Hard Mode

Playwright Faith Ng takes myriad teenage drama and turns it into nuanced elegy in Hard Mode, Checkpoint Theatre’s effort at taking Gen Zs and Gen Alphas seriously on their own terms […] that manages to repeatedly bring fresh tears into the audience’s eyes with just a few lines of incisive dialogue, occupying that sincere tonal space that opens up access to memories of what it was like to be young for even those at some distance from teenage-hood.

Friendships — in particular male ones — shy love, sibling dynamics and school bullying — none of these are deemed too childish or too trivial to be given full-fledged treatment in a three-part, moveable set beautifully designed and lit by Petrina Dawn Tan, and which elicited wows from the participatory, youthful audience when it first emerged from the darkness.

The protagonist, loosely speaking, is Adam, played by Chaney Chia with a lot of charisma. […] [The characters’ interactions] are topped up with some choice fourth wall breaks, time skips and a reality distortion ably directed by Claire Wong; the audience is put through a comical whiplash as each heavier scene snaps mercilessly into an upbeat BTS music score.

“When” a character, in a moment of frustration, bid another “grow up”, this reviewer could not help but immediately think: “Yes, for sure, but not so fast.”

Hard Mode shows there are rich grounds to be mined within the stories of youth. One has a feeling that after this drop, there will come a deluge.

THE STRAITS TIMES

Ng’s script moves skillfully between raw, hard-hitting emotion, comedy, and tenderness. I appreciated that many of these tender moments displayed heartfelt connection in male friendships, with Rian proving to be an excellent listener and comforter of people. Knowing there was a secondary school group in the audience, I can only hope this models more vulnerability and empathy for young men in this difficult stage of their lives. [...]

Praise must be given to strong performances by all. Janine Ng’s performance as the cool girl who, deep down, is affected by her estranged relationship with her mother and harbours deep insecurity, was highly nuanced and emotionally sensitive. Kyra Lefebvre also displays great versatility moving from the shy 14-year-old to the quiet but confident 25-year-old adult Maya in her skillful manipulation of her voice and movement quality. In general, all performers embodied their characters’ changing ages extremely deftly.

The set by Petrina Dawn Tan was a simple connecting three rooms that were manipulated effectively, albeit slightly awkwardly, by hand. Lighting, also by Tan as well as Tai Zi Feng, made clever use of lines as grids on the floor which creatively marked spaces for acting out shorter scenes, as well as a decorative lighting piece that joined the three room sets.

[Checkpoint Theatre] also offered numerous access adaptations, including captioned and signed performances as well as a calm space outside the theatre equipped with sensory tools. Whilst I was unable to attend a performance designed for increased accessibility, it is worth noting that such resources are available and I commend [Checkpoint Theatre] for working with Grace Lee-Khoo to ensure these measures are in place.

Critics Circle Blog

It felt very real to see that most of the characters in Hard Mode didn’t have a “standard” family. [...] the Singapore of today is very different, with varying family units that span nationalities, geographies, and relations (though our housing policies have yet to acknowledge that reality).

It’s courageous to show that, because it defies the idea of perfection and harmony that we try so hard to espouse in our society. But it’s also realistic, and makes the characters that much more relatable. [...]

I applaud the writer for the copious use of Gen Alpha lingo in the play (the programme booklet even has a glossary of terms for the uninitiated!) – integrating so much of it into the dialogue is no mean feat, especially if one is (presumably) not conversant in it. It was amusing, it was authentic, and it was admirable — after all, we connect with those who speak our language. Given that contemporary slang terms are usually not perceived as suitable dialogue in theatre, this approach of including this generation in theatre makes it more accessible. And making art accessible is always a good thing. [...]

Hard Mode highlights the challenges of growing up in today’s climate, surfacing the usual differences while unearthing unexpected surprises. It’s coupled with a unique set and of course, a liberal serving of Gen Alpha dialogue. [...] For me, the diverse family backgrounds rang true, which to me, is why this play matters — that it shows us the reality of today’s family units.

MARCUS GOH