【The Âtre 】：毋怕的藝術—— 自發組織藝術平台的精神

第18 期劇場生活雜誌：點擊進入Dirks Theatre臉書

三位劇場人受到了「scratch night」的啟發，於是決定試試為新加坡劇場人們舉辦屬於新加坡的「scratch night」。

所謂「scratch night」，是非正式的藝術活動，讓藝術工作者們能夠呈現新作，或是未完成之作品，獲得觀眾的反饋與意見，以供他們繼續為作品做出調整。這是他們進行藝術實驗、試探觀眾反應、與志同道合的藝術工作者們相互交流的平台。

「scratch night」有別於「藝穗節」，這是一個低風險的平台，一般上也都是免費的，參與者們也沒有任何「需要呈現完整演出」的壓力。

那三位劇場人深受啟發，打起了「來吧，行動，毋怕！」（Let’s go, just do, don’t scared!）的旗幟，以一種無畏的「想做就去做」的理念廣邀大家參與。

「來吧，行動，毋怕！」（以下簡稱「毋怕！」）歡迎任何形式的藝術呈現，像個親密的分享平台，讓藝術工作者們有相互扶持的安全空間。

觀眾也因此得以觀賞非一般的、有別於正規劇團所呈現的藝術作品。「毋怕！」於2023年9月開始，發起人們致力每三個月舉辦一次「毋怕！」，迄今已有一年多，是劇場界的一股清流。

新加坡鮮少有自下而上發起的獨立藝術平台。1990年，新加坡劇場導演郭寶崑成立了「電力站」（The Substation）—— 作為新加坡首個獨立的當代藝術中心，「電力站」為新加坡各領域的藝術工作者們提供平台進行藝術實驗與演出。

在一個處處由政府自上而下地管控藝術作品的藝術氛圍下，「電力站」的出現，使得那段期間出現了不少跨文化、跨領域的先鋒藝術作品，也培育了許多新晉藝術家與藝術劇團。「戲劇盒」便是在「電力站」呈現他們創團的首部作品。「必要劇場」也在「電力站」呈現新加坡第一部論壇劇場。「電力站」亦是音樂人、行為藝術表演、畫家、電影人…… 等藝術工作者們齊聚一堂的共享平台。

「毋怕！」和「電力站」畢竟是不同世代的產物，面臨不同的困難與挑戰。「毋怕！」不可能做到「電力站」的偌大影響，也不需要有那樣的包袱。新加坡藝術景觀愈趨成熟，各大劇團推出的作品總是完整的、成熟的，但這也意味著劇團和藝術工作者們幾乎少了實驗的空間、沒有了「失敗」的餘裕—— 然而那是培育藝術工作者們的極重要養份。

劇團雖然也會推出培育平台，但會以劇團的藝術方向作為培育的方向。像「毋怕！」這樣相信藝術工作者，任由他們自發探索一己所好的平台，幾乎不可見，實在太難能可貴了。

和「電力站」相比，也許維持「毋怕！」要更為艱難：一來，「毋怕！」只有三人在幕後負責行政，為所有參與者們提供後勤支援；二來，礙於有限資源，能參與的表演者數額有限、空間亦容不下太多觀眾。

雖然小眾，「毋怕！」卻有許多忠實擁護者，其中有不少人幾乎每次都會在其中呈現作品；每次舉辦，也都滿座，頗有一票難求的現象。

作為一個相互支持、互相信任、自發組織的藝術平台，「毋怕！」帶著任性、帶著好玩、帶著玩世不恭的精神，是對新加坡藝術工作者們的深刻提醒。

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【The Âtre 】(Macau)  Issue 18 (August)

The Art of “Don’t Scared”

Neo Hai Bin

Inspired by "scratch nights," three theater makers decided to organise "scratch night”, in Singapore.

“Scratch nights” are usually informal arts events where artists present new or unfinished works, where they are able to receive audience feedbacks, allowing them to refine their work. They serve as a platform for artistic experimentations, for gauging audience response, and for connecting with like-minded artists.

Unlike the Fringe Festival, "scratch nights" offers a low-stakes platform. It is generally free, and there is little pressure for participants to present any “complete” performance.

For the three theater makers, they launched their version of “scratch night” with the slogan "Let's go, Just do, Don't scared!", inviting others to participate with a "just do it" approach, fearlessly.

"Let's go, Just do, Don't scared!" (hereinafter referred to as "Don't Scared!”) welcomes all forms of artistic expressions. It serves as an intimate sharing platform, providing a safe space for artists to support each other.

This allows audiences to experience unique artworks that differ from those presented by established theater groups. "Don't Scared!” started in September 2023, and the initiators have committed to organising it once every three months. For over a year, it has been a breath of fresh air in the theater industry.

Such independent, ground-up art initiatives / platforms are rare in Singapore. In 1990, Singaporean theater director Kuo Pao Kun founded "The Substation," Singapore's first independent contemporary art center, which provided a platform for artists from all fields to experiment and perform.

In an art world dominated by top-down government control over artistic works, the emergence of "The Substation" during that period enabled the emergence of numerous avant-garde, cross-cultural, and cross-disciplinary art works, which nurtured and fuelled many emerging artists, and eventually theater companies. Drama Box presented its inaugural work at the Substation. The Necessary Stage also presented Singapore's first forum theatre performance at the Substation. The Substation also serves as a shared platform for various artistic disciplines, including musicians, performance artists, painters, and filmmakers.

"Don't Scared!” and the Substation are, nevertheless, products of different eras, each facing different difficulties and challenges. "Don't Scared!” cannot possibly achieve the same impact as the Substation, nor does it need to carry such baggage. Singapore's art scene is maturing, and major theatre companies are consistently producing complete and mature works. However, this also means that theatre companies and artists have lesser room for experimentations, and can afford lesser margins for failure— which actually are ingredients crucial for nurturing artists.

While theatre companies may offer incubation platforms, they do so based on their own artistic direction. Platforms like "Don't Scared!”, which offer trust to artists, and allow them to explore their own passions at their own pace, are rare and truly precious.

Compared to "The Substation," "Don't Scared!” may be even more challenging to sustain: Firstly, "Don't Scared!” only has three people managing administrative duties and providing logistical support for presenting participants and audiences; secondly, due to limited resources, they have to limit the number of performers, and their venues often are unable to accommodate large turnouts.

Despite its niche, "Don't Scared!” has many loyal supporters, many of whom present their works on this platform almost every iterations. Every event is always full, and seats are often snapped up very quickly.

As a self-organized art platform based on mutual support and trust, "Don't Scared!”, with its fresh, playful, and irreverent spirit, serves as a profound reminder to artists in Singapore.