881 – The best of both worlds3 min read

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As the Hokkien musical lyrics in getai-film 881 mused, “Each of us gets half, but our relationship will not halve.”

In April and May, you can now savour both the theatrical performance and film screening of 881 without halving your wallet.

(Isn’t this even better than 3D movies? You can literally grab the actresses’ hair and bring it home.)

Followed by the box office success in 2007 and successive tours in film festivals, director Goh Boon Teck from Toy Factory brings you “881- The Musical” at The Esplanade Theatre. Along with that, Sinema Old School will be screening 881 with a whopping 50% discount for “881 – The Musical” ticket holders at $3.

To enjoy this promotion at Sinema Old School, simply present your “881 – The Musical” ticket stub to the Sinema Box Office during ticket collection. For online booking, select the category “881 – The Musical” and show your “881 – The Musical” at our Box Office on the selected screening date.

Usual ticket price is $6 for audiences without the “881 – The Musical”. Even so, the first 50 audience who book tickets online stand to walk away with a free DVD copy of “Ah Kong” by Royston Tan.

Date: 8 May 2011
Location: Sinema Old School
(getting here >>)
Screening Time: 6pm & 8pm

881 (film synopsis from Zhao Wei films)
Two girls, one dream. Little Papaya and Big Papaya grow up idolizing Chen Jin Lang, the King of Hokkien Getai, and dream of becoming Getai singers themselves. Their heart wrenching story is related by their introspective but highly sensitive friend and driver, Guan Yin.

Coached by their seamstress Ling Yi (Aunt Ling), the Papaya sisters struggle at first because they have no “feel” in their voices. As a last resort, they appeal to Aunt Ling’s estranged twin sister, the Goddess of Getai, for help. She grants them their wish, but warns them the price will be high, especially if they do not obey the rules of Getai. Rule number 5 states that they shall not love or be loved by any man.

The Papaya sisters hit the getai circuit and sing their hearts out with their newfound “feel”. Big Papaya is pursuing her dream in spite of strong parental objections. Little Papaya, being an orphan, is in a personal race against time to realize her potential. Like her deceased parents, Little Papaya suffers from cancer and has little time left. Through their perseverance, hard work and Aunt Ling’s amazing costumes, the Papayas become the most popular sister act in town. They use their fame to help raise funds to help Chen Jin Lang, who is suffering from cancer. But they are soon devastated by the death of their idol, Chen Jin Lang. While Little Papaya grieves, Big Papaya finds solace in the arms of Guan Yin.

Unknown to them, rival sister group Durian Sisters have become intensely jealous of the Papayas’ success, and are determined to trip them up by messing up their schedule. With the help of their gangster Godfather, the Durians succeed in shutting the Papayas out of many getai. They are ruthless in their underhand attacks on the Papayas, using magical darts to hurt their rivals. Guan Yin cannot defend them, and even the Goddess is appalled by the tactics employed by the Durians. Although she grants the Papayas whatever celestial powers she can bestow, she warns them that there is a limit to what she can do.

At a confrontation, the Durians challenge the Papayas to a showdown. The stakes are high: whoever loses will leave the getai scene for good. The Papayas accept, and start preparing for the big day ““ new costumes, new songs, new dances. The movie climaxes with a dramatic musical battle. Both sides pull out all the stops to win over the audience, at first with their musical numbers. But as the fight becomes more intense, the Durians attack with their laser darts and the Papayas retaliate with their celestial powers. Who will triumph? Watch Royston Tan’s 881!