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ARTS&LEISURE
176
April15
Truth
By Amy Greenburg
his month, Wild Rice presents Public Enemy, a
modern-day adaptation of one of the world’s most
powerful and thought-provoking satirical plays, Henrik
Ibsen’s
An Enemy of the People (1882)
. We asked
acclaimed director GLEN GOEI about the much-
anticipated production and what we can expect from
this month’s hottest ticket in town.
Tell us about
Public Enemy
.
What can audiences expect?
It’s a 130-year-old classic written
by Norwegian Henrik Ibsen – the
second-most-produced playwright
after Shakespeare. It tells the story
of a biologist, Dr Thomas Chee, who
discovers that the water supply in his
town is riddled with bacteria, just as the town’s economy
is booming as a result of it becoming a world-class
resort spa. He resolves to go public with the information,
but this decision pits him against the entire community
whose personal self-interests are at risk. Audiences can
expect a riveting and challenging play with provocative
questions about democracy, the will of the majority and
the importance of freedom of expression.
How has the play been adapted to current-day
Singapore, and why do you think the story and
themes still ring true today?
This new adaptation by British playwright David Harrower
makes the play contemporary and engaging by using
familiar language that reflects the way we speak today.
Also, David has written it in the style of a psychological
political thriller, which makes it immediate and accessible
to a modern audience.
The story is still relevant to us today, especially in
Singapore, where our civil liberties of freedom of speech
and expression are curtailed and suppressed. And in our
patriarchal, Confucianist society, every individual is under
pressure to conform for the good of the majority. We may
live in a first-class city, but there are still many “third world”
problems that need to be addressed. Do we stand up for
what is right, or is it easier for us to choose to ignore the
truth and follow the will of the majority?
As our general election draws close, this play is even
more pertinent, not just for voters, but for those of us who
live in Singapore and call it home. It challenges us to ask
what our responsibilities are as people who live in and
continue to enjoy what this country has to offer, and how
we can make it a better place to live in, both for ourselves
and for future generations.
What drew you to this particular production?
In the highly globalised world that we live in today, and in the
age of the internet, we no longer seem to have any original
thoughts or ideas. Everyone is caught up in the rat race,
and it’s far easier to be part of it and to conform than to walk
against it. This production raises the question of what it
means to hold firmly to one’s conviction, even if it may seem
unpopular, and to speak your mind, even if it means making
you an enemy of the community that you hold so dear.
See
Public Enemy
from 9 to 25 April at the Victoria
Theatre, 9 Empress Place. Tickets from Sistic.
wildrice.com.sg
Toxic