From the award-winning playwright that brought you Boom and Everything but The Brain, Jean Tay’s SmartyPants and the Swordfish is a compelling immersive, interactive and inclusive theatre play that delves into Singapore’s history while taking a constructive look at the issue of bullying.

With acclaimed directors Samantha Scott-Blackhall and Tan Beng Tian at the helm, the story opens with a group of students investigating the legend of Redhill, probing to uncover how a young kampung boy met his demise at the hands of a jealous sultan. As they peel back the layers of this age-old tale, they uncover hidden truths, meet evil advisors and even fend off an attack by swordfishes!

Featuring a collaborative staging between mainstream actors and artists with disabilities, who will be manoeuvring colourful puppets to bring the play to life, the diverse casting underpins the importance to have empathy and respect for one another, regardless of differences.

SmartyPants and the Swordfish does not just re-tell history. Through a post-show dialogue, it engages young audiences to explore the dynamics of power and learn how to prevent bullying. The play further provides a platform for intellectually disabled artists to showcase their skills, gain professional experience and be recognised as equal contributors to the creative process.

When you’re standing on the edge…

“I want to be anywhere else but here,
Be anyone but me…” Shan

12 Going On 13 will resonate with anyone who has found themselves in that space where the weight of expectations crashes against the waves of uncertainty. Where fears of failing and falling loom larger than ever.

Meet Shan, 12 years old and on the cusp of something big. Her world is about to change – school, friendships, her parents’ marriage, and the overwhelming, unwanted task of growing up. It feels like she is standing on the edge of a precipice.

This play takes its audience on the often complex and terrifying journey of adolescence, sifting through the challenges of change, while highlighting the often overlooked need to lean on one’s community. It is a story about finding the courage to step forward, despite the uncertainties that lie ahead.

12 Going On 13 will make you laugh, cry and hug the people who matter to you. It is a timely reminder to seek help, find your footing, and know you are never alone.

Post-Show Facilitation

Each performance is followed by a post-show facilitation led by professionals from Singapore Children’s Society. In this parent-child facilitation, they will share about the common signs of distress, how to have an open conversations about mental health, and share relevant resources to support mental wellness among children and youth.

Caroline is 17. She suffers from a liver disease and misses school a lot. She likes cats, Elvis, and photography.

Anthony is 17. He is charming, confident, does well academically and is the star basketball player on the school team. He likes jazz and plays the saxophone.

Caroline and Anthony could not be more different. Caroline lives with her single mother who spends most of the day working. Anthony’s father is a university professor who spends a lot of time with his son. Caroline lives in a flat, Anthony lives in a condo. Caroline and Anthony are classmates, but they barely know each other.

One afternoon, Anthony arrives unexpectedly at Caroline’s door with a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, a group project for their Literature class. Through their (initially unwilling) analysis of the text, they discover similarities, share dreams, secrets, argue about music and slowly the walls come down, they bond, and their relationship deepens.