NEVER RARELY, SOMETIMES OFTEN by Tapestry Playback Theatre

“Not Seamless but Still Special”

Reviewer: Myle Yan Tay
Performance: 5 May 2019

It’s difficult to review a show like Never Rarely, Sometimes Often, staged by Tapestry Playback Theatre, at the Toa Payoh Central Community Club. Playback Theatre is a form of improvised theatre, in which performers re-enact stories told by audience members. Tapestry has been practicing the art form in Singapore for 17 years, retelling people’s stories through dialogue, music, and movement. Rather than review the show’s content, which consists entirely of the audience’s stories, it is more appropriate to consider the skills and technical capability of the troupe who brings those tales to life.

Tapestry utilizes a considerable amount of tools during their show, such as tableaux, mime-work, and choral soundscapes, backed by music from different instruments. These tools add varied textures to the performance, and keep the show lively in its early stages. Michael Cheng does an incredible job as the interviewer, asking insightful questions of storytelling audience members without probing too deeply.

Like any form of improvised theatre, Tapestry’s performance is best when we cannot see the strings that are being pulled. But there’s a unique challenge for the performers: other forms of improvisation often use the audience’s contributions as a jumping off point to create new material, whereas Playback recreates them for an audience that has already heard the whole story. The performers cannot hope to surprise the audience. Instead, they can only be honest to the story that was delivered.

By and large, they succeed. There are some technical hiccups, with performers occasionally mishearing one another. This is overcome quickly, but sharper listening skills could lead to a smoother show. Additionally, the physicality of some performers is less refined, and a lack of clarity in motion sometimes compromises a scene’s visual impact. Lastly, some ground rules to open up the show would go far in ensuring audiences that the space is safe and free of judgement.

Regarding judgement, though the show is at times humorous, the performers put in an admirable effort to make sure it does not come at the audience member’s expense. It would be easy to go for cheap laughs, but that would have belittled the experiences that were shared.

It is not often as a theatregoer that I see an audience member share their story, watch it performed, and eventually, laugh and reflect on something that has made them angry, proud, or regretful. It is a transformative experience, not only for that one person, but for the entire audience. This requires not only sincere efforts by the performers, but a vulnerability and openness from their audience. That is why despite some loose threads, there is still something deeply cathartic about what Tapestry is doing – by making a room full of strangers feel like neighbours.