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| {{Short description|1992 Singaporean Play}} | {{Short description|1992 Singaporean Play}} | ||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}'''''Details Cannot Body Wants''''' is a ] ] ]<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=9 September 1992 |title=Singapore's first R-rated play |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920909-1.2.63.3.1 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=9 September 1992 |title=Restricted plays |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19920909-1.2.6.4.1?qt=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22&q=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=4 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> written by Chin Woo Ping and directed by ] It was first published in 1992 |
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}'''''Details Cannot Body Wants''''' is a ] ] ]<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=9 September 1992 |title=Singapore's first R-rated play |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920909-1.2.63.3.1 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=9 September 1992 |title=Restricted plays |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19920909-1.2.6.4.1?qt=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22&q=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=4 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> written by Chin Woo Ping and directed by ] It was first published in 1992 as ''The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants'' (which included the ] ''The Naturalization of Camellia Song'') and staged on 12 and 13 September 1992 in ]'s Guinness Theatre as a part of the ] ''Renewable Women'', which contained ]'s ''Second Chance''. It is a ] by a nameless character (played by Chin) who rants against the societal, cultural, and emotional restrictions of Asian women in a mixed culture society and is supported by a chorus as well as an array of ]. Due to its unconventional structure, reviewers gave the play mixed reviews. It was later being restaged by the ] in ], 1998. | ||
| The play mostly originated from Chin's personal experiences. When the play was to be adapted on stage |
The play mostly originated from Chin's personal experiences. When the play was to be adapted on stage as a part of the ] ''Renewable Women'' (which included ]'s ''Second Chance''), the Public Entertainment Licensing Unit (PELU) initially refused to administer the license unless certain parts of the play were changed, but later allowed it to be presented uncut (through an appeal by Yeo) with an ], on the condition that all publicity material for ''Renewable Women'' contained a warning "discouraging" those under 18 years old to view the play. This technically made both ''Second Chance'' and ''Details Cannot Body Wants'' the first R-rated play in Singapore, though it was only ''Details Cannot Body Wants'' that was deemed as "offensive". | ||
| {{Infobox play|name=Details Cannot Body Wants|director=]|original language=English|chorus=Unnamed characters|playbill=Renewable Women|date of premiere=12 September 1992|subject= |
{{Infobox play|name=Details Cannot Body Wants|director=]|original language=English|chorus=Unnamed characters|playbill=Renewable Women|date of premiere=12 September 1992|subject=Asian women's social identity in a mixed-influence society|writer=Chin Woo Ping|place=]'s Guinness Theatre, ]|orig_run=12-13 September 1992|image=The_Naturalisation_of_the_Camelia_and_Details_Cannot_Body_Wants,_1993_cover.jpeg|caption=The 1993 cover of The Naturalisation of the Camelia and Details Cannot Body Wants}} | ||
| == Synopsis == | == Synopsis == | ||
| The play is a 45-minute ] presented by an unnamed character (played by Chin Woo Ping) |
The play is a 45-minute ] presented by an unnamed character (played by Chin Woo Ping) exploring an Asian woman's societal, cultural, and emotional restrictions in a mixed culture society.<ref name=":0" /> It is divided into four concepts: (i) details - details of women's struggles in life, (ii) cannot - restrictions placed on women when creating their identity/], (iii) body - male and female's perceptions of women's form, (iv) wants - women's wants.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Seet |first=K. K. |author-link=K. K. Seet |title=Playful Phoenix |publisher=Singapore Press Holdings |year=1996 |isbn=9789810080396 |editor-last=Chin |editor-first=Woo Ping |chapter=Feminist Manipulations of the Gaze in Contemporary Singapore Plays}}</ref> | ||
| Chin is supported by a three-person ] as well as ] such as a ] |
Chin is supported by a three-person ] as well as ] such as a ], an inflatable ], masks, and risqué costumes to rant against ], the cultivation of a coy voice, and other issues.<ref name=":0" /> She also uses a combination of ], ], ], ] jingles, and ], as well as alluding to Western and Asian cultural figures such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=":2" /> | ||
| == Production |
== Production history == | ||
| === Creation === | === Creation === | ||
| When Chin was writing the play, she had the play's four concepts as well as two images (one of a woman crawling on the floor with a trail of pots and pans and the other of a woman undergoing a ]) already in mind, with the breast examination image inspired from her friends undergoing ]. Although some parts of the play came from Chin's personal experiences, she claims that it is not entirely autobiographical.<ref name=":0" /> |
When Chin was writing the play, she had the play's four concepts as well as two images (one of a woman crawling on the floor with a trail of pots and pans and the other of a woman undergoing a ]) already in mind, with the breast examination image inspired from her friends undergoing ]. Although some parts of the play came from Chin's personal experiences, she claims that it is not entirely autobiographical.<ref name=":0" /> She also felt the success of the play relied on gaining the audience's commiseration for the predicament situations that women face in society.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
