For years, Subramanian Ganesh, 40, staged Tamil theatre wherever space allowed. Renting rehearsal studios, sharing performance venues, and working around logistical constraints.
Today, the founder of AGAM Theatre Lab stands at the entrance of a purpose-built 110-seater blackbox theatre, Singapore’s first dedicated space for Tamil and Indian performing arts – marking a turning point not only for his company, but for the country’s cultural landscape.
Named The Theatre Lab, the 3,111 square feet venue is located above the Singapore Art Museum at 39 Tanjong Pagar Distripark.
The milestone was celebrated in April with a black-tie launch event, attended by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
“Spaces like these are essential for nurturing talent and preserving our cultural heritage. They ensure that our artistic communities continue to grow and flourish,” said Mr Tong.
Mr Ganesh told tabla!: “This is more than a theatre. It’s a permanent home for Tamil theatre, a space where we can dream, create and build for the future.”
The new blackbox offers a flexible, professional-grade performance environment with retractable seating, advanced lighting and acoustics, and the capacity to host not just shows but artist residencies, workshops and rehearsals.
“Now I have my own space, which I can call home,” said Mr Ganesh.
The theatre group found this new space in September last year, after operating from a rented studio at Goodman Arts Centre for five years.
“The space is like an artiste’s playground. We also want young artistes to actively rent the space and use the facilities to explore their creativity,” said Mr Ganesh.
With its own venue, the company is also able to run shows for a longer duration.
“I’m always afraid to book a space for a longer period of time. But now, with my own space I can host as many shows as I want,” said Mr Ganesh.
AGAM is Singapore’s only Tamil-language theatre company and is able to receive tax-deductible donations.
Since its founding, AGAM has quietly transformed the landscape of Tamil performing arts in Singapore.
In 2023, the company made history by becoming the first Tamil theatre group to win the ST Life! Theatre Award for Best Ensemble, with its production Twin Murder in the Green Mansion.
It was awarded charity status in September 2020 and the group has raised more than $400,000 for the new space from more than 100 donors.
The intimate venue allows guests, including artistes, patrons and cultural leaders to experience the production up close, highlighting its unique capacity for immersive storytelling.
“This space gives us artistic freedom. We don’t have to compromise on vision anymore,” said Mr Ganesh.
