“Old and New, Side by Side in Geylang“

Reviewer: Alisa Maya Ravindran
Performance: 1 July 2016

Geylang, is a light-hearted discussion of the town’s past, present and its uncertain future, weaves together stories from across time. Tensions arise between an optimistic young employee, played by Faith Sim, and the “practical” Samuel, a rising star in the ministry played by Matthew Fam, about plans to gentrify Geylang. Sim’s character is an idealist while Samuel tries not to step on too many toes on his rise to the top. Fam presents a convincing portrayal of the struggle between a desire to please the higher-ups and his personal doubts about restructuring the neighbourhood. The way Samuel changes his speech patterns to pander to different groups, like the residents of Geylang and his bosses, is comical. Yet, it also highlights in a very real way, how difficult it is for one to manage two contradictory interests from different groups.

Nur Hamidah’s portrayal of a mentally challenged girl and a human-trafficking victim is uncanny and poignant. The portrayal of gangsters and life in the seedy back alleys of Geylang is over the top, presenting the lorongs of Geylang in a more humorous and perhaps less critical light. The play is also self-aware of its own excessive drama as seen in the instances of actors breaking the fourth wall to comment on their melodramatic lines. The play allows for a curious blend of pathos and comedy. All the characters, from the workers in the ministry to the prostitutes in the Geylang brothels, struggle to find a balance between pragmatism and the desire. Their struggle is manifested in the tears, blood, regrets and even their deaths, woefully and powerfully presented by the cast. We never find out if Samuel manages to convince his superiors not to break down the old Geylang buildings, although his persuasiveness gestures towards the affirmative, suggesting a hopeful answer for the future.

“Sins and Salvation”

Reviewer: Muhammed Faizad Bin Salim
Performance: 13 May 2015

In a play that primarily comprises five vignettes that centre around Geylang – the one locale in Singapore which can simultaneously boast of having a rich history of Malay heritage and at the same time play host to a seedier underbelly of what is known to many as the nation’s red-light district – some narratives are more memorable than others.

The standout storylines were the ‘MYID’ sections (the longest of the five vignettes on offer and interspersed with the others in between) – detailing the efforts of a government agency in trying to relocate the residents and businesses of Geylang to make way for a new development in the area known as Casa Geylang – and the TVB-esque ‘Brothers in the Net’ section which portrayed the trials and tribulations of a gang leader and his triad of men as they surround themselves in vice rings of prostitution and drugs.

Generally the space in which the play was performed is not ideal for a full-fledged theatre performance – it has a very small stage with no proper rigs for lights and it does not have the traditional wings on stage left and right for the actors to make their entrances and exits, resulting sometimes in awkward blocking choices. Worst of all, the space lacks sound-proofing and when a public announcement is made in the mall that houses the space, the audience is rudely distracted from the production. But despite these challenges, the ensemble still manages to press on and deliver fairly committed performances. In fact, I believe that not having access to the technology usually afforded by technical production elements, works in their favour and allows the audience to focus on the acting and the quality of the script.

The production sure was wild – there were heaps of sexual innuendos thrown at the audience, some through double entendres and others through not so subtle physical actions and the audience (one suspects they are primarily made up of friends, family and supporters of the cast) lap up every single of one of them.

As if that isn’t enough, the audience is assaulted with over-the-top performances that were punctuated by F-bombs galore and lots of screaming and yelling that meander into amateur theatre-making territory. There is even a cross-dressing element thrown in but one questions the overall intent and purpose of such a directorial choice (apart from engendering cheap laughs) as there is obviously no dearth of female cast members to choose from.

Despite the hits and misses, it is ultimately very promising still to note new, young talents coming to the fore, despite the fact that there is still much room for them to grow and find their footing as actors. Principally, they must practise restraint in order to turn in more nuanced performances.

“Geylanggan – to twist, crush something to extract its essence”

Reviewer: Gabriel Lim
Performance: 13 May 2015

You cannot be more mistaken if you think Geylang is merely filled with Lorongs (lanes) that only come alive at night. What does ‘Serai’ in ‘Geylang Serai’ means? Wait, is Geylang Serai even Geylang at all? Its history is certainly far more complex. Even places like ‘Jalan Eunos’ and ‘Ubi’ literally emanate from Geylang.

Through five interweaving stories, young & W!LD’s latest production, Geylang, seeks out the audience and challenges their perception of Geylang as the stereotyped red-light district. The result is like rojak (an eclectic dish with a mix of ingredients) – there are plentiful saucy scenes filled with raunchy jokes, untold stories of fictional characters that make Geylang it is.

The play first introduces a conflict between the Chinese and the Malay community during the time of the Orang Lauts (Malay people living on boats). Two lovers are caught in this family feud, and are killed for their illicit affair. The dramatic sequence of events in this story foreshadows the racial conflicts between the Chinese and the Malays. An interesting inclusion is the origins of the of Mee Rebus (Malay noodle dish) which in itself is a Malay and Chinese hybrid – the augurs the possibility of a resolution.

Fast forward to present day, a government plan to relocate the people of Geylang to make way for urban development backfires. Wacky characters that live in Geylang from all walks of life appeal to a government official. Through tongue-in-cheek scenarios and light-hearted conversations, the story questions the possibility of co-existence between the new and the old, offering us the probability of a Geylang erased its heritage.

Towards the climax of the show, Sin Long (Leonard Tan) is featured as the triad boss, living a decadent life of drugs and sex. The story is pure comedy gold, straight out the 80s. A loyal follower of the triad will save the maiden from Sin Long who consequently loses his mind and starts killing people around him. What follows are unimaginably vulgar scenes so bad that it makes for a really hilarious play.

The production is just like durian, both sweet and bitter. It is an enjoyable show, no doubt. The young team of actors and actresses surprises with great chemistry, especially in intimate scenes. But I am keen to see this play push harder for what it is trying to convey (ie. the gentrification of Geylang). More often than not, I can hardly contain my laughter, leaving me to forget everything else.

Despite the rather small stage the large cast has to work around with, it pairs well with the close-proximity of the stage to the audience, providing an engaging experience. It feels like a Madhouse. The neon-lit stage is stunning. It definitely is Geylang in its quirky and quaint way. I watched the first night of the run which experienced some mishaps in the lighting cues and stuttering of lines. Nevertheless, this show holds great entertainment value.