Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
The Serangoon Gardens Techno Party of 1993 from Wild Rice, written by Joel Tan, ran at the Wild Rice Theatre in Singapore, October 17 – November 1, 2025.
Set in 1993, when Singapore was at a crux, with modernism and liberty taking over the country especially in music and the arts, this story is about 16-year-old Candice (Coco Wang). She’s rebellious and out of control because she’s fed up with her conservative mother – and the system. In one night of reckless behavior, Candice runs off with her 21-year-old new policeman boyfriend (Teo Jun Vinh), tries drugs for the first time, and basically causes mayhem.
It’s an enjoyable narrative and Coco Wang really turned in a powerful portrayal of the rambunctious rebel who’s simply incorrigible and absolutely disrespectful to her mother. Wang played this troubled teenager with such aplomb and self-assurance that she easily captured the audience’s attention.
Whilst the narrative was interesting (albeit not unique), one wonders what the purpose was of setting this play in 1993. What did it have to do with the characters and plot? The story could easily have taken place in 2025. Teenagers are wild, unmanageable and defiant in any era. Yes it was fun watching the multimedia and music bring us back to the ’90s, but that had no bearing on the gist of this play.
Also, the characters kept repeating that 16 years old is “legal” in Singapore. Sure, technically and legally it is. Still, it was cringey to have an adult 21-year-old date a teenager. Most adults would balk at that. Yet the writing implied that this was commonplace rather than addressing the strangeness of that union.
Director Sim “YY” Yan Ying made great use of the set, which was made up of white tiles, by making sure her actors utilized the space well. The pacing suited the theme and plot.
Above all, it was a fun production overall.
