Located in one of the oldest streets in Singapore, this iconic and historical shophouse is now home to “The Theatre Practice” (Practice)”, Singapore’s longest-standing professional bilingual theatre institution.
Founded by dancer/choreographer Goh Lay Kuan and playwright/director Kuo Pao Kun in the same year as Singapore’s independence in 1965, the school aimed to integrate creative performance with arts education through the teaching of dance, theatre and music.
Their latest work is “HERE COMES KAYA & ROTI! “Where Are Our Friends?”, a 3-day innovative online theatre show that reinvents traditional mandarin nursery rhymes.
While visiting the shophouse that is located in the heart of the Waterloo Street Arts Belt, you can also visit other local arts groups like the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore, Dance Ensemble Singapore, and Singapore Lyric Opera.
For those who are already making guesses over the street’s name, it was indeed named by the British to commemorate their famous victory in the 1815 Battle of Waterloo.
However, the street’s hokkien name “Si Beh Lor” has nothing to do with the battle, but is actually a colloquial reference to the fourth street from a smaller settlement in Singapore’s formative years!
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I might have seen it. Not too sure. I remember Waterloo street. I noticed with interest that many streets had retained their English name. (An uncle of mine even has his street in Singapore!!) I joke you not.
Indeed, we are a little obsessed with finding out the historical reasons behind these names. 🙂
As we French say: Who can understand the English? They only put defeat names on their monuments. Waterloo Station. Trafalgar Sq. ?
Hahah!