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SINGAPORE : Be prepared to be scared funny. Your favourite ghastly ghouls pack the gore and giggles in musical horror comedy "H is for Hantu" (ghost in Malay), which opens on Thursday at the Alliance Francaise Theatre.
The musical play involves the residents - not all human - of Singapore's last kampung (village in Malay) who are willing to put up a fight or fright, to save it from being demolished.
"It's about a little boy, Sazali, who wants to save his kampung from redevelopment, as he thinks it’s really precious. Unfortunately, the rest of the villagers don’t think so, and they’re all moving out. So, he turns to the only residents who do want to stay, all his ghostly friends who have been there for generations and they decide to cook up a scheme to stop the housing board from moving on," director and playwright, Jonathan Lim told Primetime Morning.
Those who are afraid of ghosts, fear not for the play comes with a good dose of humour. "It’s absoulutely local, there’s a lot of kampung humour in there. There’s a lot of really bizarre and ridiculous humour as well. The ghosts themselves are quite hilarious," added Lim.
Cast member Jo Tan who plays a Pontianak (Malay for vampire) describes her character as having insecurities despite being a ghoul. "Traditionally she’s supposed to have a breast on her back. She feels very insecure about her cleavage as well, as any woman would and all the other Pontianaks make fun of her," explained Tan.
"This Pontianak was born with her breasts in front. As a spirit, she is kind of misshapen," elaborated Lim.
Fellow cast member Gene Sha-Rudyn plays two ghosts - Hantu Gala and The Banana Tree spirit. Describing The Banana Tree spirit, he said "It is something ancient, and has been around for a really long time and knows everything, is aware of what goes on although it stays put where it is."
Explaining that the ghosts in the play are meant to do more than just to haunt audiences, Gene said, "They [the ghosts] kind of serve a greater purpose. I think what he [Lim] has done to the script is that we’re using them, to reflect on ourselves, and what we’re doing to our own heritage."
"By trying to bring the human side of these inhuman creatures out, that’s where the humour becomes universal, so whether you are Singaporean or whether you know who these ghosts or not, you can definitely relate to these spirits and even laugh at them," added Tan.
Giving his point on ghost stories, Lim believes that they teach people how to behave towards each other and towards greater forces, and likens them to cautionary tales.
"You learn to respect nature, you learn to respect sacred things, learn to respect each other. And I think for most of the Asian cultures, spirits are just another form of 'human species'. They’re just a little bit cleverer and older than us, and therefore deserve our respect."
"Also I think it's also just a way of helping society to learn how to function better. In our show, it’s the ghosts who teach us about neighbourliness and friendship, living through adversity," said Lim.
Believing that everyone possesses the 'kampung spirit' (neighbourliness), Lim explained, "It’s something easily forgotten. You know as we move ahead, as our lives become faster and busier, we forget, that we have neighbours right next door, who do care about us if we take that moment. And I think that’s what the spirits in this show remind us of.
"Not necessarily that we have to move back to our own home, but that we can bring that spirit with us wherever we go. I think that's the message that all Singaporeans need to remember, especially nowadays, when the busy world is not as entertaining as it used to be. Let’s go back to the simple things in life."
"H is for Hantu" runs from August 13-23 at the Alliance Francaise Theatre.
- CNA/nc
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