Battlebox commemorates the Fall of Singapore in 1942 with a new immersive theatrical experience
Singapore, 15 February 2024 – The Battlebox in Fort Canning Park will present a new site-specific immersive theatrical experience written and directed by veteran theatremaker Jonathan Lim about the frantic last days before the fall of Singapore in 1942.
The Battlebox served as the headquarters for the defending Allied forces against the invading Japanese army in the final days of the Malayan Campaign. It was where Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival made the decision to surrender Singapore to the Japanese, resulting in possibly the greatest defeat of a British army ever in battle.
Stepping into the shoes of members of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Corps, audiences will be introduced to the inner workings of the secretive Fortress Command, led by both local and colonial military specialists played by actors Alfred Loh, Izzul Irfan, Al-Matin Yatim & Justin Lee.
Tan Teng Teng – founding curator of the Battlebox from 1995 to 1999 – and Phan Ming Yen – an independent writer and researcher who has conducted extensive research on the Malayan Campaign – will support the creative team and ensure the historical accuracy of the production.
The show is produced by non-profit arts and culture organisation Global Cultural Alliance – who took over operation of the subterranean complex last year – as part of the National Heritage Board’s Battle for Singapore 2024 programme.
The Battlebox will also host additional programmes in conjunction with NHB’s Battle for Singapore, including a curator’s talk by historian and founding curator of the Battlebox Tan Teng Teng as well as a tour for children by author Sim Ee Waun on 2 March.
“NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER is a labour of love that immerses the audience deep into a moment in history, and into the minds and hearts of those who were there. It invites us to get closer to history than ever before and learn the lessons that have already been paid for.”
– Jonathan Lim, Director & Playwright of NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER
“Since taking over operations of the Battlebox last year, Global Cultural Alliance has sought to retell its history in new and exciting ways. NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER demonstrates our commitment to engaging audiences unconventionally and visitors can expect even more multi-disciplinary programming in the coming months.”
– Nicholas Tee, Head of Artistic Development at Global Cultural Alliance
“Our team comprises historians and researchers with a deep understanding of the Battle of Singapore and the Battlebox. We aim to provide the most accurate portrayal of historical events, ensuring an educational and immersive experience.”
– Tan Teng Teng, Founding curator of the Battlebox
NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER: Three Days Before the Fall
Showtimes (120 minutes)
23/02, 01/03 (Fri):
1st show: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
2nd show: 9.00pm – 11.00pm
24/02, 25/02, 02/03, 03/03 (Sat and Sun)
1st show: 6.00pm – 8.00pm
2nd show: 8.30pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: http://bit.ly/no-question-of-surrender
Price: $40 – $48
Other programmes by the Battlebox in conjunction with Battle for Singapore 2024:
Secrets Beneath The Surface : A Curator’s Tour of The Battlebox
Date: 2 March 2024
Time: 11am – 12pm (60-mins)
Venue: Battlebox, 2 Cox Terrace, Singapore 179622
Tickets: https://bit.ly/BBcuratorstour
Price: $15
We Shall Remember : The Story of Singapore at War – Children’s Tour
Date: 2 March 2024
Time: 12.30pm – 2pm (90-mins)
Venue: Battlebox, 2 Cox Terrace, Singapore 179622
Tickets: https://bit.ly/BBchildrenstour
Price: $15
For press inquiries, please contact:
Teja Lim
Manager, Group Communications, TRCL
Global Cultural Alliance (GCA)
Founded in 2014, GCA is a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on building communities and bridging borders through arts and cultural programmes. It is committed to developing an inclusive society and positioning Singapore as a cultural hub for the exchange of ideas and shared experiences.
For more information, please visit www.globalculturalalliance.sg
Battlebox
Located within the depths of the historic Fort Canning Hill, the Battlebox is Singapore’s only operational World War II bunker. Built in 1936 and completed in 1939, the Battlebox served as the headquarters for the defending Allied forces against the invading Japanese army in the final days of the Malayan Campaign from 8 Dec 1941 to 15 Feb 1942. Global Cultural Alliance took over operations of the Battlebox in 2023 and is committed to telling its history in new and unconventional ways.
Jonathan Lim
Writer, director & actor Jonathan Lim is a graduate of Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and created the parody show Chestnuts over 25 years ago.
He has directed plays and musicals for W!LD RICE, The Theatre Practice, Action Theatre, Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble and his own theatre company STAGES. He also created young & W!LD, W!LD RICE’s youth training wing.
Playwriting credits include Four Horse Road, Unforgotten the Musical, Gallery of Secrets : The Lost Lily, Diva to the Death, People Say Got Ghost and 她门 (The Bride Always Knocks Twice) with Liu Xiaoyi. Musicals written include H Is For Hantu, Women on Canvas, Getai the Musical, Pursuant, Sparks the Musical (for DBS’ 50th anniversary), the LOVE 972FM musicals 新西游记，Hero 来咯 and 梁 Ju ; and WILD RICE pantomimes Oi! Sleeping Beauty! And A Singapore Carol.
Screenwriting credits include 2 seasons of the sitcom Meet the MP, the telemovie +65, the web series Cheerific, the Tiktok sitcom BTOgether and Eric Khoo’s feature film In The Room. His poetry and prose have appeared in Capsule and The Best of Singapore Erotica. He has also published Between Gods And Ghosts – a book on the Chinese supernatural landscape in Singapore.
He also co-hosts the Supernatural Confessions livestream Friday Night Live and conducts the Walk with Hantu : Changi ghost tour.
Tan Teng Teng
Founder and director of arts and history consultancy Art Logica Pte Ltd. Tan Teng Teng has more than 30 years of experience in Singapore’s arts, heritage and culture scene.
Starting her career with National Parks Board in the early 1990s, Teng Teng subsequently served as the founding curator of the Battle Box from 1995 to 1999. Till today, the Battle Box is Singapore’s only operational World War II bunker that is functioning as a historic site. In this capacity. Teng Teng was responsible for researching, restoring, renovating and curating the existing now iconic displays at the Battle Box: her recreation of the surrender conference room where Lt General Percival made the decision to surrender to the invading Japanese forces on 15 February 1942 is possibly the only such in Singapore of that historic occasion.
Phan Ming Yen
An independent producer, writer and researcher, Phan Ming Yen has been involved in Singapore’s arts and culture scene variously as music critic, journalist, writer and arts manager for the past 30 years. As a former journalist with The Straits Times, Phan has written on various aspects of the Japanese Occupation in Singapore including breaking the news on the Japanese army’s biological warfare unit in Singapore during World War Two.
He has written on music in 19th century Singapore and also on the Syonan Symphony Orchestra during the Japanese Occupation for Cultural Connections, the journal of the Culture Academy of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and a contributing writer to Singapore Soundscape.
