If there was a Living Gallery for photography, the Nataional Museum of Singapore also had one for film and something called wayang. Film as you already know is all about movies of a bygone age. While wayang, is the Malay word for theater, thus wayang is Malay theater. It comes in various forms from puppet shows to human theater. Looking at the large screens upon entry into the gallery, one will be taken by the wayang being shown in the screens. It was still in black and white. The music and the feel of the wayang really brings you back in time.
Along the way to the next room were several large phonographs, I would have to say I have never seen an authentic phonograph before and I was amazed at how large it was. They weren’t operating at that time though. Anyway, continuing on to the next room, I was greeted by something more familiar, it was Chinese opera or theater. Back in the day when Singapore was not as properous as today, the chief form of entertainment of the people was watching opera which was played on the streets with a makeshift theater and the characters would be dressed in fancy costumes which are displayed on the other side of the room.
Although the material in the gallery wasn’t as plentiful as I was expecting it to be. It was still an educational trip and it gave me a better appreciation of the things which shaped current Singapore society.
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