Share
As the saying goes, “By thirty, one establishes oneself; by forty, one understands the world; and by fifty, one understands their purpose.” As the decades roll by and life enters its golden years, would you choose to retire and enjoy a peaceful life, or continue to chase your dreams? As far as one group of elderly theatre actors is concerned, the answer is loud and clear: they are not only pursuing their dreams but also travelling over a thousand miles to showcase their best performances to the locals in Singapore.
In June, 17 elderly actors from the Transformational Multi Performing Arts Programme for Golden Agers, an initiative sponsored by Link Together Initiatives and created by Arts’ Options, were bestowed the opportunity to venture outside of Hong Kong to perform. After being invited to perform in the UK last year, they participated in the first Hong Kong Culturtainment Festival in Singapore this year. They performed The Final Escape, a dramedy adapted from Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear and infused with Hong Kong’s unique cultural elements. This two-day performance was also supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore.
The energetic performances by the senior actors have inspired local elderly communities and charitable organisations, motivating them to keep pursuing their passions. “The narrative is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. It emphasises the significance of purposeful retirement, intergenerational understanding and inclusivity. The senior actors’ performances were unforgettable.” said Dorothy Teo, Vice Chair of Cycling without Age Singapore, who had attended the performance.
Despite being in their golden years, the vigour of the elderly performers, aged 58 to 75, matched that of their younger peers. They prepared tirelessly to put up six entertaining monologues for the performances at Jurong Point, one of Link’s properties, and AMK Hub, a shopping mall managed by Link. They demonstrated that age is no impediment to developing artistic talent or pursuing a passion for theatrical performance.
How would the Singaporean community react to a Cantonese performance? The rhythmic tones of fluent Cantonese, combined with the actors’ expressive body language, captivated many local residents who had paused to watch the monologues. The two mall performances attracted over a hundred spectators. After the show at AMK Hub, four elderly drama instructors engaged the audience in theatre games. Despite it being conducted in Cantonese, the audience participated enthusiastically. Parents joined with their children, and local seniors had an impromptu “acting match” with the golden-aged performers. People of all ages came together, and joyful laughter echoed throughout the shopping mall.
“Over mountains, across valleys, I chase, I chase, I chase on...” Vincent Tam, performing abroad for the first time, brought his monologue The Courage to Chase Dreams to the Singaporean audience. He explained that the content was inspired by his personal experience of participating in a long-distance run in Taiwan, covering 930 kilometres over 40 days. “Overcoming obstacles is part and parcel of chasing dreams; just as when I ran through high mountains and treacherous roads. Through my experience, I hope to inspire other seniors to break age barriers, bravely pursue their dreams and realise their full potential,” he said.
“In the past, many seniors may have been held back by family responsibilities or career development, unable to boldly pursue their dreams. Now, with a leisurely retirement life, we should seize these golden years. It’s never too late to learn!” he added.
Rebecca Chan, a golden-aged actress who had starred in New Taming of the Shrew in Hong Kong, cherished her first overseas performance as a memorable experience: “An audience member who didn’t understand Cantonese was still able to appreciate our performance through our expressive and agile body language. He even complimented us, saying we didn’t appear elderly at all!" At 71, Rebecca smiled, noting that her mind is sharper than many younger individuals, thanks to her involvement in theatre. She hopes that more performance opportunities will arise in the future, allowing more people to witness the boundless potential of seniors.
