Issues of identity and Culture

in Jebat: Death of a Warrior

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Looking back to 1819 or before, the history of Singapore – Sultan Hussein and the Temenggong were paid a nominal sum by the British to have the rights to set a port in Singapore. How are all this linked? These issues of special rights sometimes make things more complicated than they already are. For one, it creates dependency. From dependency, it may create obligation. And obligation can be culturally constructed within a society.

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Reflecting back: how does this relate back to, how theatres explore issues of identity in culture and society?

History affects the way we look at things – these understanding of history by playwrights (Malay playwrights in this sense) contribute or influence the way the playwright interpret their understanding of the Malay society and culture. This is so as playwrights write based on their observation;

“The process begins with acute observation of our own communities, an ear for language, and an eye for the unusual within the usual; what is unique about the way we live, our blend of cultures and ethnicities, our habits and our habitats.”(Britton, 1997)

Through theatre, there is no definite right or wrong. It is open to endless possibilities – the society we live in, the culture we choose to undertake especially in this era – where we are constantly questioning our intentions and understanding of things (well, at least for me). Theatre explores these issues through the minds of the playwright, the concept of the directors and the play/imagination/believability of the actors. There are many underlying reasons as every one of us come with different experiences and preconceived ideas. It is not just the understanding of one person, but many people for that matter. It is a collaboration of human mind and experiences. That is the beauty of theatre – collaboration, to a no right or wrong answer.

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