FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT

Young Indian girl flirts with a dashing platoon commander.

"You are very young, no? To be an officer. Are you also in NS?"

"No, I am a Regular."

"And I am a large."

The audience cracks up on cue every time this scene comes on. Whether it was the original staging of Army Daze in 1987, the movie version in 1996 or the latest production last year, the response never wavers. What was hilarious a quarter of a century ago still tickles the funny bone now.

I am often asked if my NS (National Service) experience was really so funny. How on earth could anyone have found humour in being a recruit? People frown at me with beady, suspicious eyes, like they've just discovered I am the cause of influenza.

The truth is, nearly every situation around us has its lighter side.

The first BMT (Basic Military Training) haircut can be a torment for an 18-year-old, and a disparaging comment from an indifferent section leader will only make things worse. But all it takes is for one smart-alecky recruit to make a cheeky quip and the entire barrack erupts in stitches.

It's often said that humour helps us cope, conquer and carry on. As Dwight Eisenhower once said: "A sense of humour is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done."

Humour has been known to boost morale and increase productivity in many companies where it is openly encouraged.

 Of course, in an institution like the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), there are clearly limits as to how much mirth one should encourage.

And humour comes in various ways, not purely in disrespectful jesting. When we learnt that our fierce Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) was a timid pussycat in front of his wife, his subsequent parade drill sessions were met with secret smiles.

Situations we encounter in life are never all good or bad. It really boils down to what you make of it. So it's not such a bad thing to try and see the humour in situations, to put a little smile on your face instead of a huge frown.

The NS experience upon which I based Army Daze might seem a far cry from today's.

Yet despite the differences, many sentiments remain the same: a blur recruit today is every bit as blur as the one in the 80s. And just as funny.

"So can you come back home for grandpa's birthday on Friday night?"

"I don't think so, mummy. We have a route march that night."

"Route march at night? What rubbish! Morning you march, afternoon you march, now they want you to march at night as well. Anyway, if you march a little faster, I am sure you can make it back here by 7pm!"

So when the going gets tough, it's probably time for a hearty good laugh.

Michael Chiang is the playwright behind hits like Army Daze and Beauty World. He has just published a collection of his complete plays to commemorate his 30th year in theatre. Play Things is now available in major bookstores, and you can win one of five copies by taking part in a contest at www.mindef.gov.sg/pnr/contest!