Love, Katong

Lovebirds, kool kats, stylo milo. Sugee cake, karipap panas, matchmaker matchmaker make me a match. Turn turtle, the line before the sea, rebel. Pop Yeh Yeh, the young ones, darling we’re the young ones… who are you? What lives did our grandparents lead before we came into their lives? What will we discover when tracing their steps, eroded by progress and change? What remains while time continues to slowly slip through our fingers?

Joe’s grandparents will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary soon, so he wants to surprise them with a gift to commemorate this milestone. He needs some help so he’s asking you to join him for a walk around Katong-Joo Chiat. In doing so, he is attempting to piece together threads of his family’s history: from his grandparents’ courtship years to the old house to experiences that have left an indelible mark on their lives. Perhaps, he can fill in some blanks and come up with something truly special for Datuk and Grandma. 

Love, Katong is a theatrical walking experience around the streets of Katong-Joo Chiat contemplating what love truly means in our lives against the backdrop of a heritage town filled with many diverse stories and histories. A blend of fictional and real stories, it is created and led by Shaifulbahri Mohamad and directed by Adeeb Fazah. 

This Call for Collaboration project is supported by Katong Culture and part of National Heritage Board’s (NHB) Heritage Activation Nodes initiative.

Playwright & Performer: Shaifulbahri Mohamad

Director: Adeeb Fazah 

Project Assistant: Insyirah Nur Dhamirah

KV Designer: Mark Benedict Cheong

Shaifulbahri Mohamad

Shaifulbahri Mohamad (b. 1986) curates, creates and facilitates experiences for the stage, in public spaces and amongst people. He is currently Artistic Director of Bahri & Co and an organising member of Producers SG. Shai graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with an MA in Creative Producing (Distinction). His projects have been presented in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the United Kingdom and South Korea, where he recently premiered his latest creation, Noraebang Diplomacy.

Questioning the place of the Southeast Asian person and body in different permutations and contexts, Shai is curious about their relationship with site, space, memories, impermanence and resonance. Through transdisciplinary and transnational collaborations, activations and presentations, his work is often set against the backdrop of the millennial memory making experience. 

Programme Advisory

Kindly note that no refund or exchange of tickets is allowed under any circumstance except for programme cancellation. Participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the programme. The programme will begin on time.

The walk will proceed in the event of wet weather, and all participants are advised to bring an umbrella/raincoat. The walk may, however, be cancelled due to inclement weather (e.g. hazardous haze conditions, flooding etc.) or due to other unforeseen circumstances affecting the walk (e.g. road closures etc.), and participants will be informed. If so, alternative arrangements will be made to the best of the organiser's abilities.

The duration of the walking tour is 90 minutes. Participants are recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes, light clothes suitable for the weather, as well as to bring along a bottle of water, and an umbrella. 

The programme is suitable for those aged 12 and above.To allow more participants to enjoy the programme, each customer is allowed to purchase up to 4 tickets. Any additional tickets purchased may be cancelled.

By registering for this programme, participants agree:

a) that the personal information supplied will be strictly used for the purposes stated above;

b) that the programme organiser(s) and NHB may take photographs and/or videos of them (or their child as applicable) and use the images and/or videos including to archive, exhibit and publish them for publicity; and

c) for the programme organiser(s) and NHB to contact them regarding the programme that they have signed up for, as well as other communication that may be of interest to them.