Singapore playwright Jonathan Lim, known for his comedic genius, dies at age 50
The sudden loss of the larger-than-life multi-hyphenate is mourned by Singapore's art scene.
Playwright Jonathan Lim seen with Elvin Ng (left) and writer Gwee Li Sui. (Screen grabs: Instagram/ltcjon)
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Singapore playwright Jonathan Lim has died on Jan 23 at age 50. He was found by his close friend and lawyer Luke Kwek in his flat after family members were unable to reach him.
Lim reportedly did not show any signs of illness in person or on social media. His last posts on Instagram and Facebook showed the same picture of him making the most of a rainy day at the beach with his two sisters.
“He was a positive, optimistic person who was so easy to be around, always full of energy,” said Kwek in The Straits Times.
Lim's exuberant personality was evident in social media photos of him with friends and collaborators, including theatre practitioners and celebrities such as Elvin Ng.
In a tribute on Facebook, theatre company Wild Rice posted that he wrote pantomimes such as Oi! Sleeping Beauty (2005), Aladdin (2011) and A $ingapore Carol (2018).
“On stage, Jonathan’s comedic brilliance and impeccable timing made him a standout performer, delighting audiences with his charm and humour in productions including Aladdin, Second Link, The Magic Fundoshi,” read the post.
Writer Gwee Li Sui also took to Facebook to pay tribute: “Oh no, not you, Jonathan Lim. You were 1 of my nicest and warmest friends in theatre - it was hard not to smile around you because you were always smiling. And laughing. You made everything feel doable”.
Other than script writing, directing and acting, Lim is also fondly remembered as the founder of Singapore’s longest-running parody series, Chestnuts, which spoofed local and international current affairs beginning in 1996.
Its most recent edition, Chestnuts: Sibeh Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, ran in 2022.
