Synopsis:

After a riveting first staging in 2019, Desert Blooms - The Dawn of Queer Singaporean Theatre by Ng Yi-Sheng makes a triumphant return with a restaging at the Wild Rice Theatre in Funan for one show only. Restaged in conjunction with Centre 42's 10th Anniversary, Desert Blooms is a lecture-performance that recounts the history of queer and queer-allied voices in Singapore theatre during the tumultuous decade of 1985-1995, showcasing the works of playwrights such as Eleanor Wong, Russell Heng and many more.

Traverse through many firsts portrayed on stage - the first portrayals of a transgender woman's struggles in "Lest the Demons Get to Me", the first lesbian protagonist in "Mergers and Accusations" - all of which opened new conversations for queer characters to enter society's consciousness.

"Queerness first dared to speak its name publicly on stage, and the newspapers—some begrudgingly, some opportunistically—followed suit."
- Alfian Sa'at, Review of the 2019 staging.

Featuring the talents of Yap Yi Kai, Medli Dorothea Loo, Izzul Irfan and Coco Wang Ling, with renowned theatremaker Tan Shou Chen returning to direct, Desert Blooms is a fascinating and well-researched look at how queer voices bloomed in an era once known as a "cultural desert". Look back on Singapore's storied past where arts, politics and society were undergoing a profound transformation, and how it shapes tomorrow's narratives.