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Characters:

Robert

Mr Gilberts

New Passenger

Muthu

Ali

Uncle Seng

Theconnectorofthestory,heistheprotagonist.Heisresponsiblefor

connec6ngallthestoriestogether,intoacommontopicwhichis

mul6culturalism.Heisperceivedasakindandveryfriendlycabdriver.

Thefirstpassengerinthestory.Hetellsthetaleofhisownfeelings

aboutmul6culturalismandhowhebelievedthatitwillneverwork

outbackinhisowncountry.

Thesecondpassengerinthestory.Hetalksaboutoneoftheresultsof

amul6culturalcountrylikeSingapore,themul6tudediversityoffood

andhowtheycancoexistwithoneanother.

Astrongadvocatorofequalityinthecommunity.

AnoldcabdriverwhoexperiencedthehorrorsoftheRacialRiotsin

194.Heservesasareminderofthepast.

Robertsgoodfriend,heservesasanalternateviewpointtothe

successfulmul6culturalismpolicyinSingapore.

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Theme- importance of harmony

Thisplayemphasizedontheimportanceofracialandreligioustolerance.Theplayaimstobring

acrossamessageforeveryonetorespecteachothersbeliefsandrights.Thecharactersinthe

playareseenasamodelexampleofonewhorespectsculturaldifferences.Thisplaytellsusthe

policyofmul=culturalismfromtheperspec=veofRobertandhowhisperspec=veisshapedby

theconversa=onswithhiscustomersandtheotherstoriesthathiscolleagueshadheardfrom

theirownpassengers.Exampleslikehowtheirpassengersandtheycomplainabout

governmentalpoliciesthataffectedtheirownlivesandhowtheirreac=onswerelikeare

demonstratedintheplay.Alsothoughtsofforeignersvisi=ngthecountryarecapturedinthe

conversa=onsbetweentheRobertsandtheforeignvisitors.

Theme- Never Again

Historyisfilledwithmanyhorrifyingperiodsinwhichpeoplefoughtamongstthemselvesin

searchoftheirowninterests.Nowthatglobaliza=onisaglobalphenomenon,manyfactorsthat

causedconflictsaregraduallybecominglessprominent.Anexamplewouldbena=onalprideandiden=ty.However,thereisonefactorthats=llcausesconflictsbetweencountriesand

withincountries,whichisracialandculturalintolerance.Thisplayservesasareminderto

peoplethatculturalintoleranceissomethingthathappenedinthepastwhichhadledto

conflictswithdevasta=ngresults,suchasNaziGermanysFinalSolu=ontoJews.Singaporehad

aminiversionofthisduringtheracialriotsof1964whichpeopleofdifferentracesfought

againsteachother,hopingtodominateovertheothers,makingtheirpeopleoftheirrace

greaterbeings.ThisplaybringsouttheNeverAgainconceptthathelpsthenewgenera=onof

Singaporeansunderstandthatthesuccessofmul=culturalisminSingaporeisnotsomething

thatblossomedbyitself.Romewasntbuiltinaday.ItwasthehardworkofallSingaporeans

throughouttheyearsthatresultedinthissuccess.

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Hump Ahead

Act 1 Scene 1

Robert:Notasinglesoulontheroad.Wherehaseveryonegoneto?Beingacabdriverisbadenough,

s6llnocustomersNevermind,Ishalllistento97.2now.

Musicplayinginthebackground~

Robert:(humming)(abeep)Eh?TaxibookingatMarinaBaySands?

Mr.Gilbertsentersthetaxi.

Mr.Gilberts: Heymate,ChangiAirportplease.

Robert: Noproblemsir.HowwasyourstayinSingapore?

Mr.Gilberts: ImustsayIwasimpressed.Howdidyouguysmanagetolivealongsidewithotherraces

sowell?Icantstandcertainprac6cesbycertaincultures.Ijustcannottoleratethem.

I rememberwhenIvisitedmyfriendintheheartland;therewerecertainprac6cesbya

certaingroupofpeoplethatreally,reallyannoyedme.

Robert: Haha!Weareusedtoeachother!Itisnicetohavefriendsfromdifferentcultures.

MrGilberts: IguessthatiswhatmakesSingaporeuniqueascomparedtoothers?Thepolicyof

integra6ngdifferentculturestogetherissosuccessfulthatitisunbelievable!Backinmy

country,weliveprac6callylikeeveryoneelse,thelifestylesaresomewhatsimilar,the

prac6cesarealsosimilar,andwedontliterallyembraceeachotherlikeyoudoin

Singapore.Letmetellyouaninteres6ngstory,backinmycountry,therewasthiscab

driverwhorefusedtocarryhisblindpassengersguidedogashisreligionfindsitdirty

tohaveananimalinthevehicle.

Robert: Itisthewayoflifeherelah!Weareallgoodfriendshere.Thereisntanythingcalled

hateaswellasexcep6onallove,wetolerate,weconnectwitheachother.Sir,which

terminalareyougoing?

Gilberts: Terminal3thankyou.

Silenceforawhile

Robert: Hereweare.Byeandhaveagoodflight.

Gilberts: (A`erpayingthefare)thankyou,nicemee6ngyoumate.

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Act 1 Scene 2

RobertdrivestoAirportTaxiStandforanotherpick-up.

Robertreceivesacallfromhiscolleague.

Robert: HelloMuthu?Lunchat2pm.Oksure.Willbethere.

