Alep, Remy, Nizam and Risha â the only girl in the gang â all love their motorbikes. They remember the day they received their 2B licenses. They can tell bikes apart from the purring of the engines. And they relish the easy give of a kickstarter under the soles of their feet.
Riders Know When Itâs Gonna Rain is a coming-of-age story of friendship that blossoms in the little-known, frequently misunderstood mat moto subculture in Singapore. It captures the bright, reckless spirit of youth: from the desire to rebel and an addiction to danger, to the fierce loyalty that springs up between kindred spirits. When their adventures take an unexpected detour, the four childhood friends learn that the road to adulthood can be bumpy and treacherous.
Written with an insiderâs intimate understanding of the culture and lingo of Singaporeâs motorbiking community, Nessa Anwarâs tough, tender play is an affecting portrait of youths living in the fast lane.
Riders Know When It’s Gonna Rain was first commissioned for and performed at the 2015 Singapore Writers Festival, as part of Checkpoint Theatreâs âWhat I Love About You Is Your Attitude Problemâ.
Performed in English and Malay, with English surtitles.
Riders Know When It’s Gonna Rainwas presented by W!LD RICE at the Singapore Theatre Festival 2016 as a Double-Bill with Hawa.
2016 SINGAPORE THEATRE FESTIVAL
W!LD RICE proudly presents the 2016 Singapore Theatre Festival, a thrilling theatrical event about a nation on the edge and the people who live, love and dream in it. At a time when Singapore is poised between its storied past and the uncertain future, dive into the eight hilarious, heartbreaking, witty and whimsical works that make up the Festival.
From the disarmingly intimate to the startlingly epic, these plays will open your eyes, touch your hearts and blow your minds. For four exhilarating weeks, come and be a part of this thought-provoking season of new and original Singaporean writing!
ABOUT THE SINGAPORE THEATRE FESTIVAL
Established in 2006, the Singapore Theatre Festival is an event dedicated to celebrating contemporary Singaporean theatre. Hailed as âthe main event in the world of the artsâ (The Straits Times, 2006) and the âBlockbuster Event of the Yearâ (TODAY, 2008), the Festival aims to provide a creative, nurturing and optimistic environment for the development of new and original plays. Since 2006, the Festival has produced 16 World Premieres of new Singapore writing.
To add to the FEST!VITIES, a series of exciting activities have been planned to give audiences the opportunity to delve deeper into the themes and inspirations of the Festival. These include the ART & LIFE SESSIONS, a series of free forums about the urgent issues of the day; and THE FEST!VAL CLUB, where audiences and artists can unwind while discovering new talents in stand-up comedy and musical theatre.
To find out more about the Festival, please visit www.singaporetheatrefestival.com.