| Before it was performed, the play was published in 1992<ref>{{Cite news |last=Koh |first=Buck Song |date=5 September 1992 |title=A woman and the world |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920905-1.2.68.4.12?qt=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22&q=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=18 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> alongside a collection of 69 ] written by Chin (with some dating back to the 1960's) in ''The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chin |first=Woo Ping |title=The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants |publisher=Times International |year=1992 |isbn=9789812043948 |language=en}}</ref> | Before it was performed, the play was published in 1992<ref>{{Cite news |last=Koh |first=Buck Song |date=5 September 1992 |title=A woman and the world |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920905-1.2.68.4.12?qt=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22&q=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=18 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> alongside a collection of 69 ] written by Chin (with some dating back to the 1960's) in ''The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chin |first=Woo Ping |title=The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants |publisher=Times International |year=1992 |isbn=9789812043948 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
| === Theatrical |
=== Theatrical performance === | ||
| When the play was to be adapted for the stage, director ] (a friend of Chin) asked her to take on the ]. Chin was initially hesitant as she has not acted in a while but agreed to do so since she knew most of the play's songs by heart.<ref name=":0" /> | When the play was to be adapted for the stage, director ] (a friend of Chin) asked her to take on the ]. Chin was initially hesitant as she has not acted in a while but agreed to do so since she knew most of the play's songs by heart.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
| {{External media|title=External Image|image1=. Source: ]|float=left}} | |||
| ⚫ | In June 1992, |
||
| ⚫ | In June 1992, the Public Entertainment Licensing Unit (PELU) of the ]<ref>{{Cite web |title=SPF {{!}} Public Entertainment Licence |url=https://www.police.gov.sg/e-services/police-licences/public-entertainment-licence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206191234/https://www.police.gov.sg/e-services/police-licences/public-entertainment-licence |archive-date=6 December 2024 |access-date=19 December 2024 |website=Singapore Police Force}}</ref> received a request from playwright ] for a license of the ] ''Renewable Women'',<ref name=":1" /> which featured his play ''Second Chance'' and ''Details Cannot Body Wants.'' By August 1992, Yeo had not received a response and called PELU. PELU then revealed that a license would be granted only after certains scenes of the play would be omitted/changed. Yeo appealed against PELU and an agreement was reached. Although PELU was against the "]" and "taboo gestures" (such as grabbing/scratching the ]) used in the play, it nevertheless approved for the play to be fully staged with an ] (restricting those under 18 years old of viewing the material),though all publicity materials of ''Renewable Women'' must have a disclaimer discouraging patrons below 18 from attending. Even though the term "discourage" did not imply a full-on ban of those under 18, it also implied that the NUSS was responsible for "discouraging" those under 18 to view the play. | ||
| ⚫ | Chin accepted the decision as the play is "essentially an ideological piece" but expressed confusion over PELU marking a scene involving a simulation of a breast examination as "offensive". Meanwhile, Seet commented that "the play's target audience is basically those who are above 18, so the disclaimer doesn't really affect us".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=13 September 1992 |title=No under-18s caught at S'pores first 'R-rated' play |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920913-1.2.24.15?qt=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22&q=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=21 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> It was reported that the public relations and activities manager of NUSS was "surprised" over the decision but supported it as well.<ref name=":1" /> Even though the rating was for the double bill (which meant that both ''Second Chance'' and ''Details Cannot Body Wants'' would have been Singapore's first R-rated plays), in effect, only |
||
| ⚫ | Chin accepted the decision as the play is "essentially an ideological piece" but expressed confusion over PELU marking a scene involving a simulation of a breast examination as "offensive". Meanwhile, Seet commented that "the play's target audience is basically those who are above 18, so the disclaimer doesn't really affect us".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=13 September 1992 |title=No under-18s caught at S'pores first 'R-rated' play |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920913-1.2.24.15?qt=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22&q=%22details%20cannot%20body%20wants%22 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=21 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> It was reported that the public relations and activities manager of NUSS was "surprised" over the decision but supported it as well.<ref name=":1" /> Even though the rating was for the double bill (which meant that both ''Second Chance'' and ''Details Cannot Body Wants'' would have been Singapore's first R-rated plays), in effect, only the latter was deemed "offensive".<ref name=":0" /> | ||
