[In development] TERRITORI
SUPPORTED BY TEATER EKAMATRA
playwright: Nabilah Said
Territori plays out against the backdrop of the lush and remote Christmas Island, which shared close historical links to Singapore before being transferred to Australia on 1 October 1958, better known to islanders as Territory Day.
The play follows Layla, a Singaporean struggling to navigate a complex terrain of loss, opportunity, and exploitation. Amidst a controversial UNESCO application, islanders Zul and Aliyah confront questions about their future, while the community plans for the Territory Week celebrations. At its heart, this is a play about grief, resilience, and survival.
This play underwent a one-week workshop in Singapore in September 2023. This was part of a research phase, supported by Melbourne-based company Malthouse Theatre, through a grant from the Office of the Arts of the Australian Federal Government. Research was done in Christmas Island in Aug-Oct 2022, supported by the Shire of Christmas Island.
A 1-hour reading of TERRITORI was presented at the Singapore International Festival of Arts 2024, as part of the Tomorrow and Tomorrow showcase.
A full-length play is intended to be presented in Singapore and Australia in 2026 and beyond.
MEDIA RESPONSES
“Teater Ekamatra’s smartly directed and promisingly complex Territori by playwright Nabilah Said explores contemporary Malay identity and culture in a tale about a Unesco bid for Christmas Island’s Malay community.”
Clement Yong, THE STRAITS TIMES
AUDIENCE RESPONSES
“The story is a beautiful weaving of different Malayness that somehow merges into the Malay diaspora, a story I've yet to hear about. The pulau (island) of CI also becomes a most apt space for such ‘complexity’ to unfurl, and it’s so well-encapsulated in the writing”
“The idea of exploring Christmas Island and drawing links to Singapore is an incredibly compelling premise.”
“I thought introducing the audience to Christmas Island through the eyes of a Singaporean worked well and allowed for things to be explained without feeling too exposition-y. I also enjoyed the scenes where the play steps outside the 'real world'.”
“How insightful to hold up a mirror to a Singaporean audience in a play about another country altogether.”