I had just graduated from university when a family friend invited my family and me to the Tropicana nightclub. I can only remember the topless dancing and nothing much else. Being innocent and naive, I could not fathom why anybody would pay to watch bosomy ladies prance around.

 

Fast forward three decades, and as I watched Tropicana the musical, the nostalgia of the 60s and 70s flooded my mind. No, there was no topless dancing, but the music, dancing, and costumes brought back fond memories of this era.

 

The musical follows the history of the Tropicana nightclub, from its beginnings in 1968 until its closure twenty-one years later in 1989. The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, a government statutory board, played an instrumental role in setting up Tropicana, which is ironic, because in the 1970s the government’s self-righteous authorities would send police raids or plant plain-clothed police spies inside the premises.

 

The story recounts the starting of Tropicana, and within a few short years, a serious problem arose when it became popular and extraordinarily profitable. A gangster wanted to be made a partner, but was declined by Tropicana’s owner, Reggie. This reminded me of the monthly “protection money” that my parents had to pay the triads so as to prevent their Chinatown premises from being burnt down. The gangster sent some thugs to physically harm some of the Tropicana staff in an attempt to persuade the owner to offer him a partnership. I have always wondered whether the gangster may have been instrumental in burning Tropicana down?

 

The musical also recounts the 1969 race riots in Singapore which was sparked off by the 13 May incident in Kuala Lumpur. The clashes between the Chinese and Malays resulted in about 36 deaths and 500 people injured. The week long riots affected business, including the Tropicana.

 

The hippie culture of the 1960s was characterized by long hair, promiscuous lifestyle, and drug use. Reacting to this, the Singapore government banned long hair, did not allow psychedelic rock music to be played in nightclubs and public places, and disallowed broadcasting of songs whose lyrics were deemed to evoke drug use. This included banning the 1966 Beatles song “Yellow Submarine”, because it was interpreted (mistakenly) by the censors as representing capsules that contained illicit drugs.

 

The combination of the 1969 race riots and the rise of hippie culture led the Singapore government to tighten up on all arts and entertainment performances and publications. The severe censorship totally destroyed Singapore’s film, theatre and other arts industries in the 1970s, and we still have not fully recovered from the devastation.

 

The brilliance of Tropicana the musical is that it encompasses these important historical events in an entertaining and heartfelt manner. There are many memorable scenes. One of them is Frank Sinatra singing on stage while the background shows the silhouette of violent fighting between the Tropicana staff and the gangsters. Another memorable scene is the car with headlights shining on the audience while the background moves to create the illusion of driving along the road. The flames showing the Tropicana on fire are incredibly stunning.

 

Perhaps the most memorable scenes are those showing a montage of actual photographs taken during the 1960s and 1970s. They are truly nostalgic. Well done Brian Gothong Tan.

 

The songs are absolutely spot-on. Kudos must be given to composer Julian Wong and lyricist Joel Tan. Memorable songs include “Live Your Life”, “Tropicana”, “Send Me a Dream” and “A Time for Everything”. Music director and co-arranger Joel Nah must be congratulated for creating a jazz and rock band that sounded authentic for the periods depicted.

 

Haresh Sharma’s script is effective, humorous and profound. But I wish there was less non-English dialogue as watching the projected surtitles distracted me from focusing on the actors. The second half of the show seemed to be more of a social-political satire, and that sidetracked the main story line.

 

To me, the best actors are Lim Yu Beng who plays Reggie the Tropicana founder and owner, and his loyal but crafty secretary played by the versatile Karen Tan. They are spot-on in their portrayal of the idealistic ethical boss and the intelligent caring employee.

 

I have singled out Brendon Fernandez and Seong Hui Xuan for mention, because I have known them since they started their theatre careers. It is good to see that they have matured into outstanding professionals.

 

I have also known producer Tan Kheng Hua and director Beatrice Chia-Richmond for many years, and they have pulled off a masterpiece musical of historical importance in the annals of Singapore musicals.

 

It is a pity that the run is so short, lasting on 18 days. Hopefully it will be restaged in the not too distant future.

 

Congratulations to everyone involved in Tropicana the Musical!

 

Kenneth Lyen

29 April 2017