BIBLIOASIA JAN - MAR 2020 VOL. 15 ISSUE 04 FEATURE

“With a bottle of champagne broken Of Wooden Structures, Zinc Roofs on the door-step, the new Theatre and Tents Royal, in North Bridge Road, was It is unclear when commercial perfor- opened officially on Saturday mances aimed at the Asian population in night, the Wayang Kassim’s Trip Singapore began, but by the late 1800s, to Fairyland being staged before a advertisements and reports of such packed house, the conclusion of the events began appearing in the newspa- formal opening ceremony.”1 pers of the day. By all accounts, native theatre, or bangsawan, and other Asian entertain- – The Straits Times, 15 June 1908 ment such as circuses and Parsi theatrical acts from Gujarat, India, took place in tents or semi-permanent constructions of canvas, wood and bamboo.4 The Theatres In the early decades of the 20th century, A rare review in the Daily Advertiser before the days of cinema, residents of newspaper in 1891 provides us with a Singapore eagerly flocked tobangsawan 2 glimpse of what such performing venues of iperformances to be entertained. Per- must have been like then: formed in Malay, bangsawan featured acting and singing as well as music “A Penang Native Operatic Company, Bangsawan provided by a live orchestra. Back then, called the Empress Victoria Jawi it was one of the few forms of mass Pranakan Theatrical Company, (Above left) Advertisement for Wayang Kassim’s entertainment available. which is conducted on the same Infantry – including several of its officers – bangsawan production at the New Theatre Royal, In the days before cinema, bangsawan performances Such was the draw of bangsawan lines as the Parsee Company which was reported to have turned up in force.7 1908. Image reproduced from The Straits Times, 3 July 1908, p. 8. entertained the masses. Tan Chui Hua looks at the in the pre-war years that people living visited this city some eight or ten Advertisements in the early 1900s also rise and fall of bangsawan venues in Singapore. in Tanjong Pagar would travel by bullock years ago, opened last night in mentioned a “North Bridge Road Theatre”,8 (Above) The Star Opera Company advertising cart all the way to North Bridge Road to Jalan Besar, opposite the Kampong usually leased by the popular Wayang Kas- its bangsawan production at the Theatre Royal, 1910. Image reproduced from The Straits Times, catch a performance at the purpose-built Kapor Bridge. The building is a sim troupe, also known as Indra Zanibar 11 January 1910, p. 8. Theatre Royal. Mohamed Sidek bin Siraj, wooden one with zinc roofing, Royal Theatrical Company. At 485 North a former civil servant and bangsawan and is both airy and commodious, Bridge Road was the “New Parsi Theatre Theatre Royal on North Bridge Road, c. 1910. patron, recalls in his oral history account: but the internal arrangement is Hall” that was frequently leased by Wayang here nightly, we think the Municipality The theatre was opened by Chinese Peranakan susceptible of improvement. The Pusi from Penang. The latter – also known should thoroughly satisfy itself that businessman Cheong Koon Seng in 1908. The Star “The third class is about $1 and sceneries for a native company, are by various names such as Indra Bangsawan, the building is perfectly safe, as in Opera Company that he established was based at the the first class in front is about $3 passable… Last night the building The Queen Alexandra Theatrical Company the event of a collapse, hundreds, if theatre. Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. or something… There’s no other was crammed with natives. There and the Empress Victoria Jawi Peranakan not thousands, are likely to be killed entertainment for the Malays except were however a few Europeans Theatrical Company – is commonly acknowl- or injured. It would pay anyone to bangsawan. Even that, it started and Eurasians, but they left before edged to be the first bangsawan troupe erect a commodious brick structure after eight and then finished up the play was concluded.”5 in Malaya. A few doors away at 499 North to take the place of the present one, at twelve. If you don’t have the Bridge Road was Alexandra Theatre Hall, or as native companies are almost transport you have to walk. People Besides this venue at Jalan Besar, Alexandra Hall, leased by Opera Yap Chow constantly here.”10 will use a bullock-cart from Tanjong usually referred to as the Parsi Theatre, Tong, a bangsawan troupe. Pagar to see bangsawan and say there were mentions of other perfor- What did these early theatres look By the early 20th century, more solid about 10 or 12 people will go back mance sites in other newspapers. For like? Except for Theatre