A Dream Under the Southern Bough: Reverie

The second installment of an ambitious three-part series by Toy Factory, A Dream Under the Southern Bough: Reverie follows its predecessor, The Beginning, from SIFA 2018 as Chun Yu Fen continues his fantastical journey into the Ant Kingdom.

The dream world is an often-explored motif in the greatest works of Ming playwright Tang Xianzu, including A Dream Under the Southern Bough. Hailed as the Shakespeare of the East, Tang’s romantic view of love and dreams were a foil against the feudal conventions of his time.

Bringing Tang’s lyrical play to the modern stage, Toy Factory presents the highly-anticipated second part of this tale in A Dream Under the Southern Bough: Reverie, as disgraced naval officer Chun Yu Fen falls asleep and is thrust into the Ant Kingdom.

In the ensuing 22 chapters of this wondrous journey, Chun finds himself in a situation beyond his wildest dreams, now betrothed to the Kingdom’s princess and the newly appointed governor of the Southern Bough. It appears to be a time for revelry—but trouble is brewing and inching ever closer.

From the vision of award-winning Goh Boon Teck, don’t miss this enchanting installment of Reverie, which meets its dramatic culmination in Existence, to be presented in SIFA 2020.

2h 20m, with a 20m intermission. Rating to be advised. Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors. For full festival line-up, please visit SIFA website.