By Isaac Chan (25A01B)
Raffles Players takes the stage. Applause is scattered and thin.
The Raffles Players SYF Arts Presentation on 18 April saw nearly no Rafflesians in the audience, save for some Players members, teachers, and two Raffles Press journalists.
This isn’t, however, because Players is unpopular or bad — in fact, their production of More by Haresh Sharma was positively stellar, winning them their first Distinction in eight years — but because it was scheduled at 10.30 am on a Thursday when the rest of the school is slogging away in class.
Yet, at the Track and Field NSG Finals a day later on 19 April, hordes of students from all over Singapore descended upon Singapore Sports Hub. With faces painted green, black, and white, Rafflesians cheered their hearts out for our track stars. For Rafflesians lucky enough to be assigned to Match Support, classes for the rest of the day were cancelled, freeing them to watch those stunning displays of athletic power and speed.
This isn’t to say Track and Field doesn’t deserve this hype — both Players’ and TnF’s mesmerising showings at their respective competitions result from months of gruelling fighting and unwavering determination. It is, however, undoubtedly a pity that the disparity in physical support is this apparent.
Why the disparity?
Let’s face it. Performing arts are comparatively boring, especially its more classical offerings. Why would you sit in a concert hall and listen to music composed three centuries ago, when you can go to the stands of a stadium roaring for Singapore’s athletic talent and their fiery displays?
Quite pragmatically, performing arts also don’t need supporters cheering in the stands. In fact, any undue cough during a performance could disrupt the flowing soundscapes that PAs work so hard to create and deliver.
Compare this to the busloads of bouncing (or burnt-out) backers that are brought to each Match Support event, and the raging rally roars necessary to drive our athletes to keep pushing on the field. It makes some sense that students don’t enjoy the same class-skipping privileges to attend SYFs.
Sitting down with CCA Department (CCAD) Councillor Jayden Oh (24S06E), he mentions that logistical challenges like limited manpower restrict the ability of the school to send supporters down to SYFs.
“Based on history, there haven’t been any school supporters sent down for SYF performances,” he explains. “SYF performances obviously can’t involve any cheering, or any loud sounds. So I believe the school feels that given that there are already so many Match Support events happening for Sports CCAs, it would not be very wise for us to expand our Match Support abilities to the Performing Arts side.”
As a performer, though, it is at least a little disappointing when you face the stage lights, look down, and see… nobody.
What’s the big deal?
While supporters cannot physically cheer for their friends during performances, and logistical issues do pose significant challenges, performers still need support as much as any other competitor.
Ask any performer how they feel as they step out of the backstage after any concert or production. The hugs, congratulations, and the occasional floral gifts are encouragements for performers as much as hearing the familiar strains of Unite is for our athletes.
Watching our Performing Arts CCAs perform at their SYFs also presents the opportunity to watch them do what they do at their very best, after months of determination and precise nitpicking over the slightest details. Each PA presents a story in their work, be it in the characters they embody and bring to life, or in the music that they fill the halls with. Who knows, in supporting them, you might even develop a new interest and appreciation for their art form.
What can I do?
SYF Arts Presentation performances are generally free for the public to watch — no registration is required. While the SYF season for 2024 is over, look out for SYFs in 2025, when most Pre-University Performing Arts groups will perform, including those from RI.
When the time comes, you can simply walk in and watch the performance free of charge at any of the venues according to the school’s timeslot. Schedules for each school and each category are posted on the SYF website.
You can also support our PAs in other ways, particularly those that do not necessarily compete in SYF. Watch concerts and go to productions! You can always find tickets on each PA’s respective Instagram account.
So…
As legitimate as concerns about logistical issues, more curriculum time missed, and the lack of cheering are, our athletes can testify to the joy of having schoolmates present to keep them going in their toughest moments.
Even if concert etiquette demands silence, seeing fellow Rafflesians, or even close friends, in the stalls would undoubtedly add to that sense of achievement and pride after the months of gruelling work any competitor, performer, athlete or otherwise, needs to put in.
Match Support is riveting, with our athletes fighting to be faster, higher, and stronger. But perhaps we could also be enraptured by a different art, one that takes things a little slower, softer, but one just as strong.