Presents

Workhorse Afloat

Workhorse Afloat is a docuperformance that explores Asian diaspora movements motivated by survival, from Chinese rickshaw coolies (“human horses”) who sojourned to British Asia in colonial times to the modern day coolies (labourers), the Indian foreign workers from the subcontinent.  In particular, it examines the attitudes of middleclass urbanites who employ foreign manual workers from developing Asian countries.

Conceived and directed by Ong Keng Sen, it is a piece of collaborative theatre.  Through the use of multi-media images and physical presence, Workhorse Afloat explores the plight of urban hunger – a modern hunger for nostalgia, for an understanding of the world we live in; the hunger that drives us all even with the best of intentions, down the road of consumption.

Conception, Direction
Ong Keng Sen

Film
Wu Wenguang
K. Rajagopal (director of Aanae [Brother])

Text
Robin Loon

Choreographer
Wenhui

Set
Christine Jones

Lighting
Scott Zielinski

Print Design 
Theseus Chan of WORK

Producer
Tay Tong

Collaborators-Performers
Sharon Lim
Lim Yu-Beng
Low Kee Hong
Rosita Ng
Tang Fu Kuen
Wen Hui

Musician
Segar S/O Sivanasen

The film of Anae [Brother]:
Editor- Jasmine Ng, Cameraperson- Karen Cai, Sound- Michael Lee, Lights- Henry Ng, Sound Engineer- Nor Ghani, On Line Editor- Ong Seow Fang, Stills Photography- Wah
Cast includes: Azad Ahamed, V Subramaniam, Velu Gobal Krishnan, Jai Suresh, Loong Seng Onn and Adrian Lim

25 – 26 June 1997
Victoria Theatre
Singapore