Tamil theatre in Singapore is reported to have started more than a century ago but there is little evidence. Even today, when Tamil theatre is flourishing in this country, it lacks proper documentation. The Digital Archive of Singapore Tamil Theatre (DASTT) attempts to collate and annotate the history of Tamil theatre developments in this country and make them available in digital form to anyone, anywhere, at no cost.

In this pioneering effort, the focus will be on collecting scripts, publicity materials, recordings, reviews of as many Tamil plays as possible. Such an archive will not only be a historical record but, more importantly, it would serve as a veritable teaching resource for the current and future generations of theatre makers. It will also be a reference source on Singapore’s political, economic and social developments to the extent Tamil plays are a reflection of the society in which they are produced and performed.

While little of the distant past exists, this project aims to preserve as much of the available materials as possible. In the multi-lingual tapestry of Singapore theatre, this digital Tamil collection is designed to play a crucial role in providing a comprehensive view of the whole scene.

The project was launched on 25 November 2017, and it can be accessed at NLB’s National Online Repository of the Arts (NORA) – http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/arts/website/Contents/DASTT.aspx

NLB looks forward to expanding this resource over time and any contribution of materials to this collection would be most welcome. Donation offers may be made to NLB in the following ways:

By email:  donors@library.nlb.gov.sg or ref@library.nlb.gov.sg.

By phone:
NLB’s hotline 6332 3255

Chief Co-ordinator: Mr Ganesh Subramaniam