The Change

In the wake of an uncomfortably-struck compromise deal at the COP27 climate change conference in Egypt, Singapore playwright-led collaboration Gangguan! presents The Change, an original new work. The one-actor play starring Dennis Sofian (Tartuffe, W!LD RICE) draws upon playwright Edward Eng’s (dead was the body till I taught it how to move, Bhumi Collective) personal experience working on climate policy and his difficulty explaining it.

The Change starts with the stories of two friends. Alex is a bureaucrat who, against the best wishes of his colleagues and constant failure, continues trying his best to effect change. Danial, his old friend from school, spends his days ironing children's clothes and his nights dabbling in socially-conscious theatre. They collaborate on a "performance-lecture" about climate change in Singapore.

But what happens as the play progresses, and as our encounters with the idea of climate change broaden and become more intense, one realises that the story is not what it seems to be. Questions are raised on why we have never come across a satisfying novel, film, or performance about climate change. While there are some great ones that use climate change as a vessel to talk about something else and vice versa, few are willing to speak frankly about the big problems, like holding the greenwashers to task or dealing with the psychology of inaction.

With post-dramatic elements, The Change acknowledges that climate change is about any number of issues, many of which are not matters of science.

With thanks to: Christine Tan, Shannen Tan, Dance Nucleus, and Teater Kami
Photos © Yong Junyi