WONG May Lan
New Citizens,
Accession Number 003639
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 9
Total Reels
- Michele Lim
Interviewer
- 05:33:43
Total Running Time
- Mandarin
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 9
Metadata
- 29 Sep 2011
Recording Date
- 00:35:42
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Period: 1951-1978. Raised in Hong Kong (HK). Lived with mother and brother (older by four years). Mother, uneducated villager, married well but widowed early. Family hailed from Tai Sun. Sons favoured over daughters. Father’s money withheld by his cousin for fear mother would remarry after receiving inheritance. Mother had to ask for money monthly. Was later allowed to collect rent from four-storey building owned by father and given rest of money. Large flat for home, in Pak Kok (北角). Moved to Wan Chai (湾仔) at age 16-17. Had to return four-storey property to government. Kept out of kitchen so does not know how to cook. Focused on studies. Retained in primary five. Mother sought advice of educated relative. Sent to boarding school. Excelled in all subjects except English. Lessons taught in Cantonese. Gave mathematics tuition for money. Students in HK could choose between English or Chinese language schools. Brother stopped school after secondary level, went to Columbia, then to United States. Brother unsuccessful in asking mother for money to open restaurant. Did not share brother’s view of leaving HK. Brother returned. Ineligible to study Social Work in university due to poor English. Qualified for Economics. Had no career aspirations. Mother got interviewee a job at bank owned by Indonesian. Worked there from 1975-1977. Spent weekends at Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) as part of its drama group. HK Arts Council (HKAC) organised series of workshops during weekends and/or weekday nights. Joined workshops. In 1978, HKAC established HK Repertory Theatre (HKRT). Applied and became one of first 10 actors employed – five actors and five actresses.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 9
Metadata
- 29 Sep 2011
Recording Date
- 00:36:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Period: Involvement in theatre (school/YWCA/HKRT/Chung Ying). Involvement in theatre began in secondary school. Physical Education teacher in Zheng Guang Middle School (正光中学), Zhu Rui Tang, was involved in theatre outside school and in charge of annual graduating show by Form 5 students (17/18 year olds). Interviewee’s first stage encounter. Recalled Zhu’s explanation for using make-up on stage. Involvement as backstage crew. Next involvement was in university when friend from Zheng Guang asked interviewee to join YWCA drama club. Described activities and different groups there. Involvement in YWCA continued after graduation and while working. Travelled to Macau socially with group. Applied to join HKRT full-time. Gave self two years. Salary at HKRT higher than that of bank’s. Described work at HKRT from 1978-1979. Had overtime pay. Opportunity to work with visiting artists from abroad. British Council set up theatre company, Chung Ying Theatre (中英剧团). Chung Ying seconded two actors from HKRT, including interviewee for six months. Chung Ying’s founders from United Kingdom (UK). There were four other UK actors. Knew concept of touring school shows from work in Chung Ying. Compared experience between Chung Ying and HKRT. Visited China with HKRT and Malaysia with Chung Ying. Returned to HKRT after secondment. Two to three months later, was asked by Chung Ying join them. Was convinced by good friend, Chung Ying’s production manager, to join despite reservations about command of English. Chung Ying’s artistic director was Glen Warford. Interviewee worked in Chung Ying from 1981 to 1990. Described company, people composition, language used for shows. English-speaking environment. First overseas trip with Chung Ying was with production of ‘Animal Farm, the Musical’. Travelled to Kuala Lumpur and Sabah. First impression of South East Asia.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 9
Metadata
- 29 Sep 2011
Recording Date
- 00:37:56
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Recapped some parts of earlier interview. More private flats in HK. There, government-built housing leased to those with low income. Later, HK followed Singapore and sold its public housing. Private housing in HK has no amenities, e.g. swimming pools, gyms. Lived only in private housing in HK. Lift landings in HK’s private housing and its social function. Common areas tend to be quiet as people do not socialise there. Doors to apartments always closed. First encounter with common corridors was here. Immediately felt spaciousness when moving into Chan’s flat. Neighbours in HK and here. Current flat has no common corridor. Has a lift in front of door serving four units since upgrading. Could interact with neighbours at lift landing, something not done in HK. Acquainted with three of four units - Chinese families. Fourth unit had several waves of occupants. Between 1991-1994, shared flat with Chan. Had lived in Upper Serangoon, Simei and Tampines. In 1995, bought flat in Tampines after becoming Singapore Citizen. Explained choice for Tampines over Simei and other places.
Became citizen to buy house. Never had to pay rent before coming here. Prefers to own house and pay mortgage. Property prices in HK compared to here. Upon decision to stay, sold home in HK for good price. Other reasons for taking up citizenship – HK had no national anthem, people not particularly interested in government nor encouraged to be involved. Only Danny Yung’s theatre group, Suni, would bring up politically sensitive issues in their works. People more interested in making a living than with politics. HK had no Central Provident Fund (CPF). Feels that HK government did not look after its people. Government here forced citizens to look after themselves. May be the reason people in HK always talks about money. HK people had little or no sense of national pride. When HK’s return to China in 1997 was announced in 1987, the older generation just wanted to leave because of their memory of the Cultural Revolution. Nobody believed that HK would be allowed to keep its government system.
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