entertainment in the 50s & 60s

in the 50s and 60s, entertainment facilities were far and few. we would always looked forward to the screening of documentaries by the public relations office and subsequently by the ministry of culture. this always attracted large number of villagers, both adults and children. it was a family outing for some who came prepared with their own stools and chairs and snacks.

this would be carried out in a wide open space within our kampong. a white screen would be stretched between two supports, with loud speakers placed on the lorry or secured to some lamp posts. the projector would be set up somewhere in the middle of the crowd, and when it broke down as it sometimes did, we would wait patiently but noisily for it to be restored.

the screening of these free shows were sometimes announced weeks earlier but sometimes it was like striking lottery for us kampong folks because they came unscheduled and unannounced.

although cinema tickets were priced at about 50cts, we hardly went to such places. we did, however, watched some shows in an open air cinema for which we paid 10cts to be admitted. i remember i once watched the show 'ten brothers' in mandarin at an open air cinema near the former police academy along thomson road. for that kind of price, we had wooden benches as seats to watch the show.