Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner
A crisis tests the resolve of the international staff of a refugee camp. Can they stay sane, stay alive, and stay strong when their minds, bodies, and spirits are called upon to do the impossible?
Written by Huzir Sulaiman, Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner is a multidisciplinary theatrical work set against the backdrop of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, investigating the realities of the aid industry. With sensitivity and nuance, Huzir delves beneath media portrayals to discover a world where good people struggle with treacherous politics and flawed institutions.
Directed by Claire Wong, this unflinching examination of the idealism and heroism of humanitarian workers raises vital questions about our world – from the nature of conflict, the toxic nature of institutions, and the challenges we face when confronted with powers larger than ourselves.
Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner is commissioned by Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2019.
Creative Team
- Playwright
Huzir Sulaiman
- Director
Claire Wong
- Cast
Dawn Cheong
Rayanna Dibs
Brendon Fernandez
Daisy Irani
Emil Marwa
Cheryl Chitty Tan
Jo Tan
Yazid Jalil- Musical Performers
.gif (Chew Wei Shan and Nurudin Sadali) and Anthea Julia Chua
- Assistant Director
Anthea Julia Chua
- Set Designer
Wong Chee Wai
- Lighting Designer
Lim Woan Wen
- Musical Directors
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- Composers
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- Sound Designers
Shah Tahir and .gif
- Costume Designer
Laichan
Reviews
- Press
Possibly the best work I’ve seen by Checkpoint Theatre co-founder Huzir Sulaiman... Every decision, even the seemingly mundane, or the seemingly stereotypical, fit into a larger interlocking picture, and set in motion a twin set of narratives that collide later on with the kind of force that removes the breath from your body.
The Intimate Critic, SG
The only standout Singapore work to have emerged this year is DISPLACED PERSONS' WELCOME DINNER by Checkpoint Theatre... [A] strong production with razor-sharp dialogue, complex direction and top-notch production values.
The Business Times, SG
DISPLACED PERSONS' WELCOME DINNER is a fascinating look into the world of humanitarian workers and a metaphor for the systems under which our world operates. […] The play is brilliantly acted and beautifully presented.
The Straits Times, SG
At once fiercely cerebral and incandescent in unfiltered feeling… [with] impressive displays of physical theatre, multiple languages and a variety of accents... [DISPLACED PERSONS' WELCOME DINNER] tells an important story with commitment and courage – not unlike the humanitarian workers in the play.
CENTRE 42, SG
DISPLACED PERSONS' WELCOME DINNER is a powerful work that is worth every minute of its staging.
POPSPOKEN, SG