S’pore playwright Jonathan Lim reportedly found unconscious at home
Local playwright, director and performer Jonathan Lim has passed away at the age of 50.
The sad news comes as a shock to Singapore’s theatre community, who have paid tribute to him as a “wonderful friend and colleague”.

Source: Jonathan Lim on Facebook
Playwright Jonathan Lim passed away on 23 Jan
News of Lim’s death started spreading across social media on Friday (24 Jan), with friends sharing his obituary online.
It said he passed away peacefully on Thursday (23 Jan), leaving behind his parents and two sisters.

Source: Facebook
His final post on Instagram was made on 17 Jan, showing him at the beach with his siblings.
His wake will be held at Singapore Casket from Sunday (26 Jan) afternoon, with a funeral service and subsequent cremation on Monday (27 Jan).
He was found after family members couldn’t reach him
Lim was found unconscious at home by a close friend, reported The Straits Times (ST).
The tragic discovery was made after his family members had been unable to reach him.
Family and friends reportedly said he had shown no outward signs of illness.
Jonathan Lim was a playwright, director & performer in countless productions
Lim, a graduate of the National University of Singapore, was involved in countless theatre productions over the decades as a playwright, director and performer.
In a tribute on Facebook, theatre company Wild Rice said he wrote pantomimes including “Oi! Sleeping Beauty” (2005), “Aladdin” (2011) and “A $ingapore Carol” (2018).
He also had “comedic brilliance and impeccable timing” as an actor, taking part in productions like “Aladdin”, “Second Link” and “The Magic Fundoshi”.

Source: WILD RICE on Facebook
Additionally, he mentored aspiring theatre-makers as artistic director of its Young & Wild programme, Wild Rice said, adding:
Jonathan’s immense contributions to Singapore theatre leave an indelible legacy. His creativity, generosity, and passion touched countless lives, and he will be deeply missed.
Lim created ‘Chestnuts’ parody sketch show
Lim was known as the creator of the comedic “Chestnuts” theatre series, which started in 1996.
Dubbed “Singapore’s longest-running live parody sketch show”, it spoofed current affairs and the entertainment and theatre scene in a similar vein to “The Noose” on TV.
Its most recent edition was in 2022, titled “Chestnuts: Sibeh Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”.
The epic production included send-ups of Doctor Strange, Michelle Yeoh, Black Panther 2, Squid Game, Ah Girls Go Army, the National Day Parade and LKY The Musical.

Source: @showyourchestnuts on Instagram
Friends & colleagues pay tribute to him
Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Lim on social media, with one telling MS News that he “can’t believe” he’s gone as he’d met up with him just before leaving Singapore.
Describing Lim as “really a wonderful friend and colleague”, he said:
My heart is broken.
Straits Times Senior Culture Correspondent Ong Sor Fern said on Facebook that Lim’s passing is “a shocking loss to the theatre community”.
She said he was “such an outgoing personality”, with his love of theatre was always on full display.

Source: WILD RICE on Facebook
Bestselling writer Gwee Li Sui said Lim was one of his “nicest and warmest friends in theatre”, adding:
It was hard not to smile around you because you were always smiling. And laughing. You made everything feel doable.
Their last conversation was just two weeks ago, when they talked — or perhaps joked — about putting up a musical together.
The Theatre Practice’s artistic director Kuo Jian Hong, daughter of the late legendary playwright and director Kuo Pao Kun, told ST that the news “hit her hard”.
He was one of her closest collaborators and they were writing a new Mandarin musical to be staged in August.
Nine Years Theatre co-founder Nelson Chia was also thinking of collaborating with him on a play, calling him a “talented artist” with artistic integrity.
As someone who loves people and treasures relationships, Lim will be “sorely missed”, he said.
Lim’s final Facebook post was filled with comments from shocked and saddened friends and colleagues, remembering him for the happiness he had brought to their lives.
His Instagram feed is filled with photos of him with friends and collaborators, including familiar theatre practitioners and celebrities like Elvin Ng and Romeo Tan.
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28-year-old S’porean actor dies about 1 month after being diagnosed with leukaemia
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Featured image adapted from WILD RICE on Facebook.