PATRIARCHY IN SINGAPORE THEATRE : THE SEARCH FOR AN INDIGENOUS FEMINIST THEATRE

Abstract

The main title of this thesis is borrowed from a forum held by The Necessary Stage in August 1996, of which the unresolved discussions roused great interest in me to do further research and study in this area. While the issue of feminism was consciously avoided in the forum, I thought it was a relevant area to include in the thesis, partly because of my own interest, and also to see whether feminist thought could be found amidst the patriarchy. Thus, this thesis is interested in discovering what the concepts of patriarchy and feminism may mean, and how it affects theatre in Singapore. However, because patriarchy and feminism are not monolithic constructs, they need to be examined in the context of Singapore in order for this thesis to be accurate and relevant. Furthermore, because feminism is such a diverse construct, it will be briefly discussed according to three different geographical locations as each region and country's unique circumstances contributes to its own definition(s) of feminism. In relating these two concepts to the theatre, it is not enough to just discuss ideologies but practical examples are also needed. This is further reinforced by the fact that there is no material relating to patriarchy or feminism in local theatre and therefore, field research had to be done in the form of interviews with various theatre practitioners, which will be presented in the form of case studies. Finally, this thesis also seeks to propose an interpretation of an indigenous feminist theatre in a Singaporean context that tries to be free from the influence of any mainstream ideology -- patriarchal or feminist