Had to watch 'Press Gang' by W!LD RICE. Written by Tan Tarn How and directed by Ivan Heng. Our humorless IMDA (Info-Communications Media Development Authority) gave the play a pass, of course, since its content had all been reported in the media, and defamation suits had be filed and closed. The story is set in office environments that the friends and I aren't unfamiliar with. 😂
Civil servant Chia Kin Jek (played by Benjamin Chow) left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and joins the national newspaper as a reporter. Reporters are also played by Bhavan Muthu (T. Sasitharan) and Kerin Khoo (Amanda Tee), as well as ex-reporter with the national newspaper Yap Yi Kai (Mariam Wong). Two deputy editors, Aminah Sulaiman and Christopher Rozario (respectively played by Oniatta Effendi and Shane Mardjuki) vie for the top post after the newspaper's editor was set on indefinite leave after he wrote a cryptic piece about the government's supposed abuse of power.
*SPOILER ALERT.
'PRESS GANG' RUNS TILL SUNDAY 15 JULY 2018.
DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS POST IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE PLAY, AND YOU'VE PLANNED TO WATCH IT, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
The deputy editors and reporters come across a sensational piece of information that's politically sensitive and potentially damaging to the government. What should they do? How open would the government be with the senior management of the newspaper? That's basically how the play unfolded, giving the audience an insight into the decision-making process within the newsroom and how each editor thinks. We do not have a free press indeed. How much do you trust the national newspapers? What are these truths we seek? What are these facts that are undisputed?
There're many references to Singapore politics, defamation suits, and the active social media landscape in trying to provide alternative sources of 'news', prominent activists and writers who have been censured and sued. The whole sensational piece of information in 'Press Gang' revolved around how the Prime Minister's son who wasn't a Minister, but the head of a government investment company, slapped the incumbent Deputy Prime Minister. We saw how the newsroom had to suppress the information and were blocked out of even mentioning or questioning the powers-that-be about it. (Well, do google for rumored details to THE SUPPOSED SLAP in the Singapore political scene in 1990.)
[The Straits Times did publish an online review of the play on July 11, 2018. Dunno about print. I don't read its paywall articles or print version.]
The play includes loads of satire, laughs, and much food for thought. As interesting as the story is, the play's one hour and forty-five minutes felt a little draggy. It could have been neatened. The too-local references made it a play that can only stay in Singapore or Malaysia, and not travel across the region or internationally. Some scenes and lines were superfluous, and we thought that those were mainly in the script because erm... some people and stories in the newsroom of the olden days (and those still there) were alluded to.
Civil servant Chia Kin Jek (played by Benjamin Chow) left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and joins the national newspaper as a reporter. Reporters are also played by Bhavan Muthu (T. Sasitharan) and Kerin Khoo (Amanda Tee), as well as ex-reporter with the national newspaper Yap Yi Kai (Mariam Wong). Two deputy editors, Aminah Sulaiman and Christopher Rozario (respectively played by Oniatta Effendi and Shane Mardjuki) vie for the top post after the newspaper's editor was set on indefinite leave after he wrote a cryptic piece about the government's supposed abuse of power.
*SPOILER ALERT.
'PRESS GANG' RUNS TILL SUNDAY 15 JULY 2018.
DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS POST IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE PLAY, AND YOU'VE PLANNED TO WATCH IT, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
The deputy editors and reporters come across a sensational piece of information that's politically sensitive and potentially damaging to the government. What should they do? How open would the government be with the senior management of the newspaper? That's basically how the play unfolded, giving the audience an insight into the decision-making process within the newsroom and how each editor thinks. We do not have a free press indeed. How much do you trust the national newspapers? What are these truths we seek? What are these facts that are undisputed?
There're many references to Singapore politics, defamation suits, and the active social media landscape in trying to provide alternative sources of 'news', prominent activists and writers who have been censured and sued. The whole sensational piece of information in 'Press Gang' revolved around how the Prime Minister's son who wasn't a Minister, but the head of a government investment company, slapped the incumbent Deputy Prime Minister. We saw how the newsroom had to suppress the information and were blocked out of even mentioning or questioning the powers-that-be about it. (Well, do google for rumored details to THE SUPPOSED SLAP in the Singapore political scene in 1990.)
[The Straits Times did publish an online review of the play on July 11, 2018. Dunno about print. I don't read its paywall articles or print version.]
The play includes loads of satire, laughs, and much food for thought. As interesting as the story is, the play's one hour and forty-five minutes felt a little draggy. It could have been neatened. The too-local references made it a play that can only stay in Singapore or Malaysia, and not travel across the region or internationally. Some scenes and lines were superfluous, and we thought that those were mainly in the script because erm... some people and stories in the newsroom of the olden days (and those still there) were alluded to.
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