unpacking titoudao

Goh Boon Teck directs and designs his multiple-award-winning play with copious amount of research and experimentation

- Marc Almagro

Goh Boon Teck’s play within a play Titoudao was also a ‘theatre within a theatre’ in its latest restaging – the 8th since it premiered in 1994, not counting the TV adaptation which streamed on Netflix and HBO Go in 2022.

Based on the life of Goh’s mother, Madam Oon Ah Chiam, a Chinese street opera performer, Titoudao is a story of triumph over seemingly insurmountable challenges as she wended her way from apprenticeship to stardom. Candid yet sympathetic, it made the audiences fall in love with Madam Oon’s character and the role that defined her fame, Titoudao. The winner of multiple awards, it was named Play of the Year at Life! Theatre Awards in 2001.

The latest production which ran at Victoria Theatre in July saw Goh wearing a third hat – that of production designer. We caught up with the award-winning theatre director during the opening week of the play to discuss production design and the tasks it entails.

D+A: You have been directing Titoudao all this while, but this time you have also taken on production design. What is production design and where does it begin?

Go Boon Teck: Production design is the process of creating the overall visual look and feel of a film, television show, play, or other performance. It involves designing the sets, costumes, props, and overall visual style to convey the desired atmosphere, mood, and storytelling elements.

The process begins with the production designer interpreting the script and understanding the director’s vision for the production—in this particular case his own. Besides the director, the production designer also works closely with other key creatives to develop concepts, sketches, and plans for the various visual elements.