Of Ghosts, Spirits and the Magic of Writing
THE MAGICAL is the fifth episode in WRITING THE CITY, a six part online creative writing programme written and presented by Singapore Literature Prize Winner Suchen Christine Lim and UK author Jeremy Sheldon.
Through the series, a complementary programme to TIONG BAHRU, Jeremy and Suchen take you through the concepts that lie behind creative writing and invite viewers to respond to each concept through a writing task that takes as its starting point the relationship between writing and the urban environment.
THE MAGICAL is directed by Singaporean filmmaker Victric Thng, and was filmed on Bedok Jetty on the island’s East Coast.
In the episode, Suchen and Jeremy talk about how the magical is rendered in writing, and the contrast between bewteen Eastern and Western philosophies with respect to the supernatural.
THE MAGICAL features extracts from What The Jetty Heard, a short story by Raffles Institute student Theophilus Kwek which came out of a writing workshop led by Jeremy and Suchen in Toa Payoh in 2008. You can read the full story by Theophilus, here.
More on Writing The City
You can see the other films in the series by clicking on the links below.
Watch Episode 1 of the series, The Writer’s Eye, here.
Watch Episode 2 of the series, Characters, here.
Watch Episode 3 of the series, Encounters, here.
Watch Episode 6 of the series, The Individual And The City, here.
Watch a P.S. to the series, Looking Forward, here.
More on Writing
Throughout the Civic Life project in Singapore, leading writers have shared their thoughts with us on ideas of identity, belonging and community.
You can read three pieces, which feature in the booklet accompanying the TIONG BAHRU DVD, below.
Ng Yi-Sheng on the ever-changing landscape of Singapore.
Alvin Pang on a geography of Singapore mapped through personal reminiscences.
Tan Shzr Ee on the rich linguistic identity of Singapore and Singaporeans.
Very interesting.