The Agni Kootthu theatre president Somasundram Thenmoli ignored warnings from police to leave a drama centre after authorities blocked a rehearsal of Talaq which has drawn strong objections from Muslim males.

Authorities had earlier withdrawn permission for a private screening of the play, scheduled for this weekend.

The theatre then decided to hold a dress rehearsal and have it filmed for a documentary but was told by the National Arts Council (NAC) that the drama centre would be closed over the weekend.

The centre was closed to "prevent public confusion," the NAC said.

"Agni Kootthu has yet to inform the public of PELU's advice that the event still required a public entertainment license," it said.

The Public Entertainment License Unit (PELU), which issues permits for the staging of public performances, rejected an application to stage the play in English and Malay after objections from the Islamic Council of Singapore (MUIS).

The NAC wanted references to the Islamic religion removed and an announcement made before each performance and in publicity material that the play was based on the experiences of an individual and "is not intended to reflect on or defame the Indian Muslim community at large."

But the MUIS said the NAC's proposed conditions were inadequate.

Talaq -- meaning divorce in Malay -- depicts real life accounts of Indian Muslim women in Singapore and explores oppression, marital violence and rape, and the culture of silence enforced by families.

The male-only South Indian Jamiathul Ulama said the play did not depict Islamic law accurately.

It also maintains that under Islamic law a husband does not need permission from his wife for sexual relations.

The police have classified the case as criminal trespass and investigations are underway. Thenmoli was bailed for S$2000 (US$1142).