Although wayang, or Chinese street opera, might be easily recognisable, not many know much about it besides the elaborate makeup, multi-coloured costumes and high-pitched singing.
Premiered in 1994, the show chronicles the life of Madam Oon Ah Chiam, a wayang performer and the mother of Titoudao’s director, Goh Boon Teck, as she transformed from a poor kampung girl into a wayang star while struggling with poverty, gender inequality, and marital troubles.
30 years on, the show has garnered international acclaim, even earning its own television series adaptation that is currently airing on streaming platforms Netflix and HBO. This year, the iconic production is returning to the stage at Victoria Theatre with a brand-new cast, costumes, and staging.
But before you catch Titoudao, here are seven fun facts about wayang that will help you appreciate the show even more. (Read till the end for a special ME deal for our Catch Members!)
1. What’s Wayang?
Wayang, a popular Singlish term that accuses someone of putting on an act, stems from a Malay word meaning drama or performance. The first recorded use of it to refer to Chinese street opera was in 1887, although the earliest description of wayang stretched back to 1842.
2. This is home, truly
Back in the early 1800s, many Chinese immigrants travelled to Singapore from different parts of China looking for a better life. These settlers brought their unique cultures with them, including different forms of wayang.
Today, its three main genres in Singapore are fujianxi, or Hokkien opera; chaoju, or Teochew opera; and yueju, or Cantonese opera, each with its own stylistic features. Fujianxi, the genre Madam Oon of Titoudao performed in, is known for its characteristic “crying” melody; chaoju incorporates fan-playing and acrobatics; and yueju often reflects reality. These performances entertained the masses and gave the performers a sense of belonging in Singapore.
3. Gender doesn’t matter
In wayang, performers do not always portray characters of their own gender—whoever best portrays a character would be chosen to play them regardless of it. This was true for Madam Oon too. Although she played a loyal male servant named Titoudao in her wayang shows, Madam Oon herself struggled with the realities of being a married woman in the mid-1900s. Often clashing with her in-laws, she found solace in her wayang work.
4. Entertaining the Gods
Wayang was not only for entertainment, but worship too. Performances were often staged on temple grounds to celebrate deities’ birthdays and commemorate religious festivals. These shows were usually sponsored by businessmen or clan associations, meaning temple-goers attracted by the fanfare could enjoy a free show alongside the gods.
5. Hear my story
Music is a key tool in wayang that sets the mood and pace of scenes, complementing performers’ singing. Typically, a six-to seven-member orchestra comprising two sections plays live music: the stringed and woodwind section with instruments such as the huqin (spike fiddle) and erhu (two-stringed fiddle), and the percussion section with instruments like the luo (brass gong) and bo (cymbals).
This live orchestral aspect of wayang is something that Titoudao emulates, with musician Zhuang Hai Ning playing live music during the show to enhance the actors’ performance.
6. Wayang wins
Think Taylor Swift concert, but along a Singaporean street in the 1800s. That was how popular wayang was then, prompting a worried colonial government to restrict street performances and assemblies in the 1850s in a bid to prevent rowdy public gatherings.
Nevertheless, wayang persisted in popularity, prompting the government to gradually relax restrictions to maintain a positive relationship with its passionate supporters. Wayang fans continued to be enchanted by it, resulting in numerous dedicated theatres to be built in Chinatown in the 1880s.
7. Wayang loses (its appeal)
Though it remained popular even during the Japanese Occupation, wayang slowly began to lose its shine in the mid-1900s amid an unstable economic and social climate. Factors such as a national push for Mandarin to replace Chinese dialects and the influx of Western entertainment slowly cast wayang into the shadows. Its dwindling popularity affected wayang troupes and performers, including Madam Oon.
In Titoudao, the actress struggles through major transitions in Singapore’s history such as war and independence. She battles poverty and career difficulties, but never stops clinging on to her one constant: wayang.
All images are credited to Toy Factory Productions.
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