Author: Arman ShahPage 20 of 30
A former travel writer with fond memories of solo adventures in Southeast Asia, Arman is now founder and editor of The Everyday People.
If you ever see him approaching with a camera and voice recorder in hand, please choose kindness and don’t decline his request for an interview.
“You know, there’s this stereotype that Malays are lazy. So, when I get selected by key figures in the dance industry to represent Singapore at international competitions, I am very proud to show that Singaporeans can make it. It makes me prouder to be Malay as well.”
“I started volunteering in the gender advocacy scene at 16 because of my single mother. Growing up, I witnessed her financial and mental health struggles as she became both the sole breadwinner and homemaker almost overnight.”
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“My latest work, ‘To Kill The Birds & The Bees’, is a satirical slice of life film that talks about sex education – or lack thereof – in Singapore. It follows the crazy sexual encounters of four Singaporeans and how they unfold.”
“Society puts a huge pressure on us to be attached to someone, to want children and to reach other societal milestones. Ann is wondering: ‘Do I really want that? And on what terms do I want that? Is it possible to find what you want, and what does it require of our partners?’”
We take a look at the weeks and months of rehearsals that went into bringing Faith Ng’s latest play on adulthood, parenthood, and what it means to be happy in contemporary Singapore, live on stage.
“I hope audiences who watch ‘The Fourth Trimester’ will have more empathy and compassion for others. Stop putting pressure on and asking people when they’re going to have kids. It’s such a sensitive question…”
“And to everyone who’s watching this play, I hope you come to realise that it’s okay if your life is turning out differently from what you thought it would be. If you want to remain unmarried until the age of 35, so be it. Don’t want kids? That doesn’t make you any less normal. Go write your own story.”
“I’m very happy when I see her because I miss her so much when I’m in the Philippines. My mum is like my best friend and I can tell her everything and anything.”
“I think it’s important to tell this story because often, once children come into the picture, especially in a city as stressful as Singapore, everything becomes about them and whether you, as parents, have enough to provide for them. If we neglect that relationship, then problems may arise and eat into how we feel about parenthood.”
“What convinced me to take up this role were the many cultural touchpoints that I very much identify with. Faith talks about our struggles with work-life balance, societal and self-imposed pressures, and the gender roles that we conform to or rail against.”
“With stories like ‘The Fourth Trimester’ painting a very realistic picture of parenthood, I hope more people understand that dads need help and support too. And if you’re a dad who may not be doing that much right now, I hope this play reminds you that parenting is a team effort!”
“My biggest fear is dying and not having tried, and I have a lot of visions that I want to make a reality. At the same time, I am afraid of putting myself out there because there’s always a fear of failure. But I’d rather fail now than not try at all.’
“When the audience watches ‘The Fourth Trimester’, I hope they understand that at the end of the day, it’s not about embodying or being an ‘ideal’. We shouldn’t be so dogged by the idea of perfection that we lose what it means to be in the present.”
“So it always comes back to the same question of ‘Are you happy?’ And what does it even mean to be happy? Does it even matter? Because it’s really hard to be happy in Singapore. There are so many expectations and it’s all very heartbreaking.”
“You can’t stop doing what you love because it’s hard or because you keep getting rejected. Keep on doing it. If you work hard enough and show persistence towards your craft, it’s just a matter of time before you get recognised.”
Wesley Leon Aroozoo pays tribute to Singapore’s unsung immigrants who helped make Singapore the global trading port and maritime powerhouse it is today.
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“The worst thing I feared came true when I left the company. I was accused of stealing clients’ money. Debt collectors started chasing me and I started receiving death threats from the company’s clients…”