剧评: First Rave
人生是一场场锐舞——观《First Rave》
文/张英豪
剧场演出，适合婴儿（0-1岁）或幼儿（1-3岁）观赏吗？
或，什么年龄才适合观看剧场演出？
婴儿剧场的兴起
专门设计给孩童观看的儿童剧场历来有之，但是不少儿童剧场演出会标明的入场年龄（Admission Age）或/和推荐年龄（Recommended Age），一般在3岁以上。3岁以下孩童的专注力与理解能力仍在发展中，如何设计适合婴幼儿观赏的剧场演出无疑是一项挑战。
然而近年来，在全球范围内，婴儿剧场（baby theatre）这个剧场类型却开始兴起。各地中产阶层家庭的崛起，父母亲更愿意花钱投资在各类儿童活动中，创造了这个市场需求。除了市场上有缺口待填补，婴儿剧场的存在有没有更深沉的意义，来提供内在驱动力，让这个剧场类型可持续发展呢？
本地剧场组合The Wanderlings
由本地剧场工作者陈宇泱与骆丽诗组成的剧场组合（theatre collective）The Wanderlings，是本地婴儿剧场的先驱。她们从2018年的You Can Reach The Sky到2025年的A Drop in the Ocean，一直致力于创作适合婴幼儿观赏的婴儿剧场演出。从现代偶剧团十指帮出身的宇泱与丽诗，善用剧场各种非言语（non-verbal）的元素，例如戏偶、道具、材质、灯光、声效等等，来提供给婴幼儿一个调动感官探索世界的安全空间。
婴儿剧场着重的正是感受力，而不是理解力。它调动婴幼儿的感官，从而激发婴幼儿的好奇心与想象力。
踏入大数据时代、AI时代，好奇心、想象力、感受力愈来愈容易变钝，却也愈来愈重要。何以为“人”？婴儿剧场的存在意义，或许正是在于培养婴幼儿如何做“人”。
The Wanderlings最新作品First Rave
在这一层基础上，The Wanderlings今年却在最新的婴儿剧场作品First Rave中，加入了言语（verbal）元素，在滨海艺术中心2026“前进”儿童艺术节（March On Festival）中呈现了新加坡第一个有言语的婴儿剧场作品。First Rave一方面设计给婴儿观赏，另一方面也顾及陪同婴儿观看演出的家长（尤其是母亲），让处在不同人生阶段的两群观众，都能从中感受到剧场艺术的独特魅力。
First Rave叙述一个处于“第四孕期”（生产后最初的三个月，是宝宝适应子宫外环境、母亲适应照顾新生儿的关键时期， 所以又称作“第四孕期”）、从事DJ工作的单亲妈妈所面临的育儿挣扎。她接到了工作邀约，犹豫要不要接案——她一方面想要重回职场重回自己怀孕前的生活，另一方面身心俱疲的她需要照顾孩子，也需要找回自己的状态。
The Wanderlings深耕婴儿剧场数年，已经能够通过不同方法来应付婴幼儿缺乏专注力的问题。演出时长控制在45分钟恰到好处——太短，婴幼儿不够时间观察、适应、熟悉新环境；太长，婴幼儿又容易失去耐心。观众入场后席地而坐，场地提供枕头与棉被，让父母与婴幼儿能舒服地坐着。婴幼儿在剧场空间中能自由地爬行或走动；如果婴幼儿因各种需要得短暂离开，剧场也在舞台旁腾出了一个房间。两名演员Vanessa Toh与Periyachi Roshini（饰演叙述者）在开场前就上前跟观众，尤其是婴幼儿们，互动来暖场。为了拉近与婴幼儿的距离，她们蹲下身子匍匐而行，并且笑容可掬。
开场，母亲（陈宇泱饰）坐在舞台空间一角的单人沙发上熟睡着。两名叙述者则开始叙述母亲在第四孕期中面对照顾新生儿、身体恢复（如疼痛、哺乳问题）、心理压力、睡眠不足等等初为人母的窘迫与辛酸。然后母亲被婴儿的哭泣声惊醒，移动到舞台另一角的婴儿床，手忙脚乱地为婴儿更换尿片，并为母乳的低产量发愁。伴随母亲的移动，两名叙述者一边叙事，一边则操纵着各种日常用品制作而成的各种道具（例如巨大的布料、充气球、迪斯科球等等）与婴幼儿互动，在灯光声效的加持下，为母亲的各种状态营造了一个个奇幻的景观。
印象最深刻的是，两名叙述者邀请现场观众念出一段段为人父母的反思的台词。现场观众多是初为父母，念出这些台词让人深有感触。虽然演出主题围绕着母亲，但是当现场的父亲参与其中念出台词时，却让人深刻感受到在当代双薪家庭的育儿过程中，父亲扮演的角色不仅是养家糊口，也必须分担带娃育儿的责任。
第一场锐舞
终场，DJ母亲在舞台一角的DJ台前，脱下了百纳被式的外套及长裙。百纳被寓意“纳百家福”，原本象征着长辈对新生儿的祝福；不过披在母亲身上，又宛如赋予人母这个身份的各种负担与枷锁。女性孕育新生命的那一刻起，化身人母，承担起养育孩子的重责，而逐渐在失去身材的同时，也失去从前的自我。不过，谁规定女性不能在扮演母亲的角色的同时，也扮演其他的角色，或做回自己？DJ母亲最终想通了这一点，她在DJ台前开始打碟并跳起舞来，一件件脱下百纳被式的外套及长裙——她褪下的不是身为人母的职责，而是身为人母的枷锁。这一段锐舞（rave），庆祝着DJ母亲在产后获得重生，找回自我。
