Wayang comes alive with splendid Titoudao revival

THE revival of street opera play Titoudao - a mainstay of Toy Factory Productions' repertoire - is a welcome development. The play about the life and times of Chinese street performer Oon Ah Chiam was last staged in 2007 with the inimitable Pam Oei in the titular role. Oei was then repeating a performance which had earned her the Best Actress trophy at the inaugural The Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards in 2001.

For this restaging (its seventh, for the record), writer-director Goh Boon Teck has found the almost-perfect replacement for Oei, who's now 43. Her name is Audrey Luo and she's best remembered for chewing scenery despite playing supporting characters in plays such as Michael Chiang's High Class and Toy Factory's stage version of Royston Tan's film, 881.

Titoudao is her first lead role - and if there's tremendous pressure playing a role popularised by Oei, Luo doesn't show it. The pint-sized actress is incredibly charismatic as she switches rapidly and effortlessly between playing Oon and her stage persona Titoudao, the quick-witted and loyal servant of scholar Ti Boon Long from the popular opera.