Book Launch: “Huzir Sulaiman: Collected Plays 1998 – 2012”

Event: Book Launch of “Huzir Sulaiman: Collect Plays 1998 – 2012” by Checkpoint Theatre
Venue: Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore
Date: 8th June 2013

Checkpoint Theatre launched its second publication in as many years last Saturday at the Gallery Theatre of the National Museum of Singapore, and this time it is the much-anticipated collected plays of the immensely talented playwright Huzir Sulaiman, who is also Checkpoint’s co-founder and Joint Artistic Director.

(Some of you might recall that their first book “Voices Clear And True: New Singapore Plays Volume 1” was launched in August last year, and it was a collection of eight plays by eight budding local playwrights.)

This latest publication contains 12 plays written by Huzir: “Atomic Jaya”, “The Smell of Language”, “Hip-Hopera”, “Notes on Life & Love & Painting”, “Election Day”, “Those Four Sisters Fernandez”, “Occupation”, “Whatever That Is”, “They Will Be Grateful”, “Opiume: The Narrator’s Tale”, “Cogito” and “The Weight of Silk on Skin”.

The highlights for the afternoon included wonderful readings of excerpts from works such as “Election Day” by Jo Kukathas, “The Weight of Silk on Skin” by Ivan Heng and, to cap things off, a thoroughly entertaining reading of “Atomic Jaya” by Huzir’s wife Claire Wong, who single-handedly played three different characters to perfection.

Finally, the man of the hour himself, Huzir, came up to say a few words.

He expressed his elation at the launch of this book, plus the fact that it also happened to be his 40th birthday.

He also expressed his gratitude to all who had made the book possible, including editor and friend Kathy Rowland.

One line which was particularly memorable for me was when Huzir said that “writers are loners, but playwrights are loners who can’t stand to be alone”, illustrating the fact that the craft of playwriting is always a collaborative process, and that a play is never considered complete until it goes through the entire rehearsal process and is finally put in front of an audience.

“Huzir Sulaiman: Collected Plays 1998 – 2012” is without a doubt a book full of playwriting of the highest order by one of the most gifted playwrights we have today, and all who practise the art of theatre would do well to give the book a good read.

Books are priced at $26.90 can be purchased (here).

For more information on this publication, please contact Sabrina of Checkpoint Theatre at sabrina@checkpoint-theatre.org or visit checkpoint-theatre.org.