World War II

Before World War II, Chinese philanthropists facilitated fundraising and support through performance networks. European performers toured Asia by aligning themselves with the emergence of a new world order. During the Japanese Occupation in Singapore, performance practices and music provided solace and assisted in the survival of practitioners. For instance, the three amusement parks, New World (1923–1987), Great World (1931–1978), and Gay World (later Happy World) (1937–2000) remained as venues for popular entertainment and also saw the emergence of practices such as getai (or ‘song-stage’). The extraordinary circumstances of wartime and occupation meant that performance became acts of resistance and resilience.