Off Centre

Off Centre was first staged by The Necessary Stage in 1993, directed by Alvin Tan. Despite some controversy regarding funding and censorship, it was performed to public and critical acclaim. Over the years, it has been adapted into an experimental feature film, included in a one-play series, transformed into a television movie, given a full reading in the UK, taught at a university in Kuala Lumpur, and translated and staged as Otak Tak Centre in Kuala Lumpur. As one of The Necessary Stage’s landmark works, Off Centre is considered part of the Singaporean literary canon and is included as a text in “O” and “N” level Literature. It is also the first Singaporean work to be offered at “O” levels. The creation of Off Centre involved a methodology that enabled a group of dedicated artists to explore matters beyond their personal experiences, building emotional and psychological knowledge, and dedicating time to develop characters, relationships, and themes. It is regarded as marking a new maturity in Singapore theatre, addressing an audience willing to be challenged. Haresh Sharma, the playwright, is Resident Playwright of The Necessary Stage and co-Artistic Director of the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, with about 100 plays to his name. His works have been recognized through various awards, translations, and publications, including a collection published by Epigram Books and a translation into Mandarin. In 2011, he was awarded the Goldberg Master Playwright by New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and in 2014, he received the S.E.A. Write Award.