News & Events 
12 February 2011 – On the Saturday preceding Saint Valentine’s Day – a day marked by commercialised love declarations, some men might have been caught up in a frenzy deciding whether to splurge on over-priced roses or a three-course candlelight dinner to romance his valentine.
But thankfully, this was not the case for quite a few good Singaporean men, who could be said to have gathered to celebrate Valentine’s Day - of a unique, different kind - with their children.
The play was organised and supported by the North East Community Development Council (NE CDC), as one of its Family & Fathering Initiatives @ North East (FINE) programmes to reach out to fathers.
Life Is Like Theatre!
The Dads for Life Resource Team spoke with Gwendolyn who shared candidly that the play Father’s Love, “is based on a true story…it is my story… I have always loved telling stories since I was very young…”
The idea of staging this theatrical production was born when she first heard of the Dads for Life movement to promote involved fatherhood, when it was established about a year ago. She added, "I felt it was the right platform and right timing to share my own struggles and pains I had with my father and how my difficult upbringing during my childhood days has affected me up to adulthood."
In nine captivating scenes, the play explores the multifaceted and sometimes difficult and complex emotions arising out of the strife and trials of family life faced by members of the three-generation Tang family.
The production is cleverly staged as a rehearsal of another play. Artistic Director, Ms Renee Chua, likened the idea of a play within a play as resonating with the concept that life itself is but a rehearsal, where human beings act out their own lives performing in multiple roles at the same time.
His strict feather-duster-wielding disciplinary style causes resentment in some of his children. Those who do not conform are, in his eyes, rebellious and ungrateful. And the old man stubbornly judges them based on his own standards, values and rules.
Compelling scenes, such as when Ah Huat challenges his elder son (Ah You), in a fit of anger, to leave the home, never to return, tore painfully at one’s heart. Yet, it is precisely at heavy-hearted and tear gland-stoking moments like these, when the “rehearsal play” within the play, comes to an abrupt stop – the twist in the plot catching the absorbed audience by total surprise!
The cast then spontaneously switches from their “rehearsal” acting, to engage in dialogue with the behind-the-scene (and unseen) director to contemplate “alternative” endings to polish the plot.
Laughter was heard among the audience at many junctures throughout the play, such as when the cast dramatically acted out an “alternative” ending scene in Chinese music opera, depicted by the swirling of heads and waving of arms and legs to the cling-clang rhythm of loud wayang*.
Thoughts Behind the Scenes
Gwendolyn was inspired to stage the production simply because, “Life is precious…and (there is) only one journey to make it truly meaningful and worthwhile for oneself rather than constantly living it for others. I want to live it to the best…and live it well enough to be a positive influence for others to follow.”
Father’s love brings out instances of parent-child conflict, misunderstandings, disappointment and prejudice. Gwendolyn strongly believes that whilst a person cannot change the past, he can well influence and shape his future. Through the play, she demonstrates that it is possible to learn to forgive and to strive for reconciliation.
Staging the play in Mandarin extends the outreach of community theatre to a larger group of residents in the heartland. TheVoice is positioning itself as a creative organisation “with a big heart for the community” in Singapore, aspiring “to bring across such social messages to the audience in a light-hearted manner” and to appeal to all age groups and races.
Drawing from her personal experience, Gwendolyn encourages advocates fathers to “make time, find time and invest time with their children…be slow to speak and quick to listen.” She believes that if fathers pay attention to their choice of words, the importance of touch, and to invest time to bond with and mentor the child, it gives rise to a strong father-child relationship that will continue to evolve positively as they both grow.
A First-Timer’s Experience
Alan Tang, 40, father of two boys, Shearer (aged 7) and Shearwin (aged 4), is a parent volunteer at a primary school in Pasir Ris. He shares a deep bond with his sons and loves to spend time with them, playing chess, football, cycling and jogging as a family.
For him and many others in the audience, Father’s Love was his family’s maiden theatre-going experience which they all enjoyed.
Alan was particularly moved by the last scene in which a mellowed Ah Huat, finally accepts that his daughter (Ah Zhi) has talent for drawing, and quietly supports her dream to study overseas in a renowned arts design school under a scholarship.
Alan also liked the fact that the play was well-balanced with anecdotes of realities of family growing pains interspersed with humour.
Spreading The Message From The North East
Mr David Ang, Chairman of FINE, believes that theatre “has the ability of reaching out to a captive audience of a sizable number, where the…focused theme and message can be communicated.”
For example, in one brief but meaningful scene, the “rehearsal” cast share about their fathers. For one member, her father passed on when she was very young. Some fathers are absent or otherwise distant. On the other hand the others are indulgent, understanding and supportive. It drove home the message that a father exerts vast and long-lasting influence on his child, and that influence could break or make him or her.
Mr Ang explains that FINE is more than happy to support the play themed upon a father’s love, as “the foundational stability and pillar of a family lies with a father and thus the love that emerges from that father figure is a determining factor on how stable and strong the family is.”
His message to fathers? “Strong leadership at home leads to strong families, strong societies and thus (a strong) nation.”
Love Knows Of No Seasons
As Gwendolyn puts it, “Love has no four seasons.”
There is no definite time frame or limit within which family or father-child love may be nurtured. The returns, if any, are not guaranteed; less certain than the sowing of a seed or planting of a young sapling. Some relationships take years, even decades to blossom into something meaningful, rewarding and beautiful.
Indeed, Love is a complex creature, which knows of no boundaries, in time or in sphere.
It is hoped that grandparents, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters alike, have gained valuable insight and revelation from the play, on what a father’s love is all about.
* a Malay word, used colloquially to refer to Chinese Opera
About The Author - The Dads for Life Resource Team comprises local content writers and experts, including psychologists, counselors, educators and social service professionals, dedicated to developing useful resources for dads.
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