Sunday, November 24, 2024

We are a band of brothers: S’pore Theater Company’s second name change reflects how close-knit the arts scene is, members say

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SINGAPORE — Roses by any other name can smell just as sweet, but apparently the same can’t be said for troupes.

The local arts community was in an uproar last week after the 30-year-old Singapore Repertory Theater announced it would be renamed the Singapore Theater Company (STC).

Given how small the theater community is, most Singaporeans outside of the arts scene were probably unaware of all the noise and fury.

However, because the theater community is so small and close-knit, the STC reversed its decision just a week later, announcing on Thursday (February 8) that the name would be changed again and announced at a later date.

The episode reflects how close and interdependent the arts community is, local practitioners said today, with members wary of making big moves without the blessing of their troupe colleagues. He says he won’t feel it.

Equally important, they said, the incident was an opportunity for the community to reflect on the identity of Singapore theater.

Everyone owns a “Singapore Theater”

STC, which first announced its rebranding on January 31, said it had not previously been a repertory theater “in the truest sense of the word.”

Removing the word from the name and changing it to STC “captures our essence and identity as a theater company rooted in Singapore”, the company said.

Practitioners who spoke to TODAY said they fully understand why the company wants to change its name. They didn’t like what the new name meant.

Playwright and director A. Yajna noted that the company has had “Singapore” in its name since 1993.

“But unfortunately, the move to change the name to the Singapore Theater Company without the buffer of the word ‘repertoire’ made it seem as if the name had suddenly been changed to the National Theater of Singapore with state approval,” he said. There were concerns,” Yajna said.

The National Arts Council (NAC) previously announced on Thursday that it had “supported the application to remove ‘Repertoire’ from the Singapore Repertory Theatre’s name”.

“However, the NAC does not believe that in doing so, this organization will become a national theater company, nor does it believe that by reason of the name change it will resemble a national flagship theater company.” added.

Some practitioners who raised concerns online and were interviewed today said they were surprised the NAC had not seen a response.

Juliana Lim, a former arts manager and administrator who helped build Singapore’s arts scene from 1978 to 1997, wonders how the meaning and significance of the name managed to escape the attention of the authorities. He said he is doing so.

She noted that there are a number of theater companies that have been performing original Singapore productions for decades, including Act 3 Theatics, theaterworks, Theater Practice and The Necessary Stage.

“Using the term ‘Singapore Theater Company’ as a proper name denies the identity of these theater companies founded by Singaporeans and their decades-long track record of nurturing and presenting original Singaporean work. That’s the case,” Mr Lim said.

Rama Chandran, founding director of Act 3 Theatrics, said “Singapore Theater” is a common noun that belongs to all companies, groups and artists, regardless of language or level of practice.

“We all own this term together. No company should use it alone as a proper noun,” he added.

Misrepresentation online?

Theater insiders also pointed out that if you search for “Singapore Theater” online, STC’s name will appear first in the results.

This is a concern to them, they said, especially if people searching for the term online come from outside the arts community or from abroad entirely.

Playwright and artist Hazwan Nouri said, “[STC’s]repertoire of works reflects more of the Western experience. It’s not enough to just work in Singapore. Names carry a lot of weight.”

Mr Alvin Tan, founder and artistic director of The Necessary Stage, said: “It’s easy to misunderstand that Singapore’s theaters appear to be quite colonial. This has become a national problem and needs to be remedied. be.”

Krish Natarajan, artistic director of Strawberries, Inc. and theater group Patch and Punnett, says it’s a “very smart move” for companies to use search engine optimization and choose names that stand out more online. said.

“But calling ourselves the Singapore Theater Company certainly makes us feel like champions of Singapore theater,” said Krish, although this fortuitous effect was probably not what STC intended. He said that he had not done so.

Not a big industry, but a small “scene”

Saiful Amri Ahmad Elahi, a longtime theater practitioner, says that while some may refer to the theater community as an “industry,” in reality, “it’s just a ‘scene’ and it’s very small.” Told.

Actors, technical experts and designers work across different companies all the time, he said, and sometimes different companies work together despite creative differences.

“So we don’t want to burn any bridges,” he said.

Mr Lim agreed. “I think they recognized that the right, best, or practical course of action was to ensure long-term acceptance of SRT among their peers.”

Mr Tan of The Necessary Stage imagined that it must have been stressful to “not have the blessings of the arts community”.

“Especially when the response is quite strong and uncoordinated, meaning it’s spontaneously spiking on social media,” he added.

STC confirmed in a statement Thursday that it had decided to change its name again after receiving criticism.

“These views are very important to us as we recognize the contributions and works of all Singapore’s artists and theater companies,” it said in a statement. “We believe that a thriving theater scene requires a united community, which is why we are changing our name from STC.”

Mr Krish said that while a brand is personal to the company it belongs to, “when you put the Singapore name on it, it is no longer personal.”

“So I think they understood that and responded in a polite manner,” he said.

“I also think they’re sensitive to what the community is feeling because it’s a small community and actors and creators are always collaborating and working for each other.”

As the eponymous drama of SRT/STC draws to a close, members of the arts community say there have been some positive takeaways from the past week.

Mr Hazwan pointed to a “strong sense of nationalism” among some practitioners, and Mr Lim said how people in the field independently express their opinions but do not adhere to a “single vision”. I observed how they were all united in their voices.

“I think the theater community has shown a strong sense of its own identity and empowerment,” she said.

Meanwhile, Yajna added: “I think this was a valuable opportunity to discuss what exactly ‘Singapore Theater’ means to the larger community.”



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