diff frm the narrow experience of school ive had)
- wo(men) - the lives of three generations of women in an exchange done in real time; the dialogue really tested my (nonexistent) hokkien skills but also build great tension and symbolism in the scene
also really liked skin, rose, and ah ma (tho i pretty much enjoyed everything so)
introduction was also really interesting, especially as someone who has (very sadly, but very much hope to change) little exposure to theatre in singapore (or theatre in general, really). some points it raised:
- political role of theatre in singapore as often a state v theatre dichotomy - but ng's plays political in a different way (not even particularly challenging but rather expressing the way that the individual identity is crafted/internalised within certain state narratives as well as cultural/social norms - e.g. the meritocracy idea, but also "asian values". one thing i noticed was her particularly emphatetic way of portraying familial ties and tensions) "not simply biographical and cultural testimony, but a staged encounter with an audience that explores the intersection of elements of self and the various cultural communities in which that self is formed."
- adjacent idea of effect as a form of "narrative therapy" wherein the different narratives are laid out and braided with one another
- use of techniques such as everyday objects (symbols) and soundscapes to convey ideas
"[...] realisation that our lives and identities are made up of scraps of stories told by others. What follows from Ng's plays is a quiet politics and poetics or remaking the self in the context of Singapore, a politics of empathy."
brb manifesting literary power transmitted through a shared name
favourites:
- normal - a look into the NA stream in singapore, really empathetic yet dramatic portrayal of the lives of students and teachers, within a framework of this larger national narrative (and particularly incisive into our edu system - personally, an important look into smth diff frm the narrow experience of school ive had)
- wo(men) - the lives of three generations of women in an exchange done in real time; the dialogue really tested my (nonexistent) hokkien skills but also build great tension and symbolism in the scene
also really liked skin, rose, and ah ma (tho i pretty much enjoyed everything so)
introduction was also really interesting, especially as someone who has (very sadly, but very much hope to change) little exposure to theatre in singapore (or theatre in general, really). some points it raised:
- political role of theatre in singapore as often a state v theatre dichotomy - but ng's plays political in a different way (not even particularly challenging but rather expressing the way that the individual identity is crafted/internalised within certain state narratives as well as cultural/social norms - e.g. the meritocracy idea, but also "asian values". one thing i noticed was her particularly emphatetic way of portraying familial ties and tensions) "not simply biographical and cultural testimony, but a staged encounter with an audience that explores the intersection of elements of self and the various cultural communities in which that self is formed."
- adjacent idea of effect as a form of "narrative therapy" wherein the different narratives are laid out and braided with one another
- use of techniques such as everyday objects (symbols) and soundscapes to convey ideas
"[...] realisation that our lives and identities are made up of scraps of stories told by others. What follows from Ng's plays is a quiet politics and poetics or remaking the self in the context of Singapore, a politics of empathy."
brb manifesting literary power transmitted through a shared name
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