This document is downloaded from DR‑NTU (https://dr.ntu.edu.sg) Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Lim Boon Keng : the musical Stella Kon @ Lim Sing Po 2017 Lim, S. P. (2017). Lim Boon Keng : the musical. Master's thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71941 https://doi.org/10.32657/10356/71941 Downloaded on 09 Oct 2021 08:45:51 SGT LIM BOON KENG - THE MUSICAL STELLA KON @ LIM SING PO SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES 2016 LIM BOON KENG - THE MUSICAL STELLA KON @ LIM SING PO School of Humanities and Social Sciences A thesis submitted to the Nanyang Technological University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts 2016 ii CONTENTS page Title ii Contents iii Acknowledgements v I. Lim Boon Keng - The Musical 1. SYNOPSIS AND LIST OF SONGS 1 2. THE LIBRETTO 3 3. NOTES i. Yu Loo and her fictitious descendants 46 ii. Lead sheets for four songs 47 II. An Exegesis of “LIM BOON KENG – THE MUSICAL” 1. Introduction: Why I wrote a work about Lim Boon Keng 57 2. The Importance of Dr Lim Boon Keng in Singapore History 2.1. A Brief Summary of the Life of Doctor Lim Boon Keng 59 2.2. Recent Rehabilitation of LBK’s reputation 61 2.3. Why the work takes the format of a musical 63 3. Lim Boon Keng - the facts and the fiction 3.1. Available Historical record of Lim Boon Keng’s public life 65 3.2. Interpretation and extrapolation on the private life of LBK 3.2.1. The first and second wives – Margaret and Grace 66 3.2.2. Robert, the elephant in the room 67 3.2.3. LBK – not in touch with his emotions 68 3.2.4. LBK - Sense of humour – meh si boh ku 69 3.2.5. Song Ong Siang 71 4. Lim Boon Keng as a Tragic Hero 4.1. What kind of tragedy is Lim Boon Keng’s? 71 4.2. Did Lim have a great character flaw leading to tragedy? 73 5. Lim Boon Keng and Chinese education 5.1. LBK’s Bilingualism 75 5.2. Lim Boon Keng – the English-speaking Confucianist 76 5.3. Lim Boon Keng’s Idea of a University 77 5.4. The Lu Xun Controversy 78 5.5. Was Lim Boon Keng obsessed by Confucianism? 79 5.6. Lim Boon Keng – an Educator ahead of His Time 80 iii 5.7. The Li Sao 82 5.8. Using this material in the Musical 83 6. The complicated loyalties of Lim Boon Keng 84 7. Evolution of the Musical: stages in writing over two decades 7.1. Boon Keng, a Rock Musical for Four Voices 1994 86 7.2. Blue Willow House 2004 87 7.3. Blue Willow House 2006 88 7.4. Victorian Days (2006) 88 7.5. Rickshaw Boy 2008 88 7.6. Boon Keng 2008 88 7.7. Baba Boon Keng 2009 89 7.8. Lim Boon Keng – Warrior of the Mind 2015 88 7.9. Lim Boon Keng the Musical 2016 90 8. The Prosody of the Musical 91 a) Works Cited 94 b) Appendices A. List of Lim Boon Keng’s Activities and Affiliations 98 B. Scripts of Previous Versions of this Musical 1. Boon Keng, 1993 102 2. Blue Willow House 2004 134 3. Victorian Days (2006) 219 4. Rickshaw Boy 2008 259 5. Baba Boon Keng 2009 (Outline) 309 6. Lim Boon Keng – Warrior of the Mind 2015 320 7. Lim Boon Keng – Warrior of the Mind 2015 320 iv Acknowledgements I am most grateful to Nanyang Technological University for supporting me as a research student; my supervisor Mr Daniel Jernigan, for his generous help and advice; Mr Lee Yew Moon for invaluable suggestions; and Ms Siti Sarah binte Daud for assistance in preparing the manuscript. Professor Lee Guan Kin, Distinguished Senior Research Fellow of Nanyang Technological University’s Centre for Chinese Language & Culture, has carried out extensive research on Dr Lim Boon Keng. Between 1990 and 2005, she conducted what amounted to a one-woman campaign in the field of Chinese- language Nanyang studies to advocate his rehabilitation of Lim Boon Keng. On behalf of Dr Lim’s friends and descendants, I would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to Proessor Lee. v LIM BOON KENG The Musical Libretto by Stella Kon Music by Desmond Moey 4. SYNOPSIS AND LIST OF SONGS 5. THE LIBRETTO 6. NOTES iii. Yu Loo and her fictitious descendants iv. Lead sheets for four songs LIM BOON KENG - The Musical © Stella Kon 2017 1 LIM BOON KENG THE MUSICAL - SYNOPSIS AND LIST OF SONGS SYNOPSIS SONG SECTION CONTENT TITLE BY 1. Post-War Trial Boon Keng’s story opens with the 1 Traitor Lim Boon ensemble disgrace and humiliation of his trial for Keng Collaboration. JENNY narrates: she is a descendant of Boon Keng’s sister. She was shocked to learn he was once on trial 2. LBK’s Singapore 1895. The chorus of Straits 2 