Royal, no pho- structures had been built. A 1903 Straits in a bullock cart to Tanjong Pagar.”3 instance, in 1887, a member of the public tographic records of these theatres have Times article complaining of overcrow­d­ who had caught a performance by The been found so far, so we only have the ing at the North Bridge Road Theatre Theatre Royal was just one of a hand- Prince of Wales Theatrical Company wrote description of the Jalan Besar theatre during Wayang Kassim’s performances ful of venues in Singapore that staged in The Straits Times Weekly Issue that the as a wooden building with a zinc roof. mentioned brick walls along the main bangsawan performances. While much troupe performed nightly at Cheng Tee’s In 1896, The Mid-Day Herald news- entrance: research has been carried out on the art theatre on North Bridge Road in Kampong paper highlighted the lack of a brick of bangsawan, less has been written about Glam, and praised the perfor­mers for structure for “native theatre” and the “Not only was every available seat the places that played host to such shows. singing the songs of “Hindoostan and hazardous conditions of the Jalan Besar occupied, but the very passages Although secondary source materials on England in high Malay”.6 theatre, despite the fact that it was certi- in the centre of the hall and in the these venues are scant, by piecing together Along the same road, Lee Peck Hoon fied by the Municipal Engineer as fit for wings underneath the zenana class occasional mentions in newspaper reports, Theatre was mentioned in the early 1900s use as a theatre just a year ago:9 were all densely packed, being advertisements, archival records and oral for its bangsawan acts. Described as “fairly taken up by people who could history interviews, a story of the former cool and comfortable” and “lighted by “The building in which the Parsee not, either for love or money, find theatres of bangsawan emerges. acetylene gas”, the theatre was named Theatre [Jalan Besar theatre] is sitting accommodation of any kind after its Peranakan proprietor, who was performing does not seem to present within the four walls of the building. the sub-manager of the Straits Steamship a stable appearance. Were it not for Those among the audience who left Tan Chui Hua is a researcher and writer who has worked on various projects documenting the heritage Company. In 1902, the staging of a play the ponderous props, the building before the conclusion of the play of Singapore, including a number of heritage trails Indra Sabha by a Malay theatrical company will, in all probability, collapse. As experienced very great difficulty in and publications. was very well received, and the 3rd Madras large numbers of people congregate making their exit, having to carefully 08 09 BIBLIOASIA JAN - MAR 2020 VOL. 15 ISSUE 04 FEATURE

THE ALLURE OF BANGSAWAN in the Malay language. The tunes are somehow never seem to clash, mostly borrowed from European predominating. Among the rest It is believed that the first bangsawan operas and songs which at first of the audience I counted a large troupes made their appearance in Singa- seems a little odd to the listener, but number of Chinese, Japanese, pore in the late 19th century, inspired by the Malay – a born improvisator – Sikhs, Bengalis, Tamils, Eurasians, the travelling Parsi theatre groups from makes the best of them and seems and one European – myself.”5 Gujarat, India, which started touring Malaya to adapt these in a truly wonderful and the Dutch East Indies in the 1870s.1 manner to his own tongue. The Stories in bangsawan theatre The first recorded bangsawan Chinese actors and performers were usually adapted from the Sejarah troupe, or at least the first known to spring from the lowest classes of Melayu (Malay Annals), the two great use the term bangsawan, which means the population, whereas the Malay Indian epics the Mahabharata and the “nobility” in Malay, is Wayang Pusi or actor comes from a highly educated Ramayana, Arabic tales, Chinese classics, Indra Bangsawan troupe from Penang. class and is greatly esteemed and European stories and even Shakespear- (Left) Building plan of Theatre Royal, 1907. The theatre was designed by Messrs The troupe was also known as The Queen liked by his countrymen to whom ean plays. Each act was interspersed Swan and Maclaren for Peranakan businessman Cheong Koon Seng. Building Alexandra Theatrical Company and the the Bangsawan is a source of great with performances consisting of orches- Control Division Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. Empress Victoria Jawi Peranakan Theatri- enjoyment. At first the actors were tral music, songs, dances, comedy skits 2 (Above) Cheong