2025

An annual offering by The Finger Players, held at its artistic home

Puppet Origin Stories @ ONE-TWO-SIX:
Only Puppets in the Building

The swan song of Puppet Origin Stories @ ONE-TWO-SIX

Synopsis

Every word from this line on is fiction and fantasy.

In 1992, some few theatre companies moved into a building. Unbeknownst to them, they were all puppets. But these puppets had a home, transient and volatile as it may be.

Some facts are present from this point on.

Curated by Core Team Member Ellison Tan, Puppet Origin Stories @ ONE-TWO-SIX: Only Puppets in the Building is an obsession about the puppets that live and breathe in the building and their vibrant yet volatile homes. It is also an invitation to reimagine the trials and celebrations of the theatre companies that first made art come alive here at ONE-TWO-SIX Cairnhill Arts Centre.

ARTISTS’ LINE UP

THE NECESSARY STRING
Written by Haresh Sharma
Directed by Tan Beng Tian
Performed by Mitchell Fang, Salif Hardie, Suhaili Safari

Two puppets set up the first human-free theatre company in a grubby old building. One day, they are arrested.

PENUNGGU / GUARDIAN
Written by Moli Mohter
Directed by Sindhura Kalidas
Performed by Fadhil Daud, Hairi Cromo, Rafaat Hamzah

A ghostly guardian who has watched over the building since its days as a nutmeg plantation, guides puppet-like souls through the building’s rich past, and shares stories of the building’s artists.

CAT AND THE FACELESS MAIDEN
Written by Liz Sergeant Tan
Directed by Oliver Chong
Performed by Darren Guo, Periyachi Roshini, Vanessa Toh

A cat orchestrates a meeting between a girl and a faceless maiden in the liminal space of an old studio.

PUPPET ORIGIN STORIES EXHIBITION

Conceptualised and curated by Ellison Tan, this exhibition focuses on the memories that still hold space within ONE-TWO-SIX Cairnhill Arts Centre. Through research and interviews with tenants and TFP Core Team Members past and current, uncover the histories, stories, and maybe tea that linger in this heritage building. Each recollection will be partnered with a puppet from the Puppet Origin Stories repository, and everyone is invited to witness how stories and memories intertwine.

THINGS TO NOTE BEFORE THE SHOW

VENUE:

Please note that the venue is not equipped with accessibility-friendly amenities. The show will require you to climb stairs and move around. We encourage patrons to consider these conditions carefully before purchasing tickets.

YOU ARE ADVISED TO BRING:

A smaller bag
Mosquito repellent
Portable fan
Water bottle
Comfortable footwear

LATECOMERS:

Latecomers will be granted entry at an appropriate time.

DATE & TIME

29 Oct – 2 Nov 2025 | 8PM

VENUE

VARIOUS spaces at ONE-TWO-SIX Cairnhill Arts Centre
126 Cairnhill Road, S229707

Find on map 🌐

DURATION

120 mins

LANGUAGE

English

ADVISORY

Advisory 16 (Some Mature Content)

PRESS RELEASE

PROGRAMME BOOKLET

ABOUT CAIRNHILL ARTS CENTRE

REVIEWS

Puppet Origin Stories looks back, with anger, love and grief, at Cairnhill Arts Centre’s rich history
Ong Sor Fern, The Straits Times

挖掘记忆、发挥想象 —— 观《偶起源故事@126：楼里只有偶》
Teo Eng Hao 张英豪, thea.preter 剧读

If these puppets are in the building, what’s waiting in the wings?
Lee Shu Yu, harmonicstagebeams

HOW TO GO TO CAIRNHILL ARTS CENTRE?

CAR

NO ON-SITE PARKING

Alternative parking lots:
– C0053 (between 126 and 128 Cairnhill Road, 10 lots)
– A0035 (along Anthony Road, nearer to Newton MRT, big open-air car park)

TAXI

16 Cairnhill Rise, S229744

This is the address of the condo nearest to us. Ask the driver to go a little further down to the yellow building.

BUS/MRT

BUS: Env Building / Opp Env Building (10 min walk)

MRT: Newton MRT Exit B (15 min walk)

WATCH DIRECTIONS VIDEO