Albizia
Esplanade Theatre Studios, 31 August to 3 September 2023
Artist: Robert Zhao.vSet: Allister Townsend.
Lighting: Elizabeth Mak. Sound: George Chua.
“...the forest is given dramatic expression as a complex protagonist, which lighting designer Elizabeth Mak’s sharp shifts in lighting bring out. In one striking moment, the forest is drenched in red and given an apocalyptic treatment.”
When James (Jordan Tay), our producer, asked me to meet Robert, I knew I had to say yes. Robert is an artist and videographer whose work is known internationally, and his deep curiosity and love for nature and our local flora is featured in everything he does. The concept of featuring the Albizia — a tree that grows in secondary forests in Singapore and is not only an invasive species but is also quite dangerous due to its shallow roots and ease of following over — was fascinating to me. Through this hour-long immersive video and plant installation, we meet the denizens of this new forest. Wild boars are born, samba deer wander over man-made drains, parrots gather and take flight at dusk.
And through it all, the tree gives shelter to everything, animal, plant, human, and trash alike. Who are we to say what has value and what doesn’t? Thanks Robert, for bringing your neck of the woods into ours.