Koon Seng opened Theatre Royal in 1908. Image cal Company. almost exclusively Jawi Pakans (Kling and novelty acts. It was not uncommon reproduced from Geni.com. By the turn of the 20th century, a and Malay descent),3 but in latter for bangsawan productions to include number of bangsawan companies had years Singapore Malays and Dutch exotic songs from the Americas, Middle been established in Malaya, such as Opera Eurasians of a good class joined the East and India. Musical instruments from Yap Chow Thong, Wayang Kassim and the profession and consequently a much different cultures, such as the piano, Star Opera Company. A Straits Times article higher standard of perfection and violin and tabla, were also featured.6 in 1903 described bangsawan as follows: culture has been reached.”4

“The origin of these plays [Malay Bangsawan theatre in the pre-war NOTES and slowly thread their way among pore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser “Itu theatre dia, banyak orang-orang drama] may be dated from the early years was primarily a form of commercial 1 Van der Putten, J. (2017). The coming of a Malay the maze of human beings who gave a detailed description of the theatre kenamaan tengok. Kalau raja-raja part of the 18th century, for records mass entertainment, catering to a wide popular theatrical form (p. 141). In C. Skott (Ed.), thronged the passages and occupied prior to its opening: yang hendak tengok semua, nanti Interpreting diversity: Europe and the Malay World. 17 exist in Java of such plays as having audience in order to compete with other New York: Routledge. (Call no.: RSEA 959.51 INT) every coign of vantage, from the dia taruh kain kuning tempat dia.” been performed there, and these forms of entertainment such as plays, 2 Van der Putten, 2017, p. 144. main entrance up to the very stage “The front of the building is of very 3 These are Jawi Peranakans. indicate that playhouses similar to dances, revues and circuses. In 1932, a 4 The Wayang Kassim. (1903, July 4). The Straits Times, itself… There is seemingly only one ornamental design and the main (Translation: At his theatre, the present Malay theatre commonly European who had attended an adapta- p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. public entrance from the main entrance is by three arches opening many dignitaries went to watch known as Bangsawan, existed at that tion of Cinderella by the Starlight Opera 5 Opera in Malay. (1932, August 23). The Singapore thoroughfare, bordered on either into a spacious hall off which is the [bangsawan]. If royals attended the Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, p. 1. time in a crude form. The Bangsawan Company described the people he saw: Retrieved from NewspaperSG. side by a brick wall to the length pit and stalls both of which have shows, yellow cloth would be placed is an opera of Indian origin conducted 6 Tan, S.-B. (1989, Spring-Summer). From popular to of about 30 feet or so; and in the ample emergency exits on either over their seats.) “The audience was composed of “traditional” theatre: The dynamics of change in case of a panic succeeded by a block side. The auditorium is rectangular bangsawan of Malaysia. Ethnomusicology, 33 (2), A scene from a bangsawan production, c. 1900s. a motley crowd – Malays, dressed 229–274, p. 236. Retrieved from JSTOR via NLB’s here, the result would be too awful on plan about 70 feet long by 60 The opening of Theatre Royal her- 11 Mohd Amin bin Kadarisman Collection, courtesy of in all colours of the rainbow, which eResources website. to contemplate.” feet deep and is provided with good alded the golden age of bangsawan in National Archives of Singapore. dressing room accommodation and Singapore and Malaya. More and more Such was the state of the theatres the proscenium arch is 38 feet wide bangsawan troupes were formed, and as catering to local entertainment that when by 24 feet high. In front of the stage appetite for the performances grew, the Theatre Royal opened in 1908, it was to is the usual orchestra well. The newspapers were filled with advertise- much fanfare and praise. upper part of the auditorium has a ments for local and touring bangsawan horseshoe-shaped circle and gallery companies from the 1910s till the 1930s. Theatre Royal and is reached by two wide and easy For instance, in 1909, Cheong Koon Seng Located at the site now occupied staircases from the side of the main launched his own bangsawan company, by Raffles Hospital, Theatre Royal is entrance. The building is substantially Star Opera Company, which was based believed to be the first “permanent” constructed, steel being largely used, at Theatre Royal.18 Splinter groups also