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MINES is a play by provocative Singaporean playwright Elangovan. It is set amidst a fictitious war between Malaysia and Singapore and touches on racism, patriotism and the differences between both sides. This thought-provoking play, which was given a last-minute go-ahead for staging by the authorities, challenges the notion of peace and harmony in the Singaporean urban life. Elangovan, considered a pioneer in Tamil poetry and experimental Tamil theatre in Singapore, has had his plays staged worldwide and won the Southeast Asia (SEA) Write Award in 1997 for his contribution to literature and theatre in Singapore. With support from the Lee Foundation for publication.

Two plays by the provocative Singapore playwright Elangovan: “Flush,” a monologue was performed at LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in the 1st International Festival of Monologues in 2001, and “Oxygen” at The Substation in the same year. Both plays launch their ideas from settings in contemporary Singapore and both have given rise to shock, controversy and some admiration. The book received the Singapore Internationale Award 2002 from the Singapore International Foundation.

Four outspoken short plays penned by controversial Singapore writer Elangovan, whose satire and black humor is likely to leave the audience shaken but perhaps ready for some rethinking about today’s lifestyles.

Elangovan is known in Singapore for his provocative and controversial dramatic work which has raised important social issues which are often ignored. This play, first staged in the Singapore Festival of Arts Fringe in June 1992, addresses the painful caste-based realities still face in Singapore by those born to be Dalits, or “Untouchables”. The book received the Singapore Internationale Award 2003 from the Singapore International Foundation. Bilingual in English and Tamil