INTERCULTURALISM IN SINGAPORE PLAYS

Abstract

This thesis traces the development of the Singapore English language theatre fom the 1960's to the present. Since its early inception in the 1960's, the weariness and frustrations felt by its practitioners, caused by the inordinate influence of Western naturalism, and the perceived lack of an indigenous identity of the local theatre precipitated their search for a more relevant expression on the Singapore English language stage. This led to a period of conscious experimentation with alternative models of performance and techniques, from both the East and West, tailored to more accurately reflect the country's multicultural heritage. This thriving interculturalism has since characterised Singapore's quest for a "national theatre"