Southeast Asian Plays

A collection of plays in English by new and established writers from seven countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia.

The plays cover topics as diverse as the global financial crisis, religious faith, the sex trade, corruption and exploitation, Southeast Asian Plays provides a fresh and unique snapshot of the rich variety of performance work that in many cases is only beginning to be written down, and insight into the differing concerns of those living in a part of the world which is experiencing profound change.

Much of the new work in this region remains unknown beyond the borders of language. This volume helps to encourage the cultural exchange between ASEAN countries. This is the first collection of Southeast Asian play texts to prioritise material that other countries (including SEA) might be interested in performing. The aim is to introduce not only the writers but also the cultures that produced them.

It is exciting to discover the other forms of play-making that exist in this region, and it is no accident that this collection includes many plays by women – a sign of the equity that has emerged as a feature of nations that are growing in pride, in industry, investment and in tourism, in innovation and in cultural originality.