Below is the second of two scripts, one from Secondary 2/A and another from 2/5. These scripts are the result of improvisations and research that the students did in the first 6 weeks. They were written in small collaborative groups and pieced together by the facilitator, Ms Noorlinah Mohamed.

 

Secondary 25: Untitled

 

This piece started out as a drama on fires in the 60s. Subsequently, the work expanded to look at newspaper articles from the 60’s and life in HDB flats. Some key questions explored were: How did the kampung dwellers cope with this move? What are some of the stories of their lives?

 

EXTRACT 1

Music begins and the stage is slowly lit with ambers sparkling in the distance. The ambers become brighter and sparks fly and a fire breaks out. Then we hear a voice reading a poem and then screams. The stage is bright with 4 images moving in slow motion. Then silence and actors come to centrestage.

 

VINCE:           All my money, all my belongings, all my assets are gone!

 

MENDY:         (CRIES) My mother is still in the house!

 

PAULINE:       Where are my things? Everything, everything is gone!

 

JING JIE:         Aiyo! Play with match sticks already bad enough! Still pour in

kerosene from the oil lamp!

 

BRYAN:          My beloved brother . . . .

 

VIVIAN:          I can’t bear to see her so sad (puts arm around Mendi)

 

WANGLING:  I want my father back!

 

ZHENG JIE:    What are the fire-fighters doing? How did the fire get so big?

 

BOON LIANG:           Many lives are lost.

 

POH RONG:   Where is my dog. Xiao Bai, where are you?

 

PEARLYN:      All that is left are memories.

 

ELEANOR:     Why didn’t God save us? Why is he so cruel?

 

JIA QUAN:     Homeless, lost, pain.

 

DARYL:          My memories burnt with the house.

 

YILIN:             This is such a tragedy.

 

CLARA:          Nothing could have saved it.

 

JETHRO:         I am dead.

 

SHI HUI:         Black smoke, red eyes.

 

WEIXIANG:    What should I do now?

 

FRANCIS:       Everything is gone . . . Time for Kopi O.

 

 

 

All:                   Kopi O? Francis! – odd and even group

Francis why can’t you concentrate?       )

This is not funny.                                   )

You are crazy.                          ) spoken by individuals in the

Hey I also want to some kopi.               ) second group.

 

Music plays and radio news is heard

 

 

EXTRACT 2:

Ah Ma and Granddaughter Siew Siew

 

Ah Ma is seen sitting quietly on a bench, alone. Granddaughter runs in.

 

Siew Siew: Ah Ma, Ah Ma, what are you doing out here?

 

Ah Ma: Huh? Huh?

 

Siew Siew: What are you doing here?

 

Ah Ma: Ah yo, so loud. I am not deaf! Nothing, Just sitting.

 

Siew Siew: Sitting. Why don’t you go back and sit at home.

 

Ah Ma: No . . . its too warm up there.

 

Siew Siew: But we can switch on the electric fan.

 

Ah Ma: No need to waste electricity. Come sit with Ah Ma.

Siew Siew sits down next to Ah Ma.

 

Siew Siew: What are we looking at?

 

Ah Ma: Nothing. Just look around. See people walking.

 

Siew Siew: Ah Ma, let’s go back.

 

Ah Ma: You go back first if you want. Ah Ma will sit here for a while more. Go, its ok.

 

Siew Siew: You will come back right?

 

Ah Ma: Yes, I will.

 

Siew Siew: Ah Ma, is everything alright?

 

Ah Ma: (Sigh) . . . yes. Its just so different, everything is so different. Many things have changed.