NO STRANGER TO George Town’s heritage and cultural scene, Tan Sooi Beng has, for decades, been consistently sowing her love for music and traditional sounds among the young people of Penang. Now an Honorary Professor of Ethnomusicology at the School of Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), she has published a number of books including Bangsawan: A Social and Stylistic History of Popular Malay Opera and Potehi Glove Puppet Theatre of Penang: An Evolving Heritage.
Penang Monthly sits down to chat with her after she recently received the 20th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards (BCAA) Lifetime Achievement Award as recognition of her outstanding contributions to dance, music, theatre and musical theatre.
Rachel Yeoh: Prof. Dr. Tan Sooi Beng, you are well known—at least to me—to be the “Potehi Ambassador” of Penang. Can you tell me how your childhood has influenced your interest in glove puppetry?
Tan Sooi Beng: I grew up in Ayer Itam with my grandparents. We lived in a small house next to the market. At that time, in the 1950s to 1960s, Ayer Itam was still a village. The community was close-knit, and often held festivals to celebrate special days on the Chinese calendar. During these festivals, they would put up Chinese opera or puppet theatre. My grandma would take me there, and the sounds I heard during these festivals would continue ringing in my head. For the most part, I had a good time playing with my friends, and I can also remember the glitter of the costumes and the lights—I don’t remember the details of the shows.