theatre for the so-called “native” form the circle being supported upon formed as members of established troupes of entertainment.12 It was described as steel columns with cantilevers of left to establish their own acts.19 a “most substantial edifice of brick, iron the same material projecting beyond The increased demand for bang- and stone, with seating accommodation the girders to form the shape. The sawan also led to more venues for the for about 1,300 people”.13 roof is lofty and well-ventilated and performances. New theatres were men- Theatre Royal was the brainchild of supported on steel columns. The tioned in the papers, such as Beyrouth Chinese Peranakan businessman Cheong building is pleasing in appearance, Theatre, which opened in 1921 opposite Koon Seng, who was also a Munici- well-lighted and ventilated and the Geylang Police Station on Geylang Road. pal Commissioner and a Justice of the comfort of the audience and the Beyrouth was home to Nahar Opera, a Peace.14 Designed by Messrs Swan and performers has been studied.”16 large bangsawan troupe comprising some Maclaren, the theatre was reported to 90 performers and 28 musicians.20 be built along European lines in which Even members of royalty would Amusement parks such as Great strength and safety of the building were make an appearance there as bangsawan World in River Valley and Happy Valley taken into regard.15 In 1908, The Singa- fan, Abu Talib bin Ally, recalled: in Tanjong Pagar also hosted regular 10 11 BIBLIOASIA JAN - MAR 2020 VOL. 15 ISSUE 04 FEATURE

bangsawan programmes. Zubir Said, com- Bangsawan, however, was not the “…ini gambar boleh bercakap... Bangsawan scriptwriter Hamid bin tents for bangsawan were like the began evolving too. From being popular poser of Majulah Singapura, the national only draw of these performing venues. Singapore punya orang semua ini Ahmad felt that the quality of bangsawan stages for Chinese wayang. If I’m not commercial theatre, it began taking on anthem of Singapore, started out as a In an era of heady live entertainment gambar boleh bercakap, “Baguslah, productions deteriorated, especially after mistaken, they had agreements with the form of “traditional” Malay theatre musician in the City Opera bangsawan before cinema became mainstream, bercakap” dia orang bilang. Jadi the war. He recalled: the Chinese who built the stages. The and was staged in smaller arts venues on troupe based in Happy Valley after arriv- performances such as variety shows, semua orang bertumpulah di situ. floor made sounds when you step on occasion. Advertisements forbangsawan ing in Singapore in 1928. He recalled that revues, vaudevilles, circuses, magic Wayang [bangsawan] dah jadi “… saya sudah mulai hilang minat it. I feel that was when bangsawan performances became very infrequent. the hall, as big as Victoria Theatre, was acts, acrobatics and even sports events kendur merosot. Baik-baik boleh menonton kerana bila saya tengok really declined. The standard of Diamond Theatre and Royal Theatre specially built for the performances, and were frequently staged. Theatre Royal dapat $30, makin kurang, kadang alat-alat bangsawan itu sudah tidak performance dropped after the war continued with their new leases of life that there were also living quarters on the and Alexandra Hall, for example, were $20, kadang satu sen [pun] tak seperti yang biasa saya tonton di and did not recover after that.) as Tamil cinemas until the late 1970s. park grounds for bangsawan performers.21 famous for hosting high-profile wres- dapat … Gambar bagus-bagus main, dalam tahun-tahun 30-an dulu... In 1970, the government announced its Besides local bangsawan troupes, tling and boxing matches featuring local semua bercakap menyanyi. Itulah sebelum perang Jepun. Begitu cantik The gradual conversion of bangsawan land acquisition plans in the Rochor area, travelling acts from the region also and overseas champions in the pre-war yang jadi bangsawan merosot, begitu gemilang segala-gala yang venues to movie theatres sounded the which included the sites of both theatres. performed at the theatres and halls years. The former was said to be filled sudah kurang orang. Sekali masuk dialatkan. Jadi apa lagi bangsawan death knell for bangsawan. In 1947, Alexan- By the end of the 1970s, the chapter on in Singapore. Sometimes, performing to the brim with spectators every week ini filem, Melayu punya, terus sekali waktu lepas Jepun ni dia orang dra Hall underwent extensive renovations theatres specially built for bangsawan tents would be specially erected for the for boxing promotions.24 habis. Filem P Ramlee sekali masuk, buatkan bangsawan khemah. Di to become Diamond Theatre, another