On the stage, where scenery and props are few and far between, Chinese opera actors often rely on stylised gestures to express a certain situation or event. Also known by the Malay term ‘wayang’, which literally means ‘performance’, Chinese opera in Singapore can be traced back to the 19th century with the arrival of Chinese immigrants. Up until the 1930s, wayang was a popular performing art, both as a platform for religious worship and as a cheap form of entertainment.
