Written by award-winning and acclaimed playwright Huzir Sulaiman, Occupation weaves the true story of Huzir’s grandmother, Mrs Mohamed Siraj, with the experiences of the fictional character Sarah.

Mrs Siraj was a young woman in her teens during the war years and spent most of the occupation sequestered in her large family home. Later, in her eighties, Mrs Siraj is interviewed by Sarah, a bureaucrat tasked with collating Singapore’s oral history. In looking at the past, Sarah struggles with questions of her own life in modern day Singapore.

Directed by Claire Wong and starring Jo Kukathas, Checkpoint Theatre’s new 10th anniversary production of Occupation is an intimate journey through the labyrinth of memories of love and loss, and a celebration of that which has passed and that which remains forever. Vivid, humourous and beautiful.

First produced by Checkpoint Theatre in 2002 as a Singapore Arts Festival commission. Presented in 2012 by National Museum of Singapore in collaboration with Checkpoint Theatre.

Creative Team

Playwright

Huzir Sulaiman

Director

Claire Wong

Performer

Jo Kukathas

Set Designer

Andy Lim
Claire Wong

Lighting Designer

Andy Lim

Sound Design

Shah Tahir

Costume Designer

Priscilla Shunmugam

Hair and Makeup Designer

Joanna Koh

Production Stage Manager

Petrina Tan

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