OCCUPATION - by Checkpoint Theatre

Checkpoint Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Season

Our CHAMBER READINGS showcase brings back classic plays from Checkpoint Theatre that have become part of Singapore’s literary canon.

For our 20th anniversary season, we shine the spotlight on acclaimed playwright Huzir Sulaiman’s OCCUPATION and THE WEIGHT OF SILK ON SKIN. Indulge in the signature lyricism of his plays as live music and text are woven together to form a rich and intimate theatrical experience.

Armed with a tape recorder, Sarah, an ambitious young oral historian, begins the task of interviewing Mrs Siraj, who recounts her youth and romance under the Japanese Occupation. As she listens to these stories of the past, Sarah struggles with questions of her own life in modern day Singapore and what the future holds.

Twenty years after its standout premiere, OCCUPATION continues to captivate audiences with its lyrical and moving account of tender love and bold passions. Acclaimed playwright Huzir Sulaiman chronicles the extraordinary legacy found in the true story of his grandmother, Mrs Mohamed Siraj, as it intertwines with the reflections of the fictional character Sarah.

Skillfully directed by Claire Wong and performed by Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai and Isabella Chiam, with live music by Joel Nah, OCCUPATION is a vivid and intimate journey through memories of love and loss and its promise of new beginnings.