Open captions in English available.
Ticket Pricing
Standard: $38
Senior Citizen (Age 55 years old & above): $30.40
Local/Overseas Students: $30.40
Persons With Disabilities (PWD): $30.40
National Servicemen NSF (Full Time): $30.40
*Ticket Pricing excludes Booking Fee
**Concession tickets are subjected to checks at the point of entry. Please bring verification documents along if you're holding a concession ticket.
Booking Fee is as follows:
$6 booking fee per ticket for tickets above $50
$3 booking fee per ticket for tickets between $20.01 and $50
$1 booking fee per ticket for tickets priced up to $20
What does it mean to be a man?
Enter the world of fists and facades in No Man’s Land, where four men navigate the shifting territory of contemporary manhood. Through primal rituals and modern gym culture, fraught familial legacies and the shadow of sexual exploitation, they wrestle with their personal histories and fears, to challenge the trauma and power we inherit and maintain.
Can they break free from old patterns to find authenticity and healing?
Raw, surreal, and unflinchingly intimate, No Man’s Land is a devised interdisciplinary experience that will compel you to question the contradictions at the heart of masculinity—where aggression and tenderness collide, and transformation is both necessary and uncertain.
Co-conceptualised and Co-directed by Alvin Tan and Sim Yan Ying “YY”
Written by Danial Matin
Choreographed by Hafeez Hassan
Performed by Michael Tan, Neo Hai Bin, Shahizman Sulaiman, Suhaili Safari, and Vishnucharan Naidu
Dramaturg: Lim Shien Hian
Set Designer: a.syadiq
Lighting Designer: Tai Zi Feng
Composer & Sound Designer: Jing Ng
Costume Designer: MAX.TAN
Please note that some audience members will be seated on cushions on the floor for the duration of the performance. We advise that you dress comfortably for the show.
There will be a post-show dialogues with the artists after the 8pm performance on Friday 13 June and Saturday 14 June 2025.
Open captions are available for all performances.
Esplanade&Me Specials (limited tickets)
Esplanade&Me members enjoy a 20% discount off standard-price tickets. Log in to your Esplanade&Me member account to access the promo code.
Terms of Ticket Sales
Conditions of Entry
General
All information is correct at time of publishing but may be subject to change without prior notice.
The Organiser reserves the right the amend the above without prior notice. In the event of any dispute, the Organiser’s decision is final.
THE NECESSARY STAGE
Established in 1987, The Necessary Stage (TNS) is a non-profit theatre company with charity status. Our mission is to create challenging, indigenous and innovative theatre that touches the heart and mind. TNS has the honour of being the only arts company in Singapore helmed by two Cultural Medallion recipients: Artistic Director and Founder Alvin Tan and Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma. The company is also the organiser and curator of the annual M1 Singapore Fringe Festival.
TNS is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.
For more information, visit necessary.org and tnsarchives.com.
Follow us on:
Facebook at facebook.com/thenecessarystage,
Instagram at instagram.com/thenecessarystage
LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/the-necessary-stage
ALVIN TAN—CO-CONCEPTUALISER & CO-DIRECTOR
Alvin is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage (TNS) and a prominent figure in Singapore's devised theatre scene, having directed over 80 plays. He served as Co-Artistic Director of the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival from 2005 to 2015 and then as Artistic Director from 2021 to 2022. Alvin's accolades include the Fulbright Scholarship, the Young Artist Award (1998), and the Cultural Medallion (2014). In 2010, he received the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture. He was also awarded Best Director at The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards for Model Citizens in 2011.
SIM YAN YING “YY” —CO-CONCEPTUALISER & CO-DIRECTOR
Sim Yan Ying “YY” is a theatre director and creator dedicated to using live performance to bridge perspectives within communities. She explores interdisciplinary connections between theatre, dance, and more. Her original works include Where Are You? (Wild Rice/Mabou Mines), pass·ages (Esplanade), (un)becoming (T:>Works), Who’s There? (New Ohio Theatre), and I LOVE WHITE MEN (Ars Nova/Caveat NYC/Dixon Place). Notable directing credits include Dive (Wild Rice) and No Particular Order (Esplanade). Currently, YY is an associate artist at Fault Line Theatre (New York) and a dancer in T.H.E Dance Company’s Training Initiative (2023–2025). BFA: NYU Tisch.
DANIAL MATIN—WRITER
Danial Matin (he/him) explores personal and historical memory while normalising representations of the marginal in his work. His recent projects include the forum theatre piece Here Where You Were (M1 Singapore Fringe Festival), the audio play Ghazal of the Banana Tree’s Heart (Singapore Art Week), Asymptote (Singapore International Festival of the Arts), and the dance theatre work Before You Go (independent). Danial is a member of Playwrights Commune, a creative at Matter.Less, and a resident writer for Centre 42’s Playwright’s Professional Development Residency pilot. He is passionate about imaginative narratives of intimacy and the interpersonal, alongside his love for bubble tea.
HAFEEZ HASSAN—CHOREOGRAPHER
Hafeez Hassan is a dynamic performer, choreographer, and movement specialist with over 20 years of experience enhancing musicals, music videos, and commercials with captivating movement designs. His passion for movement inspired him to become a biomechanics coach focused on health through functional training. Hafeez emphasizes that proper alignment and posture are essential for longevity and overall wellness. As a Functional Patterns practitioner, he utilises corrective exercises in a holistic approach to enhance well-being. Additionally, he founded The Brothers Circle, supporting men in personal growth and harnessing movement to boost both physical and emotional wellness.
