Singapore's Discomfort Zone

What about sexuality?
Sa ' at: Sexuality isn't just sexuality. When you're talking about homosexuality, for example, it is political, isn't it? Because the homosexual act is something that's legislated against in Singapore; you're entering political territory when you talk about a homosexual in Singapore. Religion also comes in, because much of the chorus of disapproval of homosexuality comes from people who hold strong religious views.

Heng: Both Eleanor and Alfian have written trilogies about homosexuality and the very oppressive law. I do feel that because we've made these ideas so public people may say, "My goodness, that's an actual gay person on the stage, in the flesh, and these are my sisters and my brothers and my uncles and my fathers."

To what extent do your stage portrayals of sexuality leak into television?
Wong: It's impossible to tell cause and effect. In 1992, when we did "Mergers," there was a gasp in the audience because just as the lights went down two women were leaning towards each other to kiss. In 2003, when we staged it again, people were coming in droves. So they understand parts one and two of my trilogy, which is the personal story about why love should not be hemmed in. But they don't understand part three, which was no longer living like second-class citizens. What happened in between? All kinds of popular culture—television programs like Ellen DeGeneres, "Will & Grace"—made homosexual issues known. Were we part of that? I really, really hope so.

Yet the local authorities recently fined one broadcaster for showing two women kissing, and another show for " promoting the gay lifestyle. "
Wong: We can't look at these things in a linear way. You've got increasing awareness, but with it inevitably comes pushback. Because those who didn't know you were around didn't care and were happy to go on thinking gay people don't exist. Today, no one can quite say that, but there are still people who don't like it.

Ken, race relations and media manipulation are central themes in your play " Apocalypse: Live! " about the aftermath of a 9/11-style attack in Singapore that leaves an ethnic Malay general with a chip on his shoulder in command. What would you like your audiences to come away with?
Kwek: We have this unspoken law that you don't touch race or religion in Singapore.

When you talk about race you are really talking about the Malay Muslim minority and its relationship to the rest of Singapore. And there are also foreign-policy concerns because Malaysia and Indonesia, which are Muslim countries, are at our doorstep.
Wong: In my view this will be the last area to open.