尤为有趣的是，找回自我的DJ母亲，最终却拒绝了工作邀约。而且这份工作邀约是在妇女节演出并分享自己初为人母的经历。这本应是作为当代杰出女性代表的工作，找回自我的DJ母亲，为什么拒绝这份邀约呢？或许，她是不想沦为“能兼顾母责与职业的女性角色”。毕竟，那何尝不是当代社会赋予母亲的苛刻要求与枷锁呢？身为当代女性，必须照顾好家庭，也必须兼顾好工作。DJ母亲通过拒绝邀约表态了，她想以自己的节奏，去胜任母亲的角色，以及回归工作的岗位。
人生是一场场锐舞。演出结束后，The Wanderlings还邀请了真正的女DJ Nicolette Tan来打碟，为现场的父母与婴幼儿主持一场为时15分钟的锐舞派对。这是婴幼儿的第一场锐舞，也是新手父母展开下一个人生阶段的第一场锐舞。锐舞正象征着自我的表达与自由——在人生的每个阶段，我们或许都需要一场场锐舞，来找到方向，找回自我。
关于演出：2026年3月22日，10AM，滨海艺术中心另艺聚场，The Wanderlings呈现
点击浏览演出资讯：https://www.esplanade.com/whats-on/festivals-and-series/festivals/2026/march-on/events/first-rave#synopsis
Life Is a Series of Raves — A Review of First Rave
Original Chinese Text by Teo Eng Hao
Translated from Chinese to English by ChatGPT
Are theatre performances suitable for infants (0–1 year old) or toddlers (1–3 years old)?
Or rather, at what age is one ready for theatre?
The Rise of Baby Theatre
Children’s theatre designed specifically for young audiences has long existed. However, many productions indicate an admission age and/or recommended age, typically starting from three years old. Children under three are still developing their attention span and comprehension abilities, so designing theatre experiences suitable for infants and toddlers is undoubtedly a challenge.
In recent years, however, a new genre—baby theatre—has begun to emerge globally. The rise of middle-class families in various regions, coupled with parents’ increasing willingness to invest in children’s activities, has created a market demand. Beyond filling a market gap, does baby theatre carry a deeper significance that can sustain its development?
The Local Theatre Collective: The Wanderlings
The Wanderlings, a local theatre collective formed by theatre practitioners Ellison Tan and Myra Loke, are pioneers of baby theatre in Singapore. From You Can Reach The Sky (2018) to A Drop in the Ocean (2025), they have been dedicated to creating performances for infants and toddlers.
