The M1 Singapore Fringe Festival lets you get up close and personal with performance theater. In fact, this is where the heart of theater lives, without show-stopping numbers, huge sets or elaborate costumes \u2013 just the performers an arm\u2019s length away from you, telling you a story. About themselves, about the world and, if you listen closely enough, about you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And apparently some people just can’t get up close, because when they hear about themselves, they probably breakdown emotionally (oh shit I’m going to get sacked if I let them perform) or psychologically (hey wtf – a Finnish blasting Singapore in Singapore land!). Seriously, does Singapore really want to be a global city?<\/p>\n
How about, seeing it from the shoes of people who are actually performers? I perform in public so I can empathize: The fear of sudden rebellion<\/a>, seditious songs that will influence<\/a>, all these sounds like bullshit! People take part in an artistic activity for artistic purposes, not for your petty political gain! If the “general public” is not ready for such things it is simply because they have been held hostage psychologically. What kind of deviant gracious society is this?<\/p>\n
Another quote from an interview by Youth.sg<\/a>:<\/p>\n
How do you feel about receiving these complaints?<\/strong>
\nWe deal with it. Haha. Actually, after listening to all these complaints, we feel that it makes us feel that people are more or less the same everywhere. It\u2019s kind of nice to know that strangers also feel the same way towards certain things. We are all human, really. Things like aging population, healthcare are also common topics, especially in more westernised societies…<\/p>\nWe aren\u2019t getting depressed or anything like that as well, haha. People also understand the ironic side of the project. This project is based on complaints but it\u2019s also very important, it brings out community values where people get together and share experiences.<\/strong> It\u2019s a fascinating journey.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And by keeping quiet, or worse, forcing the voice to land on only “ministry of truth<\/a> sanctioned” platforms, it brings out not community values, but the kind of 1984 doublethink<\/a> that makes us cease to function well. The cognitive dissonance is so pronounce: perform more and perform less. Singapore the art city and Singapore the nanny state. Now M1 please sponsor something based on these principles. ARGH!<\/p>\n
I think the least we can all do is to go support them at the The Chamber at The Arts House<\/a>. Find someone you know and get invited. Better still, form your own complaints choir, or ink this permanently on the internet for the whole wide world to read about.<\/p>\n
All the best Wai Lun! Don’t worry about the press, you’re doing the RIGHT THING – The show must go on!<\/p>\n
\nUPDATED: Pictures \ud83d\ude42 Too bad no videos yet. Soon soon. The officials for M1 Singapore Fringe told us to refrain from recording so that they can put the professionally recorded one online later @ complaintschoir.org<\/p>\n
Wai Lun conducting the choir<\/small><\/div>\nThe turn out for the 3pm show wasn’t that bad. I’m guessing that the evening turnout is probably going to be better. The entire song (in swing tempo) written in 3 weeks was fun and easy to sing along, although you might end up twisting your tongue as the words don’t fit into the tune 100%. There was an awesome rap bridge in the middle, as well as lot of “enactment” of the complaints themselves.<\/p>\n
On the whole everyone was very good spirited. We discussed the ban in the Q&A session that followed, and there was a positive remarks coming from the choir members – I hope they are sincere about it \ud83d\ude09 It saddens me to hear that our two Finnish friends who came all the way here to start this project was totally puzzled by the way the “police<\/a>” reacted to the project, and continue to stress the warmth and love that comes with this project. We all came together to see how similar the cultures are, not how different.<\/p>\n
Leave you with a small segment of my best liked lyrics (at least the “printed” ones…) taken from various verses<\/p>\n
I’m stuck with my parents till I’m 35
\nCause I can’t apply for HDB
\nWe don’t recycle any plastic bags
\nBut we purify our pee
\n…
\nWill I ever live till eighty five
\nto collect my CPF?
\n…
\nPeople sit down during rock concerts
\nWe have to pay for tap water at restaurants
\n…
\nAll the bus stops have tilted benches
\nCannot access playboy.com
\n…
\nWhat’s not expressly permitted
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