performances finally came to a close duration they were based on the island. habis sekali ... gambar Melayu.”26 buat panggung sendiri seperti cinema for the screening of Tamil talkies.32 when these venues were demolished, In 1928, The Singapore Free Press and A Gradual Decline panggung wayang Cina, memang, Interestingly, bangsawan as an art form making way for urban redevelopment.33 Mercantile Advertiser reported on the (Translation: The pictures could kalau tak silap, kontraknya kontrak- popularity of such shows: “I am afraid the talkies and the talk… The people in Singapore all kontrak itu orang kontrak panggung Theatre Royal in the midst of demolition in 1977. Image reproduced from Remember Singapore website. slump together are trying to oust praised these talking pictures, so wayang Cina tulah. Buat panggung, “An attraction which never fails to the Bangsawan from its rightful all of them went to the pictures. habis, lantainya jugak berbunyi bila draw crowds in any town either of place in the Malayan scheme of Bangsawan thus began declining. kita pijak tu semua, banyak sudah Malaya or of the Dutch East Indies is things.”25 On a good day, we could make $30, mulai. Saya pikir di waktu itulah described by a visit of a Bangsawan, sometimes less, $20, sometimes not mulai bangsawan mulai turun. Mulai or opera company… The personnel… – Dr Kamel Mohamed Ariff, even a cent… The nice pictures could standard bangsawan telah turun dari is generally mixed, containing Malays, at a lecture on Malay poetry talk, sing. So bangsawan declined, lepas perang Jepun lah tidak dapat Eurasians, and sometimes Chinese and bangsawan, 1932 fewer people. When Malay films naik kembali.”31 players. Travelling from town to town, entered the scene, it became even like a circus, the company pitches As more cinemas were built and worse [for bangsawan]. When P. (Translation: I lost interest in watching its tent on the medan and at once watching films became a popular pastime Ramlee’s films were launched, it bangsawan because I saw that the begins to advertise its presence by among Singaporeans, live entertain- became even worse.) standard was no longer the same as the distribution of leaflets.”22 ment such as bangsawan became less that in the 1930s... before the war attractive. By the late 1930s, advertise- When Cheong Koon Seng died in with Japan. The performances then Hamid bin Ahmad, who wrote ments toutingbangsawan performances 1934 at the age of 55, his family sold were so beautiful, so alluring. After bangsawan scripts, said in his oral his- became few and far between. Theatre Royal to Amalgamated Theatres, the Occupation, the performing tory interview in 1987 that tents for Mohd Buang bin Marzuki, a former the company managing Capitol and bangsawan performances used to be violinist and pianist for various bang- Pavilion cinemas.27 12 Van der Putten, 2017, p. 145. 24 Perreau Family & other Eurasian topnotchers. (1947, erected on the vacant plot of land on sawan troupes, pointed to the advent Amalgamated Theatres immedi- NOTES 13 New theatre opened: Wayang Kassim’s first night November 2). Sunday Tribune (Singapore), p. 11. 1 New theatre opened: Wayang Kassim’s first night at the Royal. (1908, June 15). The Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Geylang Road, just beside the MRT sta- of films in the 1930s as the start of ately set to work modernising the place. at the Royal. (1908, June 15). The Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. 25 Penang the original home of Boria. (1932, April 29). The tion facing City Plaza.23 bangsawan’s decline: In February 1935, Theatre Royal, “once Retrieved from NewspaperSG. 14 Death of Mr. Cheong Koon Seng. (1934, March 20). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, p. 3. Bangsawan the favourite Star Opera”, had its grand 2 means “nobility” or “something noble. Straits Times, p. 12. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. See Tan, S.-B. (1989, Spring-Summer). From popular 15 A new native theatre. (1908, April 9). The Singapore 26 Mohd Yussoff Ahmad. (Interviewer). (1987, November opening with a Hindustani film,Krishna to “traditional” theatre: The dynamics of change in Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly), p. 233. 14). Oral history interview with Mohd Buang bin Great World amusement park bounded by Kim Seng, River Valley and Zion roads, 1950s. It was the venue Sudama, produced by the well-known bangsawan of Malaysia. Ethnomusicology, 33 (2), 229–274, Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Marzuki [Transcript of recording no. 000858/8/7, p. 94]. of regular bangsawan performances. Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. 