| === Premiere === | === Premiere === | ||
| Line 30: | Line 32: | ||
| Given the play's rating, three students from the ] were instructed to screen |
Given the play's rating, three students from the ] were instructed to screen play-goers who looked "suspiciously young" along with handling the tickets. Eight people were screened in total, all of whom were above 18 years old. Four of them were screened before the matineé and the other four before the 8pm show. '']'' reported the show was sold out with more than 300 tickets sold, as well as the audience seemingly mostly between 20-30 years old. There was another show at 8pm the next day.<ref name=":1" /> | ||
| === Later |
=== Later developments === | ||
| Following the performances, Chin |
Following the performances, Chin hosted a reading of the play in ], which was aired on ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 February 1997 |title=Naturalised Writer |work=]}}</ref> The play was also restaged in 1998 by the ] in ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 April 1998 |title=What's going on and where |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/straitstimes19980401-1.1.65 |access-date=29 October 2024 |work=] |pages=5 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> | ||
| == Reception == | == Reception == | ||
| Due to its unorthodox form, the play received polarising reviews. Hannah Pandian of '']'' criticised the play for its unusual structure as well the monologues in the play, calling it "myopic" compared to ]<nowiki/>s ''Three Fat Virgins'' and ''Woman On A Tree On The Hill''. She did compliment the play's variety of music choices, though wondered if the play "would have engaged more than a tenth of the audience" without the music.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pandian |first=Hannah |date=14 September 1992 |title=A mishmash of sorted |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920914-1.2.72.3.2 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=3 |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> In response to Pandian's criticism, David Britton of the ]'s (NUS) English Language and Literature Department gave an alternative perspective of the play, calling it "a thoughtful and witty consideration of an Asian woman emerging in a world of mixed sexual and cultural influences".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Britton |first=David |date=18 September 1992 |title=Alternative view on Chin's play |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19920918-1.2.68.5.5 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=] |pages=6 |type=Letter |via=NewspaperSG}}</ref> | |||
| == References == | == References == | ||
| Line 49: | Line 51: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:33, 30 December 2024
1992 Singaporean PlayDetails Cannot Body Wants is a Singaporean feminist play written by Chin Woo Ping and directed by K.K. Seet. It was first published in 1992 as The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants (which included the poetry anthology The Naturalization of Camellia Song) and staged on 12 and 13 September 1992 in The Substation's Guinness Theatre as a part of the double bill Renewable Women, which contained Robert Yeo's Second Chance. It is a monologue by a nameless character (played by Chin) who rants against the societal, cultural, and emotional restrictions of Asian women in a mixed culture society and is supported by a chorus as well as an array of props. Due to its unconventional structure, reviewers gave the play mixed reviews. It was later being restaged by the Ubu Repertory Theatre in New York City, 1998.
The play mostly originated from Chin's personal experiences. When the play was to be adapted on stage as a part of the double bill Renewable Women (which included Robert Yeo's Second Chance), the Public Entertainment Licensing Unit (PELU) initially refused to administer the license unless certain parts of the play were changed, but later allowed it to be presented uncut (through an appeal by Yeo) with an R-rating, on the condition that all publicity material for Renewable Women contained a warning "discouraging" those under 18 years old to view the play. This technically made both Second Chance and Details Cannot Body Wants the first R-rated play in Singapore, though it was only Details Cannot Body Wants that was deemed as "offensive".
| Details Cannot Body Wants | |
|---|---|
 The 1993 cover of The Naturalisation of the Camelia and Details Cannot Body Wants | |
| Written by | Chin Woo Ping |
| Directed by | K. K. Seet |
| Chorus | Unnamed characters |
| Date premiered | 12 September 1992 |
| Place premiered | The Substation's Guinness Theatre, Singapore |
| Original language | English |
| Original run | 12-13 September 1992 |
| Subject | Asian women's social identity in a mixed-influence society |
Synopsis
The play is a 45-minute monologue presented by an unnamed character (played by Chin Woo Ping) exploring an Asian woman's societal, cultural, and emotional restrictions in a mixed culture society. It is divided into four concepts: (i) details - details of women's struggles in life, (ii) cannot - restrictions placed on women when creating their identity/destiny, (iii) body - male and female's perceptions of women's form, (iv) wants - women's wants.
Chin is supported by a three-person chorus as well as props such as a sex doll, an inflatable bra, masks, and risqué costumes to rant against feet binding, the cultivation of a coy voice, and other issues. She also uses a combination of Christmas carols, advertising jargons, rap music, Cantonese jingles, and pantuns, as well as alluding to Western and Asian cultural figures such as Billie Holiday, Édith Piaf, geishas, Mae West, William Shakespeare, Marlene Dietrich, the Platters, and Sutardji Calzoum Bachri.
