Chapter 1 begins with a historical analysis of the formation of different theatrical spaces in the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. This chapter tries to answer the question of what were the social and historical conditions under which the theatrical spaces of temples, playhouses and theatres and amusement parks were formed in and across these localities. It is observed that diasporic conditions, especially the connectedness of the Straits Settlements and the colonial management of the Chinese immigrants were crucial in determining the ways in which these theatrical spaces took shape. Eminent Chinese tycoons, such as Yu Dongxuan (Eu Tong Sen) and the Shaw Brothers played an essential role in the formation of transnational theatrical network. It was the arrival and co-existence of different forms of theatrical spaces—temple-theatres, playhouses, theatres and amusement parks—that laid a physical and spatial foundation for the circulations of Chinese theatre troupes in the Straits Settlements. It was also in these diverse theatrical spaces that immigrant Chinese negotiated with the diasporic environment to bring about their distinct ethnic-cultural performances on the one hand and participate in the making of the cosmopolitan and multicultural social spaces on the other hand.

The waves of immigration from China during the 19th and 20th centuries brought large numbers of Chinese ranging from businessmen to coolies to Singapore; those with the requisite financial means brought their families as well. Some of them settled down and set up their families in Singapore. Anglican High School has been chosen for this research as it is known for its outstanding performance in both the artistic and sporting arenas, its basketball team having won numerous national championships over the years. It was also the first Singapore school to set up a sports class to train outstanding sportsmen. Established in 1955, Anglican High School was founded with partial funding by the Chinese-speaking congregations of the Anglican Mission in Singapore, and thus became named after this Christian denomination. Collective memories are a community’s shared rendering of the past that help shape its collective identity. German scholar Jan Assmann pointed out the connections between cultural memory and identity.