28 p. 232. Retrieved from JSTOR via NLB’s eResources website. 16 The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser Retrieved from National Archives of Singapore website. Ranjit Studio of Bombay. The grand 3 Chew, D. (Interviewer). (1991, May 13). Oral history (Weekly), 9 Apr 1908, p. 233. 27 Theatre Royal: Acquisition by cinema combine. (1934, dame of bangsawan performances was interview with Mohamed Sidek bin Siraj [Transcript 17 Abdul Ghani bin Hamid (Interviewer). (1991, October 1). The Straits Times, p. 19. Retrieved from transformed into a cinema screening of recording no.: 001255/6/4, p. 41]. Retrieved from February 13). Oral history interview with Abu Talib NewspaperSG. National Archives of Singapore website. bin Ally [Transcript of recording no.: 001216/11/5, 28 Theatre Royal: Highly successful Hindustani picture. films from India, with the occasional live 4 Van der Putten, J. (2017). The coming of a Malay p. 95]. Retrieved from National Archives of (1935, February 17). The Sunday Tribune (Singapore), act from Indian theatrical and perform- popular theatrical form (p. 141). In C. Skott (Ed.), Singapore website. p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. ing groups.29 Eventually, Tamil talkies Interpreting diversity: Europe and the Malay World. 18 Van der Putten, 2017, p. 153. 29 Another theatre for Singapore. (1935, February 2). The New York: Routledge. (Call no.: RSEA 959.51 INT) 19 Mohd Yussoff Ahmad. (Interviewer). (1987, October 8). Malaya Tribune, p. 16; Singapore’s new theatre. (1935, replaced bangsawan as the mainstay 5 Local and general. (1891, November 21). Daily Oral history interview with Hamid bin Ahmad [Transcript February 4). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile of the Theatre Royal, now renamed Advertiser, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. of recording no.: 000897/10/1, pp. 9–10]. Retrieved Advertiser, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Royal Theatre. 6 The Prince of Wales Theatrical Company. (1887, September from National Archives of Singapore website. 30 Official programme for Tentyo-Setu. (1942, April 28). 21). Straits Times Weekly Issue, p. 12. Retrieved from 20 Nahar Opera of Singapore. (1921, February 2). The Syonan Shimbun, p. 4; Indian community holding mass During the Japanese Occupation of NewspaperSG; Daily Advertiser, 21 Nov 1891, p. 3. Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. rally tomorrow. (1944, December 9). Syonan Shimbun, p. 2; Singapore (1942–45), Royal Theatre was 7 The Malay Theatre. (1902, August 5). The Straits Times, 21 Tan, L. (Interviewer). (1984, August 23). Oral history Mass rallies to condemn sinking of Awa Maru. (1945, May known as Indo Gekijo and used mainly p. 4; Trouble at a wayang. (1906, December 12). The interview with Zubir Said [Transcript of recording no.: 14). Syonan Shimbun, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Straits Times, p. 7; [Untitled]. (1902, August 23). The 000293/23/6, pp. 81–84]. Retrieved from National 31 Mohd Yussoff Ahmad. (Interviewer). (1987, October 8). to screen approved films and shows for Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Archives of Singapore website. Oral history interview with Hamid bin Ahmad [Transcript the Indian community in Singapore.30 8 No address was given for the “North Bridge Road 22 The Bangsawan: Incongruities of opera. (1928, of recording no.: 000897/10/5, pp. 56–57]. Retrieved Theatre” in advertisements. Bangsawan continued to be performed October 23). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile from National Archives of Singapore website. 9 Municipal Commission. (1895, August 17). The Mid-day Advertiser, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. 32 New cinema for Indian films. (1947, April 30). Malaya at Garrick Cinema in Geylang. Bangsawan Herald, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. 23 Mohd Yussoff Ahmad. (Interviewer). (1987, Tribune, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. music was also aired regularly over the 10 Local and general. (1896, June 10). The Mid-day October 8). Oral history interview with Hamid bin 33 Govt to acquire another 32 acres of land. (1970, June Herald, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Ahmad [Transcript of recording no. 000897/10/5, 16). The Straits Times, p. 19; The wayang Shakespeare of radio. Nevertheless, the vibrancy of the 11 Crowded theatres. (1903, June 17). The Straits Times, p. 56]. Retrieved from National Archives of 1909. (1979, April 23). New Nation, p. 9. Retrieved from bangsawan scene continued its decline. p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. Singapore website. NewspaperSG. 12 13