With roots in modern puppetry, Ellison and Myra skilfully employ non-verbal theatrical elements—such as puppets, props, materials, lighting, and sound—to create a safe space where young children can explore the world through their senses.
Baby theatre focuses on sensory experience rather than comprehension. It engages infants’ senses, sparking curiosity and imagination.
In the age of big data and AI, qualities like curiosity, imagination, and sensitivity are increasingly dulled—yet increasingly vital. What does it mean to be “human”? Perhaps the significance of baby theatre lies in nurturing infants in learning how to be human.
First Rave: A New Direction
Building on this foundation, The Wanderlings introduce verbal elements in their latest production, First Rave, presented at Esplanade’s March On Festival 2026. It is Singapore’s first baby theatre production to incorporate spoken language.
First Rave is designed not only for infants but also for accompanying parents—especially mothers—allowing audiences at different life stages to experience the unique appeal of theatre.
The story follows a single mother in the “fourth trimester” (the first three months after childbirth, when both baby and mother are adjusting). A DJ by profession, she faces the dilemma of whether to accept a job offer. On one hand, she longs to return to her pre-pregnancy life; on the other, she is physically and emotionally exhausted, needing to care for her baby while rediscovering herself.
Crafting the Experience
After years of refining their practice, The Wanderlings effectively address infants’ limited attention spans. The performance lasts 45 minutes—long enough for children to observe and adapt, yet short enough to sustain engagement.
Audiences sit on the floor with pillows and blankets provided, creating a comfortable environment for both parents and children. Infants are free to crawl or move around, and a side room is available if they need a break.
Performers Vanessa Toh and Periyachi Roshini (the narrators) interact with the audience before the show begins, especially engaging the infants. They lower themselves physically—crouching and crawling—to connect with the children, always with warm smiles.
The performance opens with the mother (played by Ellison Tan) asleep on a sofa. The narrators describe her struggles during the fourth trimester: caring for a newborn, physical recovery (pain, breastfeeding issues), psychological stress, and sleep deprivation.
Awakened by the baby’s cries, she rushes to the crib, fumbling to change diapers and worrying about low milk supply. As she moves across the stage, the narrators manipulate imaginative props made from everyday objects—large fabrics, inflatable balls, disco balls—creating dreamlike scenes enhanced by lighting and sound.
One particularly memorable moment involves the audience being invited to read aloud lines reflecting on parenthood. Many audience members are new parents, and the act of voicing these reflections is deeply moving. While the story centres on motherhood, the participation of fathers highlights their evolving role—not just as providers, but as active caregivers in modern dual-income families.
The First Rave
In the finale, the DJ mother stands at her console and removes her patchwork-like coat and dress. Traditionally symbolising blessings for a newborn, the garment here becomes a metaphor for the burdens and constraints of motherhood.
From the moment a woman gives birth, she assumes the identity of “mother,” bearing immense responsibility—often at the cost of her physical self and former identity. But who says a woman cannot be both a mother and something more?
The DJ mother comes to this realisation. She begins to mix music and dance, shedding the garment piece by piece. What she discards is not her responsibility as a mother, but the constraints imposed upon that role. This rave celebrates her postnatal rebirth and reclaiming of self.
Interestingly, after rediscovering herself, she rejects the job offer—despite it being an opportunity to perform on International Women’s Day and share her story as a new mother. Why refuse such a role?
Perhaps she resists being reduced to the idealised image of a woman who “successfully balances career and motherhood”—itself another societal burden. By declining the offer, she asserts her desire to move at her own pace, both as a mother and as a professional.
Life as a Series of Raves
After the performance, The Wanderlings invited real-life DJ Nicolette Tan to host a 15-minute rave for parents and infants.
This is the infants’ first rave—and also the first rave of a new chapter for new parents.
A rave symbolises self-expression and freedom. At every stage of life, perhaps we all need our own “raves” to find direction—and to rediscover ourselves.
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