Two of Singapore theatre’s most formidable multi-hyphenates craft a lyrical spectacle of the past and present, speaking to all who have known the harsh bitterness and gentle longing of awaiting a new normal.
What do stories of war tell us about human resilience and how we care for those closest to us? How does telling these stories help us to comfort and to heal?
Created by Claire Wong and Huzir Sulaiman, Escape to Batam is a delicate tapestry of the past and the present, weaving the remarkable lived experiences of Ming, who spent his boyhood on the rural island of Batam to escape the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, with his daughter’s personal stories of family, loss and grief felt in the years since her father’s passing. Drawing parallels from their different life journeys, daughter Claire finds herself discovering what it means to live with the pain of loving those who have left us, and how to carry on for those who are still with us.
Cast: Adib Kosnan, Chaney Chia, Genevieve Tan, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai, Neo Swee Lin
Playwrights: Huzir Sulaiman, Claire Wong
Director: Claire Wong
Dramaturgs: Huzir Sulaiman, Faith Ng
Historical Music Consultant: Phan Ming Yen
Set Designer: Petrina Dawn Tan
Lighting Designer: Faith Liu Yong Huay
Sound Designer, Engineer & Music Arranger: Shah Tahir
Multimedia Designer: Tan Wei Ting
Costume Designer: Max Tan
Assistant Director: Krys Yuan
Set Consultant: Marc Andre Therrien
Makeup Designer: Bobbie Ng
Hair Designer: Leong
Producers: Claire Wong, Huzir Sulaiman
Production Manager: Evelyn Chia
Technical Manager: Paul Lim
Multimedia Operator: Ian Lee
Stage Manager: Saffa Afiqah
Assistant Stage Managers: Wann Nurul Asyiqin, Georgia Sim
Production Assistant: Lilith Tan
Set Assistants: Michael Lee, Thaddeus Leong
Production Interns: Azina binte Abdul Nizar, Am Kaplan
Wardrobe Manager: Lim Zhiying
Dresser: Nurynne Aliesya
Creative Captioners: Shai, Natalie Linn Titus, Joanna Ong
Singapore Sign Language Interpreters: Faaiqah Alkaff, Patricia Merilo, Fang Shawn
Access Consultant: Yew Hau En
Marketing & Publicity: Jayne Lim, Tricia Tan
Development & Engagement: Faith Ng, Chaney Chia, Cheryl Kim Oon
Production Administration: Sheryl Teo, Shalani Devi
Graphic Designer: Marc Gabriel Loh
Production Photography & Videography: Juliana Tan
Interns: Lalita Kumar, Hannah Leong, Adlina Anuar