Today we are speaking with Lucas Ho, a current student on the Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media, MFA course, about writing their play Tender Submission which was staged in Singapore.
Tell us about your project
I wrote a play Tender Submission which was staged in Singapore by Checkpoint Theatre, from 17 – 27 Aug 2023. Set in a church cry room, it bore witness to the unspooling of a decades-long marriage. When faith and purpose diverge, what truly lies at the heart of a relationship? Can a new path be found together?
The play starred two veteran Singapore actors: Neo Swee Lin and Lim Kay Siu (who can be seen in the new series Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix!). The play was also just nominated for Best Original Script at The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards 2024, which are Singapore’s annual national theatre awards. I am grateful for the recognition, and dedicate this nomination to the team at Checkpoint Theatre, who are single-minded in ensuring original new stories are told in the best possible way.
What made you want to write this play?
My great-great grandfather arrived in Singapore before the turn of the 20th century and worked as an opium trader. At some point, he converted to Christianity, became a catechist in the Anglican church in Singapore, and founded St. Matthew’s Church at Neil Road.
And ever since, for five generations, my family has remained in this faith. I attended two different mission schools, and spent a significant part of my teens in the youth group of my church’s (not St. Matthew’s by this time, which itself has been integrated into St. Andrew’s Cathedral). I ran Bible study groups. I led worship. I read books about hermeneutics and exegesis. In hindsight, I realise I learnt a fair bit about storytelling structures from listening to countless sermons, and about dramaturgy from participating in liturgical rituals. I began writing the play perhaps to examine the ways and means a particular branch of evangelical Christianity in Singapore is sustained.
How is this project, activity or placement related to your coursework?
With Tender Submission, I attempted to write a piece that was confined to a single space featuring only two characters, with no exits or entrances. It was tricky and stressful but I’m glad it somehow got finished! In my course at Central, I hope to further experiment with form and style in my playwriting.
What has surprised you most about your experience?
I was surprised at how willing audiences were to engage with the difficulty of the play - much of the language and context can be alienating to a non-Christian audience. Yet many found the underlying human drama deeply compelling, which was lovely to see.
What are you planning to do after graduation?
I hope to find a second home in London for my plays, and to further explore writing for the screen as well.