NewPassenger:Heybringmetothebesthawkercenterinyourcountry!

Robert: Sir,thereisntabesthawkercenter,wehavetoomanytochoosefrom!Lavenderfood

center,thereisanotheroneatTiongBahru,andmanymore!Whichoneyouwanttogo

sir?

NewPassenger:Bringmetoaplacewherethereisexcellentfood!Iheardfrommyfriendsthatcame herebeforethatthefoodcentersherehaveallkindsoffood,Chinese,Indian,Malay,

WesternandsomeevenhaveKoreanandJapanese!

Robert: Yesofcourse!Ofcourse!AhSingapore,afoodparadise!Ishallbringyoutotheoneat

TiongBahruthen,itismypreferredchoice.

NewPassenger:Okthankyou!Theplanesfoodsucks!Ihaveasharptongue,thefoodtheygiveonthe

plane,ugh,notveryappealing.

Robert: IrecommendyoueattheSriVanisCurryHouseandPrataplacethere.Thepratais

supergood!Itiscrispyontheoutsidebutsoso andchewyinside.Also,trythepig

organsoup,itisamazing!

NewPassenger:Itisquiteamazingastohowyoupeoplemanagetosqueezeallkindofdifferent

cuisinesintooneplace.Itisquiteafeat.

Robert: ThisishowSingaporeworks!Butsir,howcomeyougetofffromtheplanethenwant

tocomehereandeat?

NewPassenger:Iwillonlybefreetoday;Ihaveconferences,mee6ngsa`ertodayToobusy!Inthe

conferencestheywillgiveusfoodIamsickof.Ineedsomethingnew!

Robert: Youwillnotregretsir!Hereweare!Thefarewouldbe15dollarsand0cents.

NewPassenger:Thereyougo,keepthechange.Igottogoandhavemyfill!

Robert: Bye,haveaniceday.

Robert: (mumbling)6meforlunchaswell,ohitisalmost2pm,beergo.OtherwiseMuthu

andtheresttekanmeagain.

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Act 2 Scene 1

Robert: HeyMuthu!Howstodaysbusiness?Morning6llnowIpickup2only,butoneis

goairporttheothergo6ongbahrufromairport,sonottoobad.

Muthu: HeyRobert!Oklah,IpickupafewfromChinatownthere,s6llok.Cometakeaseat,we

havebeenheresome6meago.

Robert: Helloeverybody,sorryIamlate.

Therest: Sure,noproblem!Orderyourfoodfirst.

Robert: KopiO!

Robert: Youknowright,Ipickeduptwoangmohstoday.Theyareveryimpressedwith

Singapore!Theysaywegotalotofgoodfood;thepeopleherelivesopeacefully

together.

UncleSeng: Theseforeignersalwayssaythis!Ialsoencounterafewbeforelikethat.Itisthewayof lifehere!SeewesogoodfriendswithAliandMuthu!

Robert: Eh,letmeaskyouguysaques6on,ifyouseeablindangmoholdladywhohasaguide

dogtoleadher,willyouallowherdogtoenteryourtaxi?

Ali: Haha!Myreligiontellsmethatitisuncleantohaveanimalsinthecar.Butsheissoold,

andtakinginmindthatsheisalsoblind,howcanIrefuse!Weareallhumans,itisonly

correcttohelponeanother.

KopiAun6e: KopiO80cents.Whose?

Robert: Mine,thankyou!

Muthu: Tellyouwhat.Ourgovernmenttellsustotolerateoneanother,mustrespectallhuman

beingsandtreateachotherequally.Butsadly,wethesepeopledonotreallygetany

equalbenefitsfromthegovernment.

Ali: donotagree.Thegovernmentisverygood,treatsusallwithrespectandequally.

Muthu: NooffenseAli,everyFriday,Iseetheyellowlinesbesidethemosquelinedupfromone

endtotheotherend,fullofcars!Theynevergetsummons.IrememberIwaitedfora

passengerforawhilebytheroadside,thepolicecomeknockingonmywindow,50

dollars!Ahbang,some6mesthegovernmentdonttreatallofusequally.Theyare

hypocrites!Ithinkwhatismostimportantisthatwetolerateeachothersprac6ces.

UncleSeng: Ya!Racialriotnojokeyouknow.Iwasasmallkidduringthe194racialriots,terrible

sight!

Ali: Yes!IthinkImusttellmyfamilytoparktheircarsinanappropriateplacenext6me.We,

Singaporeansmustoneforall,allforone!Equalprivileges!

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UncleSeng: RecentlyIalsoheardfrommypassengersthatthereisanincreaseinthenumberof

foreignworkersintheareaa`eranewworkersdormitoryhasbeenbuilt.Alotofthose

foreignworkersloiteraroundtheirestate,theyareafraidofmorecrimesinthearea.

Robert: Letmetellyouwhythesepeoplesoparanoid.Theydespisetheseworkers,simple.They

themselvesarealsohypocrites.Itellyou,thiskindofproblemveryhardtosolve.The

governmentalsonochoicebuttobuildnearthem,Singaporehavelimitedspace,sothe

bestmethodistotolerateagain.ThereisthisChinesesaying,Concessionmakes

everythingclear,peoplewillnotmisunderstandtheseforeignworkers.Theyarejust

heretoworkforaliving;theywillnotbesostupidastokilltheirfuturebycomming

crimesinSingapore.

Ali: Okokguys,letsstopchang.Digin!UncleSeng!Howsyourprata?