OFF CENTRE by The Necessary Stage

“Off Centre“

Reviewer: Jocelyn Chng
Performance: 9 February 2019

“Where is your heart? Where?!! . . . Now, use it before you forget how.”

When I chose to take on this review, I was nowhere near prepared for the extent of the emotional deluge that I would have to grapple with.

Off Centre gives its audience an idea of what goes on in the lives, minds and hearts of people suffering from mental illness. Seeing these lives concretised in the flesh is a powerful and emotional experience that I am finding hard to describe. At the risk of sounding trite, I am putting it down to the magic of live theatre.

The play was first written and staged in 1993, and this re-staging comes at a time of increased awareness about mental health issues in Singapore (the first Singapore Mental Health Film Festival takes place at the end of February 2019), and the internet abounds with discourse on the importance of self-care).

Since this re-staging sticks closely to the original text, some of the language and contexts in the play feel dated, such as “Woodbridge” or “WH” (abbreviation for “Woodbridge Hospital”); the protagonists phoning each other instead of texting; and students queuing to register for courses at university. However, these anachronisms appear small when the main issues addressed by the play remain painfully relevant. It is as though societally, nothing has changed in the past two decades – one of the thoughts that remain the most troubling for me.

For this re-staging, the lead roles have been reprised by the actors from the 1993 staging – Abdulattif Abdullah as Vinod, Sakinah Dollah as Saloma, and also Aidli Mosbit as Mak, Saloma’s mother. While the committed performances of all three are apparent, Abdulattif does start off this performance uncertain; his transitions between Vinod-the-narrator and Vinod-the-character are not always clear. However, his performance warms up. By the time we get to the middle of the play – during a flashback to Vinod in the army – his (metaphorical) nakedness as he stands alone, and helplessness as his Platoon Commander yells at him, are agonisingly palpable.

I am also aware of watching this play in the Victoria Theatre, as opposed to a black box space, where the play was originally staged. The set in this production is sleek and transitions are smooth. But it feels somewhat like watching a film – the moments of direct audience address fall flat and feel awkwardly “staged”; it is difficult for the audience to respond because of the proscenium set-up.

Nevertheless, the power of the play is evidenced at the end, after the house lights come on. Tentatively at first, several audience members make their way up to Saloma sitting alone at the edge of the stage, offering her a hug and exchanging some words. More and more people soon follow, all visibly shaken, some holding back tears. Watching this, I myself cannot help the flow of emotions. But I also wonder how much more intense the experience would be with a more intimate staging.

What makes the play nuanced is that besides foregrounding the issue of mental illness, it reminds us of other systemic issues in our society – race, social/economic class, the education system – that can and do cause suffering for certain groups of people. The scenes between Saloma and Mak are particularly revealing in this respect. Saloma struggles to deal with her illness and fights to get better, all the while negotiating her loving mother’s blatant lack of understanding about mental illness, and an environment of low socio-economic status and educational background. I am hit with an uncomfortable awareness of my privilege, as I can only attempt to imagine what someone in her shoes must be going through.

Two days on, I am still affected by this experience. Ironically, in a way this play will only be a success when it is no longer relevant. Until then, much remains to be done in our society.