Twitter
Facebook
Flickr
RSS
They say that Singapore GE 2011 was the watershed for Singapore political history, or at least, for modern Singapore society.
Indeed, this was the first time Singaporeans were so psyched up about GE. And through the use of multi-media and social networking sites, the propaganda of different parties spread like wild fire.
It was exhilarating, even more so for a first-time voter like me. And I thought, I could feel the excitement all over again when I watched "Cooling Off Day"
Well, I must give credits to the playwright Alfian Sa'at for pulling together accounts, thoughts and opinions of people from different walks and races on GE 2011. It was interesting to hear the views of others, especially people from different parties (Opposition VS PAP) just to give it a balanced view.
Still, you could sense that the show was tilted. (towards the Opposition of course)
Was vaguely disappointed because this ain't really a play per se, but a recount of different voices put up on the same stage. Albeit the performers did a fantastic job memorizing all the lines and personas of different characters.
But that was just that.
Interesting. But perhaps miss-able.
Shared a laughter or two, and was especially tickled with the adaptation of Mr Brown's popular podcast of Bar Chor Mee VS Teochew Muay.
I must say that I particularly liked the last scene of the entire play. It reflected the actual number of white seats (representing PAP) and red seats (representing Opposition) in the Parliament.
After all, if voices were not translated to actions, it would in the end only be, well, just voices.
But then again, regardless the colors of seats in the Parliament, they represent our Nation.
And I think that's the take home point of the show. Or so I thought.
Read sypnosis of "Cooling Off Day" below, taken from the MAN Singapore Theatre Festival official website:
Why do you vote?
What issues influenced you?
What does citizenship mean to you?
What issues influenced you?
What does citizenship mean to you?
In the electrifying months leading up to the watershed 2011 General Elections, and in the tumultuous months after, playwright Alfian Sa’at interviewed Singaporeans to discover their responses to these searching questions. Boldly putting aside concerns about secrecy, the interviewees opened their hearts to share what they honestly felt and what they truly believe in.
Covering a wide social and political spectrum, the candid interviews capture the GE experience through the voices of individual Singaporeans – from election candidates to pro-establishment civil servants; from taxi-drivers to teachers; from diehard opposition supporters to young people casting their virgin votes. From the transcripts of these real-life interviews emerges a script that chronicles the momentous event that not only rocked the boat, but created startling ripples that are still widening even now.
The private clashes behind the public debates... the personal convictions behind the party politics... even that unforgettable moment as they finally stood alone in the polling booth with pen in hand, poised to make their mark. These interviews – some hopeful, some fearful, some hilariously frank, some achingly honest – form a portrait of Singaporeans confronting the real meaning of democracy and rediscovering their role in shaping the country’s future.
An ensemble of our most versatile actors, playing characters aged 17 to 70, takes on these Singaporean voices – in a playful and poignant piece of testimony theatre that proves how political views are not just the hot air of coffeeshop talk.
And more videos of it, below:
(Cooling Off Day trailer)
(Cooling Off Day - Interview with Alfian Sa'at and Ivan Heng)
