Tan Poh Hong memorises entire scripts and sings in dialect as she handles wooden dolls half her size. It’s no easy task – each of the puppets are garbed in embroidered costumes and weigh two to three kilograms each, and need to be controlled with multiple strings. Not to mention having she has to voice different characters simultaneously, while moving each puppet’s arms gracefully along to the lyrics. 

It’s been more than 40 years since Tan started learning the tricks of the trade. ‘My parents themselves were puppeteers, and I followed them around to their performances as a child, helping them with the business,’ she says. ‘I’ve never held any other jobs besides this.’ 

Usually found at traditional Chinese religious rituals (like the Hungry Ghost Festival) held at makeshift tents in the heartlands, these puppet shows are typically a performance for spirits and deities. There are hundreds of scripts – some of the stories played out date back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), while others are scripts that have been improvised upon over the years. According to Tan, her secret to memorising the scripts is practice. ‘I started to practise singing these lines as a child,’ she says. ‘Until now, during my free time, I will rehearse my lines over and over.’ 

When asked how the business has changed over the years, Tan says the majority of people who appreciate such shows are from the older generation. ‘The younger ones these days don’t have much time to stop by and watch. Not many are willing to pick up the skill either; it takes a lot of effort.’