About Ravindran Drama Group

Ravindran Drama Group (RDG) was started in 1988, by a group of youths who wanted to continue the torch of Tamil theatre in Singapore. Today RDG has successfully weaved itself into the hearts of the Singapore Indian Community and has become a one stop centre for theatre productions and talents.

Ravindran Drama Group is a non-profit theatre company that is dedicated to developing and producing socially relevant plays that reflect the contemporary Singaporean vernacular. Ravindran Drama Group believes in integrating the arts, social services and the different cultures as a vehicle for entertainment, education, tolerance and affecting social change. The company believes that theatre must be seen as an integral part of Singapore’s artistic evolution. To renew itself, theatre must constantly reassess its role in society and address what role it may play in the future.

Ravindran Drama Group is recognised for its dedication and commitment to developing and expanding definitions and forms of Tamil Theatre. Ravindran Drama Group does not define nor restrict Tamil Theatre to performances in the Tamil language, but seek to give voice and visibility to the Tamil condition and experience with regards to contemporary local and global climate. Ultimately, Ravindran Drama Group is about individual equality, cultural pluralism and artistic excellence.

RDG has also gained its recognition in the Singapore art scene through many independent and collaborative productions. RDG has made its mark in many of the theatre festivals and carnivals organised by various national organisations like the Ministry of Health, National Youth Council, National Arts Council (NAC), Tamil Language Society (TLC), Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), People’s Association (PA), Apsaras Arts, Miror Theatre and many other prestigious organisations since its inception. Ravindran Drama Group is proud to announce its 20th birthday in 2008.

RDG has staged various Tamil plays ranging from contemporary to literary in content, thus catering to a wide range of audience. Some of our captivating performances include Pathy Vathy which was in literary Tamil language (1999), Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ (2000, 2001) in classical Tamil language and ‘Kuralovium’ (2004), which was an anthology of 9 plays based on some of the scriptures of the great Tamil Sage-Poet Thiruvalluvar presented in the contemporary style and recently, this year, ‘Sivagami’, a theatre-dance production adapted from a much celebrated writer from India, Kalki’s ‘Sivagamiyin Sabatham’ and presented in English in association with Apsaras Arts. One of the Bart’s oldest work was transcreated and presented in Tamil as “Thondan” an adaptation of Titus Andronicus and was presented for Esplanade’s Kala Utsavam in Collaboration with Miror Theatre.

Besides being a promoter of Tamil language through theatre, RDG has also attempted many bilingual productions to cater to Singaporean audience at large by staging English plays that depict Indian issues. This year’s ‘Because we are husband and wife’ was supported by National Institute of Education (NIE), RDG is also proud to be one of the few Singapore Tamil theatre groups that have performed overseas when it collaborated with a Melbourne based Theatre Company, Avant Theatre and Language in 2001.

RDG has served as a platform for new works as well as budding artists who wish to showcase their talents. In an effort to nurture a new generation of RDG members, Puthiya Uthiram kicked off with two refreshing plays were performed and directed by new comers or should we say the next infusion to the team in RDG. Not to forget our children enthusiast were introduced in performance like ‘Ali Baba’ (2005) and ‘Asuran’ (2006). These productions were staged with children to attract and educate school students on the forms and educational aspects of theatre. Having grown in terms of repertoire, RDG has been fortunate to have nurtured three generations of theatre practitioners over the last 20 years and is marching strongly in its artistic endeavour to serve the society through theatre.

Core Commitments

Ravindran Drama Group strives:

• To be a platform for bilingual exploratory and experimental theatre productions.

• To continue serving as avenues for education and creative learning

• To be accessible for individuals and groups who enjoy the benefits that flow from participation in creative collaboration

• To be an archive and research centre that makes a difference in understanding Tamil Theatre in Singapore

• To teach contemporary and cultural teachings through creative and theatre programs

• To have an international outlook through national collaboration in upstaging Singapore Tamil Theatre.

 

 

 

 

 

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