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Fringe Foreword

“These are tough times.”

We have gone through many crises recently, so the above line is well-known. There are many problems in different areas that affect us and our world.

This makes it easy to think of giving up. But it also pushes us to dream of a better, more fair, and hopeful future.

For Fringe 2023, we did not set a theme to choose the works. Instead, we asked artists to tell us what they were worried about.

Artists from Singapore and all over the world shared many good ideas. These artists went through many lockdowns. Some even had job and personal losses.

By promoting open talks and working together, artists are asking:

What can we do to make sure those excluded are treated fairly?
How can we make the future look more positive?

Many great ideas were sent in. We have chosen eight events from Singapore and around the world. These works had similar clear messages:

How are certain people excluded;
Climate change and its impact on plants and animals;
How we can better care for others.

There are less rules about COVID-19 now. Theatres are also fully reopened. We are happy to invite you back to enjoy the magic of live theatre. As global travel has resumed, we will also have foreign artists performing at Fringe 2023.

We also believe that performances don't only have to be face-to-face. This reduces air travel. It also makes works accessible to those with mobility issues or who get sick easier.

For Fringe 2023, we have two creative digital works. They can be accessed at your own time during the 12 days of Fringe 2023.

We continue to work with Official Accessibility Partner Equal Dreams. This helps us keep making the festival as inclusive as we can.

You can enjoy the works both in person and online at Fringe 2023. Either way, we hope that the works will inspire hope, new ideas and positive change. We want to grow towards a society that works together to give a better future for all.

Be on the Fringe,
The Fringe team

Fringe Foreword

“These are trying times.”

The above line must seem incredibly familiar to everyone, what with the onslaught of crises we have experienced in the last few years, be they social, economic, political, health or environmental.

It is easy to feel an overwhelming sense of doom and despair in response. But it is also in such times that we are compelled to imagine a better, more equitable, and hopeful future.

For Fringe 2023, we did not provide a curatorial theme but instead, asked artists to tell us what they were concerned with in their communities. We are greatly inspired by the applications from artists from Singapore and all over the world, featuring works by artists who picked themselves up through multiple lockdowns, restrictions—and in some cases, job and personal losses. By encouraging open debate and collaboration, artists are asking what we can do to bridge the ever-widening rift between the privileged and the marginalised, and provide a brighter look towards the future.

From the robust proposals received, we have curated a line-up of eight events from Singapore and around the world. These works had clear messages in common—oppression of minorities, climate change and biodiversity loss, and the politics of care for diverse sectors of our community.

With the relaxation of COVID-19 Safe Management Measures and the full reopening of theatres, we are thrilled to be able to invite our Fringe audiences back to experience and be provoked by the magic of live theatre. As international travel has resumed, this also means Fringe 2023 will see the return of international works on our stages.

At the same time, we believe in the importance of alternatives modes of presentation that reduce air travel and are accessible to those with mobility issues or who are immunocompromised. For Fringe 2023, this comes in the form of two imaginative digital works that will be accessible to all at your convenience throughout the 12-day Fringe period.

We are also continuing our commitment to making the festival as inclusive as possible via our renewed partnership with Official Accessibility Partner Equal Dreams.

Whether you are accessing the works in person or digitally, we hope that the line-up at Fringe 2023 will inspire hope, alternative ideas and positive change, and see us continue to move towards a society that works together to provide a better future for everyone.

Be on the Fringe,
The Fringe team

Photos by Crispian Chan, Tuckys Photography & Edwin Sitt

Image decriptions:
1. A slightly blurry photo of a young South Asian man in a t-shirt
2. A young person lying in a landfill holding an eggplant and mushrooms to their body
3. Three young men of different ethnicities posing in all white grooms’ outfits: Indian, Malay, and Western suit

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