Amanda Chong is a lawyer, poet and playwright. Her works are primarily concerned with gender and women’s experiences globally, and the tensions and contradictions in living under patriarchy.

Her plays include the one woman show Psychobitch (Wild Rice, 2023), which played to sold out audiences in an extended run; the musical The Feelings Farm (Esplanade, 2021, 2024); and the award-winning #WomenSupportingWomen (T:>Works, 2022). Her work has been staged in Cambridge, UK and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

How did you first find your way into playwriting?

I was actually on an episode of the Be Inclusive podcast with Julian Wong. Glenda Ng (former arts programmer at Esplanade) had listened to an episode, where I was speaking of my work in poetry and education. She thought it would be a great idea to put us both as collaborators for The Feelings Farm, commissioned by Esplanade. Initially, I had thought that they wanted me to write some poems, and the actors would use my words as material through devising. But when I was put in a Zoom room with Edith Podesta, I realised the project was definitely not intended to be a free performance at the Esplanade Concourse (where free programmes are held every evening). I remember asking Edith how my poems would be integrated into the piece, and she looked at me and said “no, no, you’re writing the script for this.” I suppose that’s how my journey of playwriting (and imposter syndrome—haha!) started. It was definitely a bit of a reality TV moment for me.

If I take it further back though, I’d say my journey started in secondary school. You always start out as a theatre kid. I was in the drama club, actively writing and directing scripts. As I got older, I realised that I probably wouldn’t be able to pursue acting as it’s an aspect of theatre that demands so much of your body and soul. Playwriting, however, helped me find the balance in my existing practice as a writer while satisfying the theatre enthusiast in me, as I’ve always enjoyed being a theatre-goer too.

What was the journey in finding your voice as a playwright?

As a poet, I understood the importance of having a creative community. Your contemporaries help you find your footing as an artist, whether through workshops or by offering feedback. In the beginning, I channelled a lot of my energy into finding out what opportunities playwrights had in Singapore. Esplanade asking me to take on The Feelings Farm was an exception—I knew that after that, I’d have to really find my way as a theatre-maker. During the COVID period, I came across the 24 Hour Playwriting Competition by T:>Works, and the workshop by playwrights Zizi Azah and Jean Tay was really great for me because it gave me a toolbox to work with during the competition, which ultimately led to #WomenSupportingWomen.

Are there any plays that inspire you?

The Book Of Living And Dying by Chong Tze Chien, and Hotel by Alfian Sa’at. I think these plays transcend space and time, and make me really proud to be Singaporean. They’ve really arrested my heart and I always remember what it was like when I first experienced them as performances.

What do you think a playwright needs to do to refine their craft?

Read and watch as many plays as you can. It helps to develop your own inner critic and refine your dramatic instincts. Of course, this isn’t to say I always know what a good play looks and sounds like. But I think having these instincts are important because it helps you think about who you’re in conversation with when you write a play.