Land
of a Thousand Dreams
Eric WATSON
This
musical is set in Singapore and was first produced in 1994 at the Kallang
Theatre. The music has a strong jazz influence but also a Chinese element to it.
The story
is one of a poverty-stricken immigrant family who has to give away one of their
children, a boy, for adoption. In later years the family manages a kopi tiam
but are somehow never able to free themselves completely from debt and are thus
continually at the mercy of unscrupulous businessmen. However, these shared
triumphs and trials bring about closer bonds within the family.
The
adopted son is taken in by a rich family who neglects the boy, and he soon
becomes influenced by dubious company. He goes to study overseas and he returns
as an arrogant young man, thinking that money can buy anything. One day he sees
a girl serving at the tables at a kopi tiam. He is attracted to her and
forces his attentions on her, which she rejects. He thinks that she is being
standoffish and tries to flash his wealth at her. He says that for a thousand
dollars she will give him a kiss and probably more but she soon disabuses him of
that notion. Her younger brother comes to her rescue gaiyah for a
thousand dollars I kiss you lahh. Later he becomes obsessed by her to
the point that he attempts rape. She is then in a dilemma: should she resist
him? He has money and is powerful, and his father could close down the kopi
tiam anytime! The girl is of course his biological sister and her parents,
the owners of the kopi tiam, are also his biological parents. Through a
series of bizarre events involving his adopted fatherfs mistress, false claims
to an inheritance and the discovery of a birthmark, true identities are
eventually established and all ends well.
back
to Composers' Corner
@