2025


An Esplanade Co-Production
Samsui Women: One Brick at a Time
As part of Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I)
Synopsis
A destructive fire razes through the squatter settlement of Bukit Ho Swee, leaving thousands of families homeless. To help the victims of the fire, Swee Leng, a Samsui woman, rises to the occasion and volunteers her time in the rebuilding efforts. Through sheer hard work and perseverance, she earns the respect of her peers and becomes a foreman at a construction site.
Set in 1960s Singapore, Samsui Women: One Brick at a Time is a life-sized puppetry performance based on the lives of the Samsui women of Singapore. Part fact and part fiction, it is a moving story about dedication, duty, and honour—reflecting the values and sacrifices that the dedicated Samsui women of yesteryears live by.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This programme sought to help students to:
- Gain an awareness and appreciation for puppetry as a storytelling tool
- Explore the values of loyalty, resilience and sense of duty reflected in the Samsui women
- Examine and gain an appreciation for the contributions of Samsui women to nation-building
RECOMMENDED FOR
Primary School Students
DATE & TIME
23 Jul – 1 Aug 2025
VENUE
Esplanade Annexe Studio
DURATION
60 mins
LANGUAGE
English
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Playwright, Director & Set Conceptualiser
Chong Tze Chien
Set Designer
Grace Lin
Lighting Designer
Faith Liu Yong Huay
Sound Designer & Music Composer
Darren Ng
Puppet & Props Maintenance
Myra Loke
Performers & Puppeteers
Myra Loke
Vanessa Toh
Tanya Ang
Jo Tan
Production Manager
Lam Dan Fong (The Backstage Affair)
Production Assistant
Lilith Tan (The Backstage Affair)
Stage Manager
Keira Lee
Sound Operator
Leeyau Shi Min



