pass·ages
Conceptualised & Directed by Sim Yan Ying "YY"
Written by Jean Tay
Choreographed by Dapheny Chen
12–14 April 2024 at the Esplanade Theatre Studio
Presented as part of the Esplanade TRIP Programme
Blending humour and heartache, pass·ages brings us on a journey through the evolving landscape of ageing, as we witness four women navigating distinct passages through life. We meet the elderly Ching, who struggles to reclaim her personhood and dignity in the face of dementia; Shivani, a mature dancer determined to stake her claim to the stage; Ogy, a woman in a desperate race against her biological clock; and teenage Millie, who is coping with the five stages of grief in her own peculiar way.
Inspired by contributions from performers Dana Lam, Nirmala Seshadri, Suhaili Safari and Shanice Stanislaus, this interdisciplinary production boldly confronts the complex realities and anxieties of growing old(er) as a woman. pass·ages invites us to re-examine our relationship with ageing, and asks: how do we truly embrace the inevitable?
Production History
pass·ages was developed and staged under the Esplanade TRIP programme for early-career directors. It was awarded Best Director, Best Multimedia Design, and Best Sound Design, and nominated for Best Ensemble and Best Lighting Design at the Bakchormeeboy Awards 2024.
Collaborators
Conceptualiser, Director & Script Editor: Sim Yan Ying "YY"
Writer: Jean Tay
Choreographer: Dapheny Chen
Performers: Dana Lam, Nirmala Seshadri, Shanice Stanislaus, Suhaili Safari
Dramaturg: Nidya Shanthini Manokara
Set Designer: Petrina Dawn Tan
Lighting Designer: Gabriel Chan
Sound Artist & Composer: Jing Ng
Projection Designer: Genevieve Peck
Costume Designer: Sim Yan Ying "YY"
Costume Coordinator: Loo An Ni
Production Manager: Lam Dan Fong (The Backstage Affair)
Production Coordinator: Cheow Jiong Ling (The Backstage Affair)
Stage Manager: Carolene Ruth Liew (The Backstage Affair)
Assistant Stage Manager: Wann Nurul Asyiqin Bte Rahim (The Backstage Affair)
Photos by Crispian Chan
Press
“In taking charge of an original work from scratch and with the support of the Esplanade, pass·ages shows YY at her best in ensuring every element of a show is thought out, that she understands her cast by taking time to work with them and bring out their strengths, and that her designers are in on her vision as well. All that comes together to feel like a cohesive work that is not only built from the devising of an ensemble, but quintessentially YY, with her signature clearly marked on the work. It is both cerebral and immediate, crushing in its truths and empathetic in its approach.”
— Bakchormeeboy Awards 2024
”I think such beautiful works of art which uplift the stories of both beautiful, and powerful, human bodies — especially that of the female identity and body — should always be witnessed by everybody. And good stories like pass·ages that marry the logic and illogic of pain and its accompanying struggle are few and far between.”
— Philippe Pang
”The play seamlessly weaves together compelling storylines and abstract dance sequences, where characters move to atmospheric music as if they're in a different world. […] With its diverse and empathetic characters, there's something for every woman in the audience, regardless of age.”
— Catch.sg
“pass·ages offers a multitude of entry points for audience members to relate to the events and characters within it. […] You are left comforted in feeling like this is a full and complete work, where so much care and love has gone into crafting this world it immerses you in. Youth is fleeting, and life unpredictable, but we are left empowered in knowing that we do not live for anyone besides ourselves, and less afraid in knowing that we are all on this journey together. ”
— Bakchormeeboy
“The various design elements (sound, lighting and multimedia) were well put together, value-adding to the entire experience. The pacing was just right, so that the audience were almost unaware of the passing of time. […] "YY" definitely demonstrated great ambition in executing her directorial vision, blending theater and dance, incorporating multi-lingual approaches, bringing together artists across different art disciplines to present a theatrical work. As a director, "YY" gives her heart and soul to the subject she cares about, revealing her confusion and fear to the audience, which is a laudable commitment. I am already looking forward to her next work(s).”
— Neo Hai Bin, thea.preter
“The strongest testimony of ageing and all its complexities in pass·ages lies not within the scripted narratives of the four women, but within their bodies as they are presented on stage to us […] While there is a clear dramaturgy of this choreography – a kind of unfolding, unfurling, unapologetically feminine display – the textures of these movements are different between the women. Even as they skillfully inhabit various characters in the ‘realism’ scenes, their bodies remain.”
— Cheng Nien Yuan, Critics Circle Blog
“There are some truly powerful moments here that strike a chord […] One does not need to be of the same age or gender as these characters to feel the inexorable passage of time and the importance of living each day to the fullest.”