Two of Singapore theatre’s most formidable multi-hyphenates craft a lyrical spectacle of the past and present, speaking to all who have known the harsh bitterness and gentle longing of awaiting a new normal.

What do stories of war tell us about human resilience and how we care for those closest to us? How does telling these stories help us to comfort and to heal?

Created by Claire Wong and Huzir Sulaiman, Escape to Batam is a delicate tapestry of the past and the present, weaving the remarkable lived experiences of Ming, who spent his boyhood on the rural island of Batam to escape the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, with his daughter’s personal stories of family, loss and grief felt in the years since her father’s passing. Drawing parallels from their different life journeys, daughter Claire finds herself discovering what it means to live with the pain of loving those who have left us, and how to carry on for those who are still with us.

Director-Playwright Claire leads a phenomenal ensemble cast of Adib Kosnan, Chaney Chia, Genevieve Tan, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai, and Neo Swee Lin. Poignant and humorous by turns, Escape to Batam draws deeply on Claire and Huzir’s mastery of the written word and the theatrical medium to create a powerful new play that transcends generations.

A programme of 60 Connections – At Home and Afar, a year-long season of Singapore stories and international collaborations in celebration of SG60.

Access

All performances for Escape to Batam have creative captioning and the assisted listening system available. Singapore Sign Language interpretation will be available for the Fri 22 Aug, 8pm performance. For the best view of captions and Singapore Sign Language interpretation, please book the following seats:

AE 7–23, AF 3–22, AG 1–23, AH 1–24, BA 1–26, BB 1–26, BC 1–26, BD 1–5, BE 1–4.

The Singtel Waterfront Theatre is wheelchair-accessible with various services available to support patrons with access needs. For assistance, please contact Esplanade Customer Experience at 6828 8377. Concessions are available for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and one accompanying companion.

Creative Team

Co-playwright

Huzir Sulaiman
Claire Wong

Director

Claire Wong

Co-dramaturg

Huzir Sulaiman
Faith Ng

Cast

Adib Kosnan
Chaney Chia
Genevieve Tan
Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai
Neo Swee Lin

Set Designer

Petrina Dawn Tan

Lighting Designer

Faith Liu Yong Huay

Sound Designer

Shah Tahir

Historical Music Consultant

Phan Ming Yen

Costume Designer

Max Tan

Multimedia Designer

Tan Wei Ting

Make-Up Designer

Bobbie Ng

Hair Designer

Leong

Production Manager

Evelyn Chia

Technical Manager

Paul Lim

Stage Manager

Saffa' Afiqah

Assistant Stage Manager

Wann Nurul Asyiqin

Wardrobe Manager

Lim Zhiying

Crew

Lilith Tan

Dresser

Nurynne Aliesya