Controversies on stage

“These topics get people thinking and force them to look at things from different perspectives. It forces the conservative Singaporean audience to step out of their comfort zones and face taboo scenarios without being judgmental.” – Director Loretta Chen, on taboo topics.

Well known for having a controversial streak and having the bravery to deliver it on the stage, Loretta Chen, whose play What the Butler Saw opens Feb 7, talks to The UrbanWire about how controversial themes in her plays correlate with her life philosophies.

Whether it’s the topic of  homosexuality or a re-enactment of infamous Annabelle Chong’s record-breaking sex act, director Loretta Chen has no qualms about provoking conservative Singapore society with her take on controversial art issues on stage with productions such as Vagina Monologues and 251.

Having received her BA (Hons) in Theatre form the National University of Singapore (NUS), topping her class and gaining her MA at prestigious Royal Holloway College, University of London and being the first Singaporean to be awarded a full PHD Scholarship and Research Fellowship in the school of Theatre at UCLA, Loretta is one of the few bilingual directors.

In addition, Loretta has been nominated for 2 Life Theatre Awards for her controversial project 251 in 2007 and garnering 4 nominations at the Life Theatre Awards including Best Director for the production, Ten Brothers in 2005.

Greeting The UrbanWire at the entrance of the rehearsal venue at the Singapore National Library in an elegant white blouse teamed with black streamlined trousers and bright lime green Ed-Hardy looking Pumas, you could have easily mistaken Loretta, with her striking confidence, as the star of the show.

After settling down at a table full of props with the director-actor-host, we were curious as to which of her professions she prefers.

“Oh, definitely directing!” she said without hesitation. 

“It allows me to work with people,” she added, “and I am such a people’s person, I suck up people’s energy like a vacuum cleaner – swoop swoop swoop,” giggling as she mimicked the sound of a vacuum cleaner.

As the artistic director for Zebra Crossing Productions, Loretta feels that through directing she gets to work on productions from a more macro aspect. Getting to work with different departments and diverse talents, from the designers to the marketing people, is something she enjoys.

“But hosting is great, ’cause it pays the bills!” she beamed as she twisted her long ebony coloured hair.

As for being an actor?

Well, the multi-talented Loretta is able to use her understanding of an actor’s psyche to associate and relate to her cast. She quips “because of my acting experience, I can personally help them and guide them in crafting their characters.”

From the sexual Olympian to homosexuals, all the characters in Loretta’s plays have very intricate and unconventional personalities that complement the controversial nature of the plays.

However, it’s the risk in dealing with such taboo subjects that drives Loretta.

She explained, “ These topics get people thinking and forces them to look at things from different perspectives. It forces the conservative Singaporean audience to step out of their comfort zones and face taboo scenarios without being judgmental.”

Most of Loretta’s plays revolve around the topic of sex. It’s not to titillate that she has chosen to focus on this, though. Loretta explains that the exploration of carnality draws the primal human instinct out of her subjects, and that’s what makes her work thought-provoking. 

“I feel that topics with a carnal nature make people uncomfortable because it is too close to home and is so accessible. I think accessibility in itself is what makes the topic fearful.”
 

Loretta’s life values are similar to her scripts.

She explains, “ I feel strangely quite similar to Joe Orton and his plays. Unlike many artists who come from bourgeois backgrounds, Joe Orton and I are very much working-class artists. And I worked my way up with the belief that I could make a living out of the arts.”

Another thing that she shares with Orton is, “to be able to have such a weird sense of humor. I have had my fair shares of ups and downs in my life. I have had death happen around me and I still managed to have a morbid perspective of life and laugh about it and I think that is something we have in common”.

With her works full of exuberance, sexy and promiscuous characters, one has to wonder if it has affected her life’s philosophies.

Underneath the more obvious sex and scandal, the one prevailing message Loretta focuses on is the power of questioning. Loretta explains that her, “plays always question the changing beliefs and attitudes on society”.

With much the same passion in her life, Loretta finds that her topics are very relevant to her, “I consider myself a youth of the world, and we are constantly questioning what is wrong and what is right.”

Having an enquiring mind, Loretta feels, is especially prevalent in her upcoming play, Orton’s What the Butler Saw.

About What the Butler Saw

What the Butler Saw was first staged in London in 1969, and was considered a rebel of its time, questioning and challenging authority and sanity.

While still set in a mental hospital, as in the original play, Loretta has moved the action to Singapore, circa 1969.

Perhaps it’s timely that this light-hearted comedy, set to open its doors to public on Feb 7, is set during the time where Singapore was in a flux. A contrast to the Singapore we live in today; 40 years earlier and going through a tumultuous economic downturn with the rest of the world.

Loretta says, “I feel that despite the situation, it is very important to laugh. I mean laughter is not called the best medicine for nothing.”

Through this show, she hopes to convey the idea of “not to sweat too much about the small stuff”.

Performance Details of What the Butler Saw

When: Feb 7 – Feb 22, 2009
Where: Drama Centre Theatre @ Level 3, National Library Building, Singapore (Map)
Preview Performance (Feb 7, 3pm) – $29, $39, $49, $55
Performance times: 8pm – Tuesdays to Saturdays, 3pm – Saturday and Sunday only