Peranakan Theatre: ROLE reversals
PETER LEE
(Extracted from July-Sept 2002 Issue of The Peranakan newsletter)
One unique aspect of our Peranakan Heritage is the survival of the female impersonator in Peranakan Theatre. It may be a tradition that’s dying out, but in the true spirit, it’s definitely going with a Bang!
Female impersonators have dominated the stage in Japan and China for centuries, and have created intricate and highly stylized art forms. As in these traditions, female roles have also been played by men in the Peranakan bangsawan. The reason behind this- that it had been considered inappropriate for women to appear on stage- is now of course no longer valid. However, unlike in China where the dan roles are now usually played by women, and in Japan, where the onnagates are a rare breed, the female impersonator in Peranakan theatre still lives on!
Since Gunong Sayang’s production of Buang Keroh Pungot Jernih in 1985 (just one year after the revival of the Peranakan play with Felix Chia’s Pileh Menatu), the female impersonator has been derigueur in all productions. Everyone knows G T Lye and the young KT as well as Malacca’s Kenny Chan and Chee Hood Siong. Ivan Heng gave the concept a new twist with his version of Stella Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill, which has been performed all over the world since premiering in Kuala Lumpur in October 1999.
BIRTH OF A POPULAR ART FORM
The beginnings of the Peranakan bangsawan are however, lost in the mists of time. What is certain is that this genre developed from the Malay bangsawan that rose to popularity throughout the Straits Settlements, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies from the 1880s. This subject has been extensively studied by Tan Sooi Beng in his book Bangsawan: A Social and Stylistic History of Popular Malay Opera (Oxford University Press,1993)
The earliest Chinese- owned bangsawan troups could well have been Wayang Yap Chow Thong (Straits Echo, 14 May 1904), and Opera Stamboul owned by Tay Boon Teck (Straits Echo, November 1904). The performers were also “generally mixed” compromising “Malays, Eurasians and sometimes Chinese players.” (Straits Echo, 20 October 1928).
The first mentions of Peranakan bangsawan in the press seem to be reviews of productions in the late 1910s by the same troupe: Princess Nilam Chahaya for the China Flood Fund at the Anglo-Chinese School Union Building, Penang (May 1918), followed by Nyai Dasima (1919) and Ginufifah (1920). Nyai Desima, a perennial favourite, is a tragic Betawi (Jakartan) tale about a lady who falls in love with an Englishman, but is tricked into divorcing him by another man who eventually kills her for her money. Two versions of the story were written during colonial times. The earlier version of G. Frances (1896) in Betawi Malay was set in the year 1800. The second version was written in Dutch by A T Manusama (1926).
The earliest performance by women took place in 1926 when the Penang Nyo Nya Bangsawan presented Jula Juli Bintang Tiga, Nyai Dasima and A Merchant of Baghdad in Penang in 1926. As many Peranakan attest, it was considered highly unseemly for Nyonyas to appear on stage. However, as in many Peranakan performance, this one also claimed, “nett proceeds are to be devoted to charitable purposes”, Perhaps these gracious ladies were brave enough to risk their reputation for the sake of charity. Box seats were priced at $6, Reserved seats at $3 and First Class seats at $1. Ladies Upstairs seats were $2 (Straits Echo, 21 December 1926).
In the 1910s entrepreneur Baba Cheong Koon Seng founded the Star Opera, a Malay bangsawan troupe, which performed at his own theatre, Theatre Royal in North Bridge Road. “My mother would take us down to see the shows in our theatre on Friday nights,” remembers his daughter Mrs Koh Kiong Tuan. Khairuddin (or K Dean) was the star of the bangsawan (there is a road named after him in Opera Estate). Quite a favourite of the bibiks. They used to give him jewellery. I remember in particular the chichak berlian.” (The chichak berlian was a jewel in the shape of a lizard).
Malay women used to take part in the bangsawan. Khairuddin’s wife Tijah was equally popular.” She had the most beautiful soprano voice,” Mrs Koh remembers. So how was it that Nyonyas were not allowed in Peranakan productions? “It was considered right,” Mrs Koh affirms.
