Oh! We are the LEAPING FISH! - Leaping Fish in the City (20-22 March 2013)

“Are we living in a complex labyrinth and trying to find a space to breathe? Are we passing each other but have never noticed each other? Are we traveling from one point to another point of the Earth endlessly, trying to make a living or trying to live up to our dreams? Somehow, as part of the evolution into the frantic modern life, we learn how to live in the north, and also in the south; and we build our lives on earth and also live at levels beneath the earth. We have become adaptable. We are the

LEAPING FISH.”

Above is the publicity text for Leaping Fish in the City, a multimedia theatrical piece. What is a leaping fish? According to a report from BBC Nature, there are at least six different types of fish that are able to launch themselves into the air from a solid surface, and they are called the “Leaping Fish”.  This phenomenon is seen as an evolutionary snapshot of the transition from living in water to inhabiting land.

I was invited to view the work-in-progress of Leaping Fish in the City in November 2012. I especially like the segment that reflects the irony of humans inhabiting not just above the land but levels beneath the land too. This reminded me of Ion Orchard- shoppers travel all the way down to Basement 4!

Two main characters are presented in the piece.

One is a typical city dweller. One day, she starts to search for memories as part of her project. However, she is unable to find any. She starts to wonder “Am I living in a city without memories?”. She begins her search for memories, which include heritage, uniqueness of the city and people…

Another character is an unassuming peculiar man, who may irritate city dwellers with his seemingly undesirable habits. He speaks to himself while traveling on the bus, sings as he feels like singing, and dances on the street as he feels the music.

At several moments in the piece, they face each other while traveling in their daily lives. The city dweller has never noticed the man. These scenes give me a strong sense of how a modern person may reject the primitive or “raw” aspect of himself/herself. I wonder-- are we really that “advanced” to the extent that we have to reject old items, old memories, and the old self (which is our childhood?)...?

Certain segments may change, as the creative team continues to develop the work till 20 March 2013. I will give you an update of the creative process!

Directed by Ang Gey Pin, performed by Jacklyn Kuah and Vincent Chia, with visual, audio, and sound desiged by Nickolai D. Nickolov from Bulgaria, this is a piece filled with reflections, memories, and dreams, presented with an intellectually stimulating and humorous overtone.

Performance details:

Leaping Fish in the City
presented by In Source Theatre & The Substation. 

(It comprises English, Mandarin and dialect. There will be English subtitles and multimedia images.) 
Preview: Wednesday 20 March 2013,7pm 
Open to public: Thursday 21 to Friday 22 March 2013, 8pm 
The Substation Gallery 
Admission: $18 / $12 (Student, NSF and senior citizens) available from The Substation box office (6337 7800 / boxoffice@substation.org)