MICHAEL TAN—CAST
Michael Tan, 76, began his stage journey at 60 through TNS’s three-year Theatre for Seniors program. Since then, he has appeared in notable productions, including October by TNS (nominated for Best Ensemble at the 13th Life Theatre Awards in 2013), Twelve Angry Men by Nine Years Theatre, and The Malay Man and His Chinese Father (M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2015), the latter which was also showcased at the 10th International Theatre Festival of Kerala (2018). He also performed in One Square Meter by Wild Rice (Singapore Theatre Festival). In film, Michael appeared in 3688 (Mandarin) and Going Home at the Singapore Writers Festival (2014).
NEO HAI BIN—CAST
Neo Hai Bin is a performance maker since 2009. Some of his physical theatre works include Being: 息在 (M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2022), Transit 步 (Esplanade eXchAnge 2023), and OX (Kaleidoscope.V 2023). He is grateful to be on this journey of discovery, to learn and to unlearn what it means to be “Man”, to tread between binaries, and to be adrift on no man’s land.
SHAHIZMAN SULAIMAN—CAST
Shahizman is a versatile independent dance artist and member of Under the Bridge Collective, with extensive experience in teaching, choreographing, improvising, directing, performing, competing, and battling. His practice blends street and contemporary cultures, often incorporating various artistic disciplines. Initially trained by artists at Maya Dance Theatre, he pursued a Diploma in Dance at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, where he has continued to learn from renowned local and international artists. Shahizman's diverse skills and collaborative approach enrich his work, making him a dynamic contributor to the dance community.
SUHAILI SAFARI—CAST
Since 2005, Singaporean artist Suhaili Safari has participated in over 30 theatre productions both locally and internationally. Notable works include Inside Voices (2019, Lazy Native), Animal Farm (2022, Wild Rice), and Kepaten Obor: Igniting A Withered Torch, which was nominated for Best Original Script at the 2023 The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards. In 2024, she starred in Drama Box’s Air and performed at the Singapore International Festival of Arts’ Tomorrow and Tomorrow. As a musician, Suhaili has collaborated on improvisation projects like Playfreely and ThirdSpace Sessions - Voce. She is also an early childhood atelierista, blending her artistic style with pedagogy.
VISHNUCHARAN NAIDU—CAST
Vishnucharan Naidu is an emerging artist and educator at the crossroads of theatre, applied theatre, and movement. A graduate of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and valedictorian of Singapore Polytechnic’s Applied Drama & Psychology Program, he merges artistic practice with social impact. As a Teaching Artist at The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BTBAF), Vishnu mentors young talents, drawing from his own experiences as a former recipient. He has trained with Singapore Repertory Theatre and Access Path Productions through the Accelerate Access Program, as well as the NAC’s IGNITE Mentorship and WILD RICE’s Young & Wild! Additionally, he is a Bharatanatyam dancer, exploring interdisciplinary work.
LIM SHIEN HIAN—DRAMATURG
Shien is a performance maker, theatre practitioner, director and producer, whose diverse areas of interest span directing local stories, touring international works, and working to further the cause of inclusive arts.
A.SYADIQ—SET DESIGNER
Syadiq is a multidisciplinary creative exploring the intersection of performing arts and design. Passionate about speculative world-building, he expresses this through scenic design, image-making, and photography. His notable scenic design credits include SUARA/ORO RUA (2024) at the Singapore International Festival of Arts, RATA (2022) for Esplanade’s Singtel Waterfront Theatre opening, and Teater Ekamatra’s A Clockwork Orange (2019). He has collaborated with The Opera People, Young & Wild, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, and Cake Theatre, crafting visually compelling works. By blending aesthetics and narrative, Syadiq aims to create immersive and thought-provoking experiences.
JING NG—COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER
Awarded the National Arts Council Scholarship, Jing graduated with first-class honours from Rose Bruford College (U.K.), specialising in Performance Sound. With over a decade of experience designing for various companies and productions, he strives to create a holistic sonic experience that shapes how audiences engage with live performances. Since 2017, Jing has been an arts educator at NAFA, teaching core principles and techniques of production sound design, helping future practitioners explore sound's potential across artistic mediums. He has been nominated for Best Sound Design at the 2014 Off West End Theatre Awards and the 2018, 2022–2025 The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards. Currently, Jing is developing new iterations of his installation work, Distance Makes The Heart Fonder.
MAX TAN—COSTUME DESIGNER
Max founded his eponymous label MAX.TAN after gaining recognition at the Singapore Fashion Designers Contest in 2007. Initially creating capsule collections to meet growing interest, his debut S/S 2010 collection was featured as one of the top ten globally by Stylesight.com, alongside brands like Alexander McQueen and Valentino. Over the past decade, Max has been celebrated for his innovative designs that blend fashion trends with his Asian roots. He lectures at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore) and collaborates with local theatre groups for costume design, winning The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards for Best Costume Design in 2017, 2021, and 2022. MAX.TAN is represented by Boon showroom (Paris) and is making strides in the international fashion scene.
TAI ZI FENG—LIGHTING DESIGNER
Tai Zi Feng graduated with a BA (Hons) in Theatre Arts from the University of Essex, East 15. His work spans dance, musicals, and theatre plays. As a Lighting Designer, he is drawn to the interplay between light and other mediums, believing that light can evoke emotions and enhance moments on stage. He occasionally works as a Scenographer, integrating scenic and lighting design to bring his vision to life. As a theatre practitioner, Tai emphasises the importance of intuitive collaboration within the creative team, aiming to conceptualise designs that align with the artistic direction of the production.