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