'THE SPIRITS PLAY'' synopsis

Synopsis

The world of spirits is a world of flux.

Five post-war personas in a state of limbo gather at a deserted place.

Searching for a way home, they stop only to hear each other’s poignant tales of war and loss, endeavors and bygone dreams.

Soon, haunting memories of guilt and pain are unveiled and they realize they are tangled to each other in their choices and consequences.

With their relationship to each other now clear, they unleash a series of questions about the sense and senselessness of war.

‘To die for the motherland is to die in glory!’ against ‘Did we win the battle? Was there any real deed of bravery?’

They start drifting again.
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The Spirits Play, one of Singapore’s most important theatre classics, was written by the late Mr Kuo Pao Kun in 1998. It evokes memories from the 20th century Pacific War which swept through Asia and Europe and investigates the guilt, pain and complexities which the war incited. A play that is valued across generations for its universally embracing theme for Asia and the world, and its powerfully delivered message - the triumph of human oral histories over silenced war atrocities.

This multi-lingual production unites creative energies across three generations: highly cherished dramatist-playwright Kuo Pao Kun, esteemed director Kok Heng Leun, artistic director of Drama Box and TTRP graduate artists. It is our belief that the living and the deceased are only separated physically but never mentally, spiritually and creatively.