SINGAPORE: Fun fact: Did you know there used to be a daycare centre up at Caldecott Broadcast Centre (CBC)?
That was one piece of trivia discovered by the Singapore Heritage Festival’s (SHF) creative director Christie Chua while preparing for the annual festival’s highlight event this year.
“There was once an area set aside for the children of parents who were working there. What was nice was that it very much had a mini-kampong feeling, where the children literally grew up together,” she said.
Over the next two weekends, that kampong vibe will be felt once more during the SHF Takes Over programme at Mediacorp’s old home.
Caldecott Broadcast Centre’s old warehouse area has been turned into a photo alley of sorts, where people can take selfies. (Photo: Howard Law)
The festival, which runs from April 28 to May 14, will also be heading to places such as Little India and Bukit Pasoh, but for the first two weekends, at least, CBC will be the proverbial king of the hill.
With Mediacorp moving to its swanky new building at one-north, a section of its old premises will be open for the public to explore from April 28 to May 1, and May 5 to 7.
For Chua, exploring CBC’s rich broadcast history was an eye-opening experience. “Seeing the old props store, the warehouse, the film studio – it gives you that feeling of really stepping into an iconic space where lots have been done.”
So what can you expect at Caldecott? We give you the lowdown.
Sweet Tooth by Cake presents Studio 6, a 30-minute show paying homage to the TV shows of the past, such as this 1984 Hari Raya Children’s Special titled Ke Bulan, Ke Bintang. (Photo: Howard Law)1. SHOWS THAT WILL TAKE YOU DOWN MEMORY LANE
Growing Up, Good Morning Sir, Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, Aiyoyo Laoshi, Seletar Robbery. If the mention of these shows makes you wax nostalgic, then you should definitely check out Studio 6, a 30-minute live performance that crams moments from 18 of your favourite TV shows.
Presented by theatre group Cake’s outreach arm Sweet Tooth, it’s a lovingly psychedelic homage to the eponymous studio at Caldecott Broadcast Centre, where many shows were filmed. The actual Studio 6 is off-limits, but it will be held at the equally iconic Film Studio.
For Cake artistic director Natalie Hennedige, who had combed through hours of footage in choosing the shows to do, it has been quite the experience.
“There were gems here that have been etched in our memory, and you get a sense that Singapore television is quite distinct – the humour, the voices. Something like Under One Roof is unmistakeably Singapore. Many of the shows capture this in a very crystalised way.”
Another unique theatre performance will be How Drama’s Fat Kids Are Harder To Kidnap, where three performers will attempt to do 20 plays in 30 minutes – and it includes a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of how Gurmit Singh got cast for his iconic role as Singapore’s favourite contractor (and some say Batam’s).
But it’s not just about television. In-between Studio 6 performances, the Film Studio will be transformed into a retro club of sorts with a DJ playing hits from the past. Meanwhile, another show tips its hat off to radio plays – the legends surrounding Sisters Island and Kusu Island will come to life via a radio play reading, complete with off-the-cuff sound effects done live.
Actress Rebecca Lim (second from right) will be one of the cast members from the upcoming Channel 8 drama The Lead who will be giving a guided tour on May 6. (Photo: Chua Hong Yin/TODAY)2. BUMP INTO YOUR FAVE CELEBS – WHO MIGHT JUST BRING YOU AROUND
What’s a trip to Caldecott Hill without some celebrity sightings? Yes, during certain days, you might just bump into the likes of Xiang Yun, Rebecca Lim, Kym Ng, Bonnie Loo. and Tay Ping Hui.
Some of them will be taking you on a tour of their old haunts. Over the two weekends, a handful of actors and some Mediacorp staff, such as a cameraman and a wardrobe artist, will be leading tours. But the ultimate star-studded day will be on May 6, where the likes of Lim, Ng and Xiang Yun – who’re all part of the new Channel 8 drama The Lead – will hold a special tour. Elsewhere, there’s a sing-along session with some of them, too.
Take note: The tours are limited to 25 persons each, and are on a first-come-first-served basis. Registration is on-site, half an hour before each tour.
Walk through this hawker scene set from The Lead, the last drama series filmed at Caldecott Broadcast Centre. (Photo: Howard Law)3. FEEL LIKE YOU’RE THE STAR OF THE SHOW
If you fail to get a slot for the tours, fret not: You can be the star, in a manner of speaking.
A hawker scene from The Lead, the last Chinese drama to shoot at the premises, has been recreated in one area – the perfect place for a photo op.
Alternatively, there’s also another area where you can take your selfies against the backdrop of shows like Under One Roof and Asia Bagus.
But if you want to take your, ahem, fleeting TV career to the next level, there’s a green screen installation area where you can sing the theme songs of local drama shows and, with a bit of TV wizardry, find yourself inside your own video, which will be posted on the SHF’s Facebook page.
The TV50 exhibition takes you through Singapore’s broadcast history. (Photo: Howard Law)4. TUNE IN TO SINGAPORE’S BROADCAST HISTORY
While the world of entertainment is part and parcel of Singapore’s broadcast history, there’s much more to it. Inside Mediacorp’s old props store building is a condensed version of the TV50 exhibition first presented at the National Museum of Singapore a couple of years ago.
Here, you get a quick survey of how television seeped into Singaporeans’ consciousness – its journey from community centres to people’s homes. There’s also a nod to the rise of local celebrity culture.
But before you start, you’ll encounter a catchy installation by artist Brian Gothong Tan. Called Aksi Mat Yoyo To The Awakening And Back Again, it comprises a stack of old school TV sets showing snippets of dramas, sitcoms and news programmes from the past three decades.
The retro-themed festival village at SHF Takes Over Caldecott features food stalls and a flea market. (Photo: Howard Law)5. LEPAK AND SOAK IN THE VIBE
If these four reasons aren’t enough to convince you to drop by, then maybe the festive atmosphere will. A vintage-themed festival village complete with street food stalls and a flea market will be up at the old car park area. It’ll be as good a place as any to chill out over the two weekends. And if you want to get your telly fix, there’s also area where couch potatoes can sit back and watch reruns of old local dramas, game shows and sitcoms.
One of the quirky sculptures that greets visitors at SHF Takes Over! at Caldecott Hill. (Photo: Howard Law)THINGS TO NOTE: Entrance will be at the Old Main Gate along Olive Road. You can drive there, but be warned that there will be limited parking slots. As an alternative, there will be a free shuttle bus service from Caldecott MRT Station (Exit B), Bishan MRT Station (Exit A), and MacRitchie Reservoir Carpark.
For more details on bus schedules, event timings, and other SHF events outside of Caldecott Broadcast Centre, visit http://heritagefestival.sg/
