Theatrical treat

August 2015

Students tried their hands at puppetry under the guidance of the local arts group The Finger Players

As part of the Keppel Nights programme, more than 200 students from Blangah Rise Primary School and Yu Neng Primary School enjoyed an imaginative theatrical journey into Singapore’s past through a performance of ‘Samsui Women: One Brick at a Time’ on 30 July 2015. Keppel Nights is a partnership between Keppel Corporation and Esplanade to give students from heartland schools access to world-class performances presented by Esplanade.

Using music and handcrafted props and puppets, local arts group The Finger Players brought to life the story of the Samsui women whose tireless labour helped to build modern Singapore. Enthralled by the colourful set, catchy melodies and vivacious cast, many students were literally on the edge of their seats. The production was commissioned by Esplanade for its ‘Feed Your Imagination’ series, which offers age-appropriate and interactive arts experiences for primary and secondary students.

“I enjoyed the performance and my visit to the Esplanade very much. The finger puppets looked fun and interesting and I would like to get one for myself!” shared Lim Hao Yue, a Primary 6 student from Yu Neng. Fellow Yu Neng Primary 6 student Belinda Ng found the show “very meaningful”, adding, “the time I spent there was definitely worthwhile.”

Thanking Keppel Corporation and Esplanade, Ms Judy Kong, a Blangah Rise Primary music teacher who accompanied her students to the show, said, “It was definitely something different for the kids to experience away from their classroom environment. We hope that there will be more programmes like these lined up for Keppel Nights.”