Production history
Creation
When Chin was writing the play, she had the play's four concepts as well as two images (one of a woman crawling on the floor with a trail of pots and pans and the other of a woman undergoing a breast examination) already in mind, with the breast examination image inspired from her friends undergoing mastectomies. Although some parts of the play came from Chin's personal experiences, she claims that it is not entirely autobiographical. She also felt the success of the play relied on gaining the audience's commiseration for the predicament situations that women face in society.
Before it was performed, the play was published in 1992 alongside a collection of 69 poems written by Chin (with some dating back to the 1960's) in The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants.
Theatrical performance
When the play was to be adapted for the stage, director K. K. Seet (a friend of Chin) asked her to take on the lead role. Chin was initially hesitant as she has not acted in a while but agreed to do so since she knew most of the play's songs by heart.
| External Image | |
|---|---|
 A photograph of the cast. Source: The Straits Times |
In June 1992, the Public Entertainment Licensing Unit (PELU) of the Singapore Police Force received a request from playwright Robert Yeo for a license of the double bill Renewable Women, which featured his play Second Chance and Details Cannot Body Wants. By August 1992, Yeo had not received a response and called PELU. PELU then revealed that a license would be granted only after certains scenes of the play would be omitted/changed. Yeo appealed against PELU and an agreement was reached. Although PELU was against the "adult language" and "taboo gestures" (such as grabbing/scratching the crotch) used in the play, it nevertheless approved for the play to be fully staged with an R-rating (restricting those under 18 years old of viewing the material),though all publicity materials of Renewable Women must have a disclaimer discouraging patrons below 18 from attending. Even though the term "discourage" did not imply a full-on ban of those under 18, it also implied that the NUSS was responsible for "discouraging" those under 18 to view the play.
Chin accepted the decision as the play is "essentially an ideological piece" but expressed confusion over PELU marking a scene involving a simulation of a breast examination as "offensive". Meanwhile, Seet commented that "the play's target audience is basically those who are above 18, so the disclaimer doesn't really affect us". It was reported that the public relations and activities manager of NUSS was "surprised" over the decision but supported it as well. Even though the rating was for the double bill (which meant that both Second Chance and Details Cannot Body Wants would have been Singapore's first R-rated plays), in effect, only the latter was deemed "offensive".
Premiere
The play premiered on 12 September 1992 at The Substation's Guinness Theatre with two shows, a matineé at 2pm and a show at 8pm.
Given the play's rating, three students from the National Institute of Education were instructed to screen play-goers who looked "suspiciously young" along with handling the tickets. Eight people were screened in total, all of whom were above 18 years old. Four of them were screened before the matineé and the other four before the 8pm show. The Straits Times reported the show was sold out with more than 300 tickets sold, as well as the audience seemingly mostly between 20-30 years old. There was another show at 8pm the next day.
Later developments
Following the performances, Chin hosted a reading of the play in Canada, which was aired on ABC Australia. The play was also restaged in 1998 by the Ubu Repertory Theatre in New York.
Reception
Due to its unorthodox form, the play received polarising reviews. Hannah Pandian of The Straits Times criticised the play for its unusual structure as well the monologues in the play, calling it "myopic" compared to Ovidia Yu's Three Fat Virgins and Woman On A Tree On The Hill. She did compliment the play's variety of music choices, though wondered if the play "would have engaged more than a tenth of the audience" without the music. In response to Pandian's criticism, David Britton of the National University of Singapore's (NUS) English Language and Literature Department gave an alternative perspective of the play, calling it "a thoughtful and witty consideration of an Asian woman emerging in a world of mixed sexual and cultural influences".
References
- ^ "Singapore's first R-rated play". The Straits Times. 9 September 1992. p. 3. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Restricted plays". The New Paper. 9 September 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ Seet, K. K. (1996). "Feminist Manipulations of the Gaze in Contemporary Singapore Plays". In Chin, Woo Ping (ed.). Playful Phoenix. Singapore Press Holdings. ISBN 9789810080396.
- Koh, Buck Song (5 September 1992). "A woman and the world". The Straits Times. p. 18. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- Chin, Woo Ping (1992). The Naturalization of Camellia Song & Details Cannot Body Wants. Times International. ISBN 9789812043948.
- "SPF | Public Entertainment Licence". Singapore Police Force. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "No under-18s caught at S'pores first 'R-rated' play". The Straits Times. 13 September 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- "Naturalised Writer". New Straits Times. 5 February 1997.
- "What's going on and where". The Straits Times. 1 April 1998. p. 5. Retrieved 29 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- Pandian, Hannah (14 September 1992). "A mishmash of sorted". The Straits Times. p. 3. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
- Britton, David (18 September 1992). "Alternative view on Chin's play". The Straits Times (Letter). p. 6. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via NewspaperSG.