Since I caught "881" with my mom and sister some 3 weeks back, I've been itching to catch some getai action. Sadly, I didn't manage to and the Seventh Lunar Month has since ended. The movie brought back good memories though. It made me recall the days when my grandpa would bring me downstairs his Kallang flat, my hand in his, to watch Teochew opera and puppet shows. Every seventh month of the chinese calendar without fail, which is also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, a stage platform would be erected at a wide open space near the flat and uncles and aunties would flock there with children in tow to watch the performances every night. Pavements would be lined with jossticks, red candles and food offerings and there would be circular patches of charred grass leftover by the burning of paper money. These offerings were for the spirits of the dead whom the Chinese believe are released from the gates of Hell for a one month visit to earth. The getai performances are supposed to provide entertainment for these wandering souls and the first rows of plastic chairs are usually left empty for them.
My dad would bring our whole family to watch getais too and I remember it was back in the 90s when evergreen singers wearing colourful outfits belting out classic Hokkien and Chinese songs started to eclipse the painted expressive faces of Teochew Opera and the erhu and cymbals accompanied hand puppet shows.
The getai world along with those florid memories soon slipped into the recesses of my mind. My dad and grandfather left us and the world moved along at breakneck pace. The getais have evolved into flamboyant song and dance performances with multi-talented fast-talking comperes, rambuctious Hokkien techno numbers and lithe dancers scantily clad in sequinned pieces. Even the stages have gone from simple wooden plank and poles setup to sophisticated surround sound system, shiny disco-light balls and fanciful themed backdrops.
This is well-portrayed in "881".
If you haven't caught Roystan Tan's latest film, I suggest you dash to the nearest theatre before the film run ends. This coming from a person who usually shuns local film productions and isn't a particularly patriotic person. There is a reason why it has grossed over 3 million dollars in cinema receipts, outdoing Jack Neo's Just Follow Law and has been selected as our country's official entry in the Best Foreign Film Oscar race. Although I do not believe it'll be among the finalists, the film is truly one of the rare products that has quality and national pride stamped all over it.
"881" is a musical comedy which revolves around two aspiring getai singers and their struggles to make it big on stage. Other than the director's obsession with numbers (Roystan's previous movies include "15" and "430"), 881 also significantly refers to the main characters, the Papaya Sisters, two friends who become sworn sisters after being brought together by their passion for getais. Big Papaya and Small Papaya (played by Yeo Yann Yann and Mindy Ong respectively) are taken under the wing of Auntie Ling (Liu Ling Ling) who becomes their manager as well as a motherly figure to them. The story unfolds through the eyes of Guan Yin (Qi Yuwu), who is the adopted son of Auntie Ling. Although Guan Yin's narration can be heard in some scenes, he has no actual dialogue with the other characters because he is mute. Aside from playing with his pet rooster in his free time and nursing a crush on one (or both) of the sisters, he is also the chauffeur, photographer and caretaker.
Funny moments are aplenty when veteran getai performancers Wang Lei and Karen Tan turned up to banter with Liu Ling Ling's auntie Ling in pure explosive (minus the vulgarities) Hokkien. Their chemistry is evident and even kids were laughing along in the cinema I was in.Then for reasons unknown, there is a cheesy part about Auntie Ling's twin (also Liu Ling Ling), a diety living in a temple who grants the Papaya sisters their wish to be successful getai singers if they abide by her rules. Rules are meant to be broken so the journey for the sisters is fraught with obstacles. Oh and be mentally prepared for the special effects during the battle between the sisters and their main rivals, the Durian sisters (played by MTV VJs May and Choy) and the latter's mangled english.
Still, credit must be given to Roystan for being able to inject serious and heartrending moments into a movie that is mainly steered by music, humour and a dose of craziness. Characters ala Moulin Rouge break out into song and dance numbers to express their emotions on top of the excellent synchronized performance of the Papaya sisters on stage. I reckon a significant amount of the movie's 1 million budget must have been lavished on the outrageous but lovely costumes. The sisters and their rivals went through so many costume changes, I lost count of them. The unbridled showcase of singing and dancing is also equivalent to a trip to getais that are usually found in heartland areas.
I believe a good story reaches its aim when the audience is able to relate to it and the plot achieves this with its strong relationship themes. There are the exceptionally poignant scenes (spoiler!) that deals with Small Papaya's struggles with cancer and the eternity of sisterhood. Whether its the love between the sisters or their fiery passion for getai, you can tell that the film struck a chord with the audience with the unbashful shedding of tears and generous applause.
881, thanks for bringing back the memories.For a traditional culture that may soon be lost with the passing of generations and tweaking from modernization. For the people whom I'll never forget.
