Dialogue, Differences and Empathy: How Theatre can Facilitate Deeper Engagement with Multiculturalism can Facilitate

The Singapore government has long harnessed arts and culture for national-ideological purposes, including projecting a vision of unity in a multiculturalism rooted in what many scholars have criticised as essentialised 'CMIO' categories. Artists, on the other hand, seek to express everyday multiculturalism and identity formation as lived and experienced by people at home, work, and social settings. In the process of depicting these everyday experiences of cultural encounters, artists' works may critique official narratives which may lead to the state reacting negatively and shutting down the work. Despite this, the arts in Singapore provides a safe space for Singaporeans to think about, speak about, and develop nuanced interpretations of themselves as multicultural citizens. This essay discusses the work of two theatre companies known for their socially engaged work, The Necessary Stage and Drama Box, and reveals how theatre is a space where the "unsayable" can be said and how their strategies in staging could provide a means for people to explore conflict, difference, and engage in dialogue.

Citation:
Wong, Audrey. ''Dialogue, Differences and Empathy: How Theatre can Facilitate Deeper Engagement with Multiculturalism can Facilitate.'' One United People: Essays from the People Sector on Singapore's Journey of Racial Harmony, edited by Buck Song Koh, Singapore, Marshall-Cavendish, 2022, pp. 164-177, ISBN / ISSN: 9789815009620.