Dr Lim Boon Keng ensemble Controversial Chinese argues about “Dr Lim Boon Nomination Keng” – then BK is nominated to the Boon Keng and Legislative Council. He thanks everyone 3 “Laugh at Life,” ensemble s with his catch phrase Merci Beaucoup 3. Jenny Questions Jenny narrates: regrets that so little of 4 Tell Me Who You Jenny Boon Keng’s personal life is on record Are 4. Boon Keng’s Editor of Straits Budget: recaps BK's 5. Guns of War and Boon Keng Public Work Lifetime of great works and the award 6. Hear My Appeal of OBE 5. Reforming The Boon Keng and friends try to reform the 7. Reforming the Babas BK and Babas Straits Chinese on many issues. Ensemble 6. Marrying Boon Keng courts Margaret. They 8 Don’t Want To Marry A BK and Margaret pledge to a common vision of educating Baba Margaret the world. BK and 9 Promised my Life Margaret 7 Founding SCGS SONG ONG SIANG and Marg 10 School for Girls BK Margaret persuade the Babas to found the and SOS school for girls 8 China Concerns WONG NAI SIONG narrates his 11 Revolution or Reform. BK Sun Yat Sen activities with BK for China and ensemble Reform. BK opposes Sun Yat Sun. The Chinese Revolution succeeds. 9 SCGS Prize-giving day The little girls sing 12 Light a Little Candle Girls of SCGS Flourishing a song with candle dance 10. Margaret’s Margaret dies, leaving 4 children 13 Hold me in Your Heart Margaret death 11. Grace Yin Jenny relates Family recollections of 14 Grace’s Song Grace Grace. Grace talks about her home Kulangyu. 12. Business and Song Ong Siang narrates about BK's 15 Rubber Boom Boom ensemble Banking Business activities. Boom. 13. Boon Keng Straits Chinese say good bye to BK 16 Promised my Life- Boon Keng leaves for Amoy and sing song of their joie de vivre First Reprise LIM BOON KENG - The Musical © Stella Kon 2017 2 17 Sambal Blachan ensemble ACT TWO 14 Boon Keng in Jenny narrates: BOON KENG’s 18 Kulangyu Grace Amoy time in Amoy. Grace sings of Kulangyu. The dream didn’t work out. Boon Keng lost his money. 15 Return to Babas welcome BOON KENG back 19 Sambal Blachan Ensemble Singapore from Amoy. Judith’s husband reprise Tommy now part of the Chorus of Babas, talks about future self- 20 Sunlight On the Water Boon Keng government. With Song Ong (Preview) Siang, BOON KENG sings one elegiac verse about his retirement. 16 Japanese Chorus of Babas speaks about the 21 Dark Days Ensemble Occupation War, Mime: The Occupation begins; Boon Keng saves Tommy from Sook Ching, colludes with Shinozaki to set up Overseas Chinese Association to save more people. Shinozaki dismissed from Singapore. Watanabe demands OCA raise $50. Million. BOON KENG 22 Hold me in Your Heart Margaret and OCA have to get money from Reprise the population – resented and spit upon. Boon Keng presents cheque to Watanabe. Boon Keng feels miserable. Margaret’s spirit comes to comfort him. 17 Children of Next time Watanabe looks for 23 Children of Syonan Chorus of SCGS Syonan Boon Keng he is very drunk and (reprise Light a girls incapacitated. Candle) The Occupation continues – little girls of SCGS sing their same song in Japanese. 18 Tribunal Occupation ends, the British return. Scene reverts to the Tribunal of the opening scene. Shinozaki as witness tells his role in setting up OCA .BOON KENG cleared by tribunal, the Babas still despise him. 19 The Recluse Boon Keng is at home, feeling that 23 Sunlight on the Water BOON KENG life has no meaning. Margaret and Margarert appears, to comfort him and assure LIM BOON KENG - The Musical © Stella Kon 2017 3 him that his name will live with honour forever. Tommy and Judith visit him with their daughter. Tommy is working 24 Promised My Life - Boon Keng for self-government for Singapore. Second Reprise Mao Tse tung is going to eradicate Chinese culture. Boon Keng is fired to action and plans to found the China Society. 20 The China The China Society is founded with 25 Laugh at Life Reprise Ensemble Society celebration and toasting and a jolly song. 26 Tell Me Who You Are Jenny and Jenny sings an inspirational finale Reprise ensemble and all join in, LIM BOON KENG - The Musical © Stella Kon 2017 4 © Stella Kon, 7 September 2016 V5.3 LIM BOON KENG The Musical Libretto by Stella Kon Music by Desmond Moey CHARACTERS Main Parts LIM BOON KENG between ages of 26 and 81 MARGARET Boon Keng’s first wife SONG ONG SIANG Boon Keng’s best friend, one year younger than Boon Keng JENNY, aged 40+, Yu Loo’s descendant.