Coming for the Theatre, Staying for the Insights: Reflections on Lao Jiu: The Musical

Written by: Joshua Teo Zhe Kai (1i1, 2026) 

As part of the Humanities DSA Enrichment Programme, we had the opportunity to watch Lao Jiu: The Musical, a production that gave us much to think about long after we left the theatre.

I would never have expected a production set in the 1980s, back in my parents’ day, to resonate so deeply with me decades later. Its lasting impression on me inspired me to pen this reflection and share my insights.

This theatre production, set in 1980s Singapore, follows the life of a teenage Singaporean boy. Born the youngest in a working-class family, he is referred to as 老九, or Ninth Child, throughout the story. With his outstanding academic ability, he has the chance to sit for an entrance examination to earn a scholarship, which would secure his further schooling. This is especially significant since none of his older sisters had come close to reaching this level of education.

At this point, he suddenly feels the urge to break away from the “destiny” set before him and chase his passion for traditional puppetry. This is partly connected to the imminent retirement of his beloved puppetry master, who had taught him this dying art since he was young.

His decision is met with strong opposition from his family, especially his father. Despite this, Lao Jiu remains undeterred and gives up the scholarship he had shown excitement about just weeks before.

The musical’s themes stayed with me so naturally for several reasons.

First, there is the idea of having to choose between pursuing one’s personal aspirations and focusing on academics. Lao Jiu’s main struggle revolves around being torn between these two paths. Reflecting on this also made me realise how Hwa Chong strives to ensure that students are holistically developed, without forcing them to neglect one area completely. Arrangements such as the careful allocation of after-school time, so that academic programmes and extracurricular activities largely do not clash, are things we may take for granted. However, they are deliberate efforts to help students develop in different areas.

Second, the play is set in an age when rigid ideals of success were common and often instilled from young. Academic success was expected to be relentlessly pursued, while the sacrifice of personal passions was often taken as a given. Parents like Lao Jiu’s father are prime examples of this mindset, as seen in his heated confrontation with Lao Jiu during the musical. Although this mindset may be less intense today, it is still present in Singapore.

This leads to another issue that remains common in today’s society, especially for teenagers: the tension between children and their families when major differences arise. In Lao Jiu’s situation, his father is adamant that he must take the scholarship entrance examination and treats it as a do-or-die mission. His anger boils over, and he lashes out at Lao Jiu both physically and verbally. The scene shows us what can happen when emotions are not controlled properly, especially when strong passions and expectations are involved.

Lastly, there is the less obvious but equally important theme of dying traditions and culture in Singapore. Part of the reason Lao Jiu chooses puppetry over the scholarship is that he wants to receive the baton from his puppetry master and keep the tradition alive. He even misses the scholarship examination to attend his master’s final performance, where there are fewer than half a dozen viewers. This emphasises how forgotten the art form had become.

Just as Lao Jiu wanted to revive puppetry, we need more people like him to step up today to preserve our culture. In the age of the internet, our traditions may be even more at risk than before. From a cultural standpoint, this is arguably one of the most pressing issues that Lao Jiu highlights.

The most impressive part of Lao Jiu: The Musical is its seamless integration of social issues into a plot, setting and cast of characters that are relatable without being overly generic. The sequences and stage arrangements were also skilfully executed. More importantly, the production leaves a quiet but meaningful mark on the audience, something I only fully discovered through this reflection.

In a nutshell, come for the theatre, but stay for the insights. In fact, perhaps even more for the latter.