Events

Please welcome The Troupe! They travel to different towns and villages with their show. They perform stories about people seeking a better life. This can be farmers, refugees, students, politicians, and aid workers. As they act, they find that their stories are more similar to their own lives than they expected.

Birds Migrant Theatre is back at the Fringe with a new play. It is about current world issues, like war, or when people are forced to escape their homes. The Troupe explores how these problems test our kindness. It shows how those who lost their homes work for a better future, for themselves, their families and communities. Will these struggles bring out the best or the worst in people? What does it cost to care for others?

Artist Statement

“Today’s world is full of sad news. Bombs kill people. People are moved illegally across countries, then forced to work. Refugees. War. The news keeps using the word “humanity”. What does that mean? When we keep reading sad news, it stops feeling important. People lose interest. They get busy with their own lives.

“A refugee is a person forced to escape their country. It could be because of war, unfair punishment, or natural disasters. They become easy to hurt or make use of. Yet, they work hard to support their families. They try to find a safe, new home, so they can start over.

“During these tough times, we think about people who feel like they don't belong anywhere, and how strong they are. Can joy still be found in new places? Can they still laugh, even as they start a new journey? In hard times, finding little moments of joy helps people keep going.

“This play by Birds Migrant Theatre focuses on these important issues. It is set in a make-believe world where a group of refugees put on a show in a refugee camp. Through their stories, we learn about the struggles refugees face, including conflicts and the effects of war. It also explores politics, cultural differences, and the challenges of being forced to leave home.

“Our play shows the struggles and strength of people who often can’t speak up. Kindness and understanding can help create peace, but hate can easily destroy it. Our choices can either spread kindness or keep harmful patterns going. By showing conflicts between locals and refugees, we hope to encourage understanding and positive change.”

With a good cast giving their all onstage, an unflinching, objectively written story that speaks truth to the limitations of being a migrant in Singapore, and imaginative script that explores the pitfalls of love and family, Foreign Bodies was a rare, big-hearted, honest glimpse into migrant life, by migrant workers with a story to tell.

— Bakchormeeboy.com on Foreign Bodies

Please welcome The Troupe! They travel around towns and villages with their show. They perform stories about farmers, refugees, students, politicians and aid workers—people in search of a better life. As they stage their play, they discover that what they perform may be closer to home than they realise.

Birds Migrant Theatre returns to the Fringe with another important play that focuses on current world issues—from war to the refugee crisis—and how these tragedies pose questions to our common humanity. The Troupe looks at how people who are affected by displacement strive for a more positive future—not just for themselves, but for their families and community. Will suffering and desperation bring out the best in people—or the worst? What is the price of compassion?

Foreign Bodies is a well-told story that dramatises the legal precarity migrant workers may face in Singapore. It does so without resorting to mere sympathy or an easy us-versus-them set-up, choosing instead to let audiences into its protagonists’ dilemmas.

—The Straits Times Life on Foreign Bodies

There will be a dialogue with the artists after the 5pm performance on 12 January 2025, with speech to text interpretation available upon request. Please email your request to info@singaporefringe.com by 6 December 2024.

Artist Statement

“The recent situation in the world: the bombs which kill common people, the cross-border human trafficking, the refugees, the war victims, and the articles which talk about humanity. What is humanity? It has become daily news we see and read, and is no longer deemed important. People have lost interest; they get busy with their own lives.

“A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. By definition alone we can see how vulnerable they are, how easy it is to exploit them. Refugees work hard and try to provide for their families, seeking asylum to build their lives back and a safety net for their surviving families.

“Amidst uncertainty, we ponder the resilience of those who’ve lost their sense of home. Can joy still bloom in unfamiliar soil? Can laughter echo through uncharted paths? For in the face of adversity, it is the human spirit’s capacity to find happiness in tiny moments that will keep them moving forward.

“As a collective effort of the Birds Migrant Theatre, this play emerged from our shared passion to shine a light on the profound and pressing issues of our time. Set in a fictional world, a troupe of refugees adopts various roles in a performance at a refugee camp. Through the portrayal of refugee crises, communal conflicts, and the aftermath of wars, we explore the multifaceted dynamics at play, including global and local politics, religious and cultural tensions, and the socio-economic challenges of mass displacement.

“This play is a mirror to our world, reflecting the struggles and resilience of those who are often voiceless. The threads of empathy and compassion can weave a tapestry of peace, but the fabric of hate can quickly unravel it. The choices we make can either foster a culture of love and kindness, or perpetuate harmful narratives. By highlighting the social disturbances and conflicts that arise between locals and refugees, we aim to foster understanding, empathy, and ultimately, change.”

Download artist biographies

Date & Duration
12 & 19 January 2025, 2pm & 5pm
70 minutes with no intermission

Location
Practice Space, The Theatre Practice

Price
$16

Language
In English, with some Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali and Burmese

Accessibility Features
Open captions in English for all shows.

Rating
To be advised

︎ Birds Migrant Theatre

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