SINGAPORE, June 21 -- Singapore theatre company Wild Rice has pushed back against allegations that its Homepar performance glamorises drug use, after the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a ban on its staging.

In a statement shared on Instagram and Facebook yesterday, Wild Rice "categorically rejected" the authorities' characterisation of the work.

The company described Homepar as "a nuanced and empathetic work that is, at its core, about healing and recovery".

"The central character's journey is one of struggle, resilience, and the power of community in overcoming addiction and stigma," Wild Rice stated, adding that the play does not condone or glorify drug use.

"It seeks to ask why...