If you’ve exhausted your ‘must visit’ café list, hit pause and try something new. Created by OH! Open House, a local independent arts organisation, New World’s End is an audio tour (not unlike a guided heritage walk) that brings you through the bustling Jalan Besar. Put on the headphones and travel back in time to ‘60s and ‘70s Singapore, an era of dizzying disco lights and dancing, with the heartbreaking love story of Rosa and Kieran. Taking place exclusively in the evening, the darkness, busy traffic and brightly lit roadside shops only add to the air of mystique.
Spoilers ahead, skip to the interview portion below.
Here’s what you can expect on the tour. Armed with an audio device and a map, the guide first brought us to a huge mural on the side of a building, past shadowy alleys where nightlife activities were rife decades ago. With quiet footsteps in the background of the audio as a ‘pacer’, we found ourselves right on track each time. The tour leads you along prominent, storied roads in Singapore, including Serangoon and Syed Alwi road, past landmarks such as the iconic Mustafa Centre.
Our favourite segment? No doubt, the shophouse set at the top of a flight of stairs (look out for the orange posters advertising tattoos). If you have a keen eye, you’ll be glad to know that the attention to detail here is unparalleled. The bunches of wilting, blackened roses, unfinished glass of wine, tinfoil-wrapped chocolates, old photographs and countless cigarette buds paint the perfect picture of a brokenhearted, yet hopeful young man. Accompanying these in the adjacent rooms are antique lamps, an abandoned typewriter, old-school soda bottles and more you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Dress in your best ‘60s garb and pose for the ultimate photo op in the various mirrors around the nostalgia filled space.
Bringing you past several more scenic routes alongside the flashing neon lights of modern day Singapore, New World’s End places the listener in a strange liminal space, trapped between their actual surroundings and trying to imagine what the ‘60s must have looked like here. Finally, the tour led us back to the back entrance of the starting point. The space is shrouded in a hazy, pink light, at once romantic and haunting, reflecting the essence of Rosa’s story. Vintage style make-up is scattered on the counter, and photographs and illustrations dot the dented mirror.
Perfect for anyone (regardless of if you’re going solo, with a significant other or with a bunch of friends), New World’s End is a well thought out example of a sort of performance and heritage trail hybrid. Swing by nearby eateries, spanning chic cafés to up-and-coming ice cream parlours to refuel yourself after or before the tour.
The theatrical experience is available Friday through Sunday for the next three years. Each show lasts 60-90 minutes, and is largely self-paced, offering flexibility for those who want to take it slow.
Where: 85 Desker Road (closest to Jalan Besar MRT station, but Rochor and Lavender stations are in the vicinity)
When: Friday through Sunday, 5.30-9pm
Price: $35 per person
Book your ticket here.