EN3271: Advanced Playwriting

Wed, 9 Apr 2008
2 min read
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Because I know there will be people who will Google for more info on EN3271: Advanced Playwriting, I thought I’d do a blog post on it too, in order to:

  1. Help sell the module – it’s really good! – and
  2. Tell people more about what I do in school.

Huzir Sulaiman is mentoring us for this module; he has also mentored us for the pre-requisite module to EN3271 i.e. EN2271: Introduction to Playwriting, and it has been a really great experience all the way.

We had a play reading last year which provided many networking and career-building opportunities for me, not to mention two very fun-filled days of laughter and entertainment from the talented actors who worked on our scripts.

The writing in this module has become more focused; from shorter pieces focusing on different areas, we have finished a two-act play and are in the process of completing another.

What I really like about this class is that because it’s a small class size, it’s not unwieldy and we can have some fun times hanging out together as well.

We usually have lunch together after class, and here are some pics of us at Holland Village when we went to Da Paolo’s for very nice pizza.


Lucas.


Cheryl and Mel.


Karthik.

So if you’re contemplating taking either EN2271 or EN3271, don’t hesitate – just do it. But do your best while doing it, so you get the most out of the experience. (Which I guess should go without saying for most things in life anyway?)

The Great Escape

Sat, 5 Apr 2008
1 min read
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There was class today.
We had a break.
I went for coffee.
Bought from The Deck.
I returned to AS7.
I saw a bird.
It was a mynah.
It looked so forlorn.
Standing at the door.
(Made of solid glass.)
It accidentally flew in.
But had no egress.
I thought I’d help.
I opened the door.
I turned to look.
At the damn bird.
It had skittered away.
The door swung shut.
It hit my coffee.
Which spilled on me.
My nice t-shirt, specifically.
I was pretty horrified.
But steeled my resolve.
I opened the door.
And left it ajar.
I walked one round.
To shoo the bird.
Out the damn door.
Mynah got the message.
It flapped away hurriedly.
Into sweet spring’s freedom.
I stood there staring.
At the coffee stain.
Then at the bird.
I smiled to myself.
(Secretly; no one saw.
They’d think me mad.
If they don’t already.)
Said under my breath.
To the departing mynah.
“Max Perry, go free.”

Censorship and Singapore

Tue, 11 Mar 2008
2 min read
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From: K**
Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2008 2:37:15 PM
Subject: MDA update

Hi C** and E**

As sms-ed to you, MDA is not giving the go-ahead for The Last Political Animal. It is politically sensitive and should not be staged as it is (sic) as the connections are obvious.

…

Swear words like “Jesus fucking Christ” uttered by one character in The Last Political Animal are definitely offensive and for plays licensed by MDA, they do not allow this.

Please revert by today what you intend to do about The Last Political Animal. Meanwhile, the entire event will carry a R18 rating…

I think what a lot of people don’t realise is that in Singapore, the more you try and prevent something from happening, the reverse usually happens.

I don’t mean to say that the organisers are going to ignore the restrictions and proceed with staging the play; the Ideological State Apparatuses, among other ISAs, have been too far ingrained in most people for them to know when not to throw caution to the wind.

What I mean to say is that the irony in the situation now is that because of the censorship, more people are interested in actually finding out what the play’s about!

So it simply goes to show that human nature is as such – the more authority tries to impose its will upon the liberties of the masses, the more resistance there is to it.