It is easy
to forget that the hottest ticket in town used to be one for a wayang
performance, and precious few remain enchanted by the regal dance and
lyric of Hokkien street opera. But as traditional wayang languishes,
a snazzy yet poignant evocation of its heyday thrives on the modern
stage.
Based on the Hokkien street opera of the same name, Titoudao
charts the rags-to-riches story of a loyal servant (Pam Oei) to Ti Boon
Long (Sebastian Tan), an impoverished scholar in ancient China. The
latter is left penniless in the wake of a family bankruptcy, and asks
his betrothed, the snooty, materialistic Teng Lay Qiao (Chua Enlai)
to lend him money for the upcoming imperial examination. Unsurprisingly,
his efforts are in vain, and it is Lay Qiao's benevolent stepsister
Swee Lian (Judy Tan) who comes to his aid. With the help of his loyal
servant and a lucky encounter with the Emperor (Beatrice Chia-Richmond),
his fortune and position in society are restored.
Titoudao intersperses these opera sequences with the life
story of writer/director Goh Boon Teck's mother and wayang legend, Mdm
Oon Ah Chiam. Essentially, there is nothing about Oon's rags-to-riches
story we haven't already heard. This feisty lady weathers gender inequality,
an impoverished childhood, abandonment and a stagnant marriage to emerge
as one of wayang's most iconic figures. Under Goh's inspired direction
the play casts aside such clichéd heroics, weaving an intriguing
tale of not only Mdm Oon's past, but also of backstage life and
everyday existences in Singapore half a century ago.
Central to Titoudao is the inimitable Pam Oei, who handles
Mdm Oon's multiple roles in life with aplomb. Her boundless energy onstage
belies her stature: she switches from spunky Ah Chiam complete with
faux ponytails to weary housewife to a hunched Mdm Oon accepting wayang's
sudden decline with admirable stoicism. But Oei's rendition of Mdm Oon's
life is also touched with warmth, restraint and true delicacy of feeling.
In one of Titoudao's most poignant scenes, Ah Chiam comforts
her little sister Ah Dui in the dark, unfamiliar confines of a wayang
troupe's residence after their father abandons them. Oei's Ah Chiam
dials down her typical loudness to ask for her sister's autograph in
a teasing whisper, giggling lightly before embracing her. It is a wonderfully
funny and tender moment and leaves a warm afterglow.
Given Oei's talent for capturing the audience's imagination every time
she is onstage, it is tempting to elevate Mdm Oon's character to that
of a heroine; a woman that single-handedly tackles some of life's most
brutal obstacles. Fortunately, Goh avoids such facile self-absorption,
acknowledging that Mdm Oon's life is typical of a period where community
was not so much essential as it was inescapable. Large families, housing
shortages and poverty meant that many Singaporeans - often too many
- had to live in cramped quarters. It is natural then that communal
living exerts a significant influence on Mdm Oon's life, and many
other characters - be they the wayang troupe, her spineless husband
or her motley crew of siblings - share in her griefs and joys.
Aided by a winning cast, Goh illustrates this beautifully in Titoudao's
ensemble moments. In a riveting snapshot of Mdm Oon's childhood, Ah
Chiam leads her siblings to a family plantation, where they engage in
round after round of good-natured bullying, banter and roughhouse. The
cohesive and finely balanced cast provides appropriate foils to Pam
Oei's loud, assertive character, deftly capturing the sense of community
inherent in the 50s and 60s.
Beneath Titoudao's casual artlessness is also a surprisingly
deep and honest examination of acting. A scene where Mdm Oon and reluctant
members of a wayang troupe audition for roles in an upcoming opera is
tinged with an amusing, if not wry, shade of realism: As each member
warbles the lyrics and goes off-key, acting is revealed to be just another
job, stripped of its glamour, art and skill.
Mdm Oon's final monologue provides a meaningful counterpoint to this
prosaic treatment of the craft. She claims acting to be "an addiction":
on stage, all "her worry and problem disappear". These expressions
are all too familiar, but uttered with such sincerity and conviction
that you can only believe her wholeheartedly.
Aside from the rags-to-riches parallel that runs through both narratives,
the dramatic purpose of weaving scenes from the opera Titoudao
into Mdm Oon's life story is not clear. While this opera might have
been crucial to Mdm Oon's success as a wayang actress, there is little
in it that is apposite to the central themes of the play. Also, some
of these opera sequences were poorly executed, further detracting from
Titoudao's focus. While the play does not set out to be an
incisive study of this precise and difficult art, these sequences could
have used a few more rehearsals and better training.
The cast's unfamiliarity with Hokkien is chief among the problems that
affect Goh's adaptation of the opera. While they do not flub lines or
make obvious errors, the predominantly English-speaking and -performing
actors struggle to grasp the nuances of the dialect. At times, awkward
pace and intonation take their toll.
Shoddy vocals also mar Goh's adaptation of the opera. Judy Tan in particular
seems ill suited for one of the opera's key singing roles, and her scene
partners frequently drown out her threadbare vocals. With neither vocal
power nor prowess, Tan's portrayal of Teng Swee Lian robs her of her
subtle indignation and moral courage and turns her into a shy, forgettable
girl next door.
Even if it did tend to stall sometimes, Titoudao sparkles
with clear ideas about art and life not only in the 50s and 60s, but
also in present times. In paying homage to Mdm Oon's life, Titoudao
is also a sentimental tribute to the fortitude of those devoted to theatre.
It is a celebration of the stage, demonstrating the value of a theatrical
sensibility to both art and life. Different modes of theatre may wax
and wane, but one cannot deny, especially after watching Titoudao,
the timelessness of theatre's gift.
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"Titoudao sparkles with clear ideas about art and life
not only in the 50s and 60s, but also in present times"
Credits
Cast: Pam Oei, Beatrice Chia-Richmond, Sebastian Tan,
Karen Tan, Chua Enlai, Aidli "Alin" Mosbit, Gordon Choy and
Judy Tan
Playwright and Director: Goh Boon Teck
Choreographer: Gordon Choy
Opera Instructors: Tan Li Qi and Gwee Lay Hwa
Set Designer: Wong Chee Wai
Lighting Designer: Dorothy Png
Costume Designer: Moe Kasim
Wig & Hair Designer: Ashley Lim
Makeup Designer: Beno Lim
Musician: Johnson Yee
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