Led by local theater company Wild Rice, this festival showcases six original productions directed by and featuring some of the local scene’s luminaries, including Olivier Award nominee Glen Goei and playwright Alfian Sa’at.

This year’s edition has been given a fillip by Man Investments’ (of Booker Prize fame) sponsorship along with the premieres of three original plays: The Weight of Silk on Skin, Cooling Off Day and Family Outing.

“Although some of the plays appear to deal with taboo topics in Singapore, beneath the veneer it’s all about culture, identity, society and nationhood,” says Wild Rice’s artistic director Ivan Heng. “Also, we want to dramatize original literary works that capture the essence of what it means to be in Singapore now.”

The program also includes encores for two critically acclaimed plays, Charged and Nadirah, which cleverly confront thorny issues on race and religion with a healthy dose of irreverent humor.

“Though these plays are different in tone and context, they are both pertinent pieces because they reveal the issues faced by ordinary Singaporeans, “says Zizi Azah, the award winning director of both plays. As Singapore reaches her 46th year, questions about identity become increasingly prevalent and fraught—on one hand we have a Monocle-endorsed hyped-up city while on the other a more somber analysis reveals a sense of loss as we chomp through the global economic race.

“Singaporeans are usually known for their penchant for conspicuous consumerism, but to get to the soul of the nation, we need to watch these plays, including folks who have never been part of the usual theater crowd,” says Heng.

The Man Singapore Theatre Festival runs from Aug 3-21. Catch the plays at these time.

Charged Aug 3 to Aug 7.
The Weight of Silk on Skin Aug 3 to Aug 7.
Cooling Off Day Aug 10 to Aug 14.
Family Outing Aug 17 to Aug 21.
Nadirah Aug 17 to Aug 21.