If Mr Gan
entertained it
would have been a formal sit down
affair (buffet dinners were unheard of and even if they had been
in fashion it would be insulting to Mr Gan’s guests). “Boys” would
serve dinner. It was unheard of that daughters in law served
Emily bemoans the fact that she was an unwanted orphan and was forced
by circumstances to be married to a man twice her age. But in those
days it was the dream of well to do mothers that they find an older son
in law to be a “mature guide “ to their 14 year old daughters.
The rich never went to market. That was the ah sam’s job
When they were not playing mahjong the rich might amuse themselves with
making po pniar or the occasional ice cream. But they never cooked,
that was the cook’s job.
Emerald Hill residents spoke English sprinkled with a multitude of
Malay words. We noticed the absence of Alamah! Adoi! Amboi! Celaka!
Belekair! Geram! In her conversation, And we noticed that Emily
speaks not with the -la and -ah suffixes so common in Baba talk and,
amazingly, she says “love letters” instead of “kuay kapek”!
To our astonishment, Emily says to her grandchild, "Come to popo!" That
sounds more like Cantonese than Emerald Hill where we wurelly would
have heard instead "Come to Ah mah!!".
Emily would have talked to her gardener and driver in Malay, not
English otherwise they would have thought her out of mind.#
Emily of Emerald Hill
A Peranakan drama in two acts
Pearlly Chua as Emily
A Play by Stella Kon
Directed by Chin San Sooi
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