Theatre Review (Singapore): ‘Hotel’ by Wild Rice

Wild Rice’s acclaimed Hotel has returned to the Singapore stage from August 14 to September 21 2025, at Wild Rice’s very own theatre in Funan Mall.

Hotel is a tale of a hotel room that is witness to Singapore’s history from 1915 to 2015. There are 11 stories that span 100 years, from the colonial atrocities that the island bore in the early years, to the psychedelic 1960s, and eventually to the poignant 2000s – along with the three flags that ruled this land during that century: the British, Japanese, and our very own Singapore flag.

Rich with historical elements, the script, by writers Alfian Sa’at and Marcia Vanderstraaten, also has layers of emotional pathos and reflective insights that make each scene exciting to watch. The acting is tight, as is the direction by Ivan Heng and Glen Goei. The directors bring in movement and choreography to add dimension to the show. The sets, costumes and multimedia are well researched and well presented, and help the audience to further immerse themselves into each era.

If I were to nitpick about something, I would say that the 1935 story about a psychic medium could be a little stronger and more impactful, as it’s weaker than the other stories in terms of plot. Also, the 1955 scene, whilst very funny, has too much exaggerated movement from the character P. Ramlee (Ghafir Akbar) to the point that it seems slapstick. Last, the accent of the nun in the 1925 story doesn’t seem convincing, and neither is it consistent. It is very difficult to understand her fully.

I also wonder why there was no scene from 2025, which would’ve made the show feel a bit more complete.

Having said that, this critic thoroughly enjoyed the production, despite this being the third time that I’ve watched Hotel. One of the outstanding stories is from 1925. It concerns two cousins who find each other after years, only to discover something sinister happening to one of them. The other impressive stories all come from Part 2 of Hotel (the show is five hours long, divided into two parts). Part 2’s 1985 scene, about a forced abandonment, is especially heartbreaking.

The 1995 scene left the entire audience roaring with laughter as an Indian and Chinese family come together for a racially mixed wedding dinner. And 2005’s narrative is compelling, provocative and timely, given that it is about race, as a Malay Muslim man is suspected of being a terrorist.

This is the very type of theatre anybody visiting Singapore should see in order to understand the pulse of our nation and its people. I said it in my 2016 review, and I’ll say it again: These stories are raw, real, riveting and resonant. And I’ll add one more description: They are also revealing.

The narratives and scenes reveal the sadness, the misery, the anger, the regret, the frustration, the worry, the confusion, the tears, the joy, the smiles, and the beauty of life as we know it. If you agree that one goes to the theatre in order to feel, then Hotel will take you through this avalanche of emotions, with stories that will touch you and move you from start to finish.