Lecture-performance by Julian Wong brings P. Ramlee’s story to life, and pays tribute to his passion and musicality in a stirring, emotional suite comprising a carefully-curated set of songs.

By now, Julian Wong, one of Singapore’s most outstanding music arrangers and directors, has more than proven his ability to produce powerful tributes to local music icons. And following his show about national anthem composer Zubir Said, Julian is back with a spiritual successor, with lecture-performance Tunggu Sekejap: The P. Ramlee Suite, telling his life story and featuring a new classical arrangement of the 50s and 60s Malay movie star’s greatest hits.

Stemming from a lifelong love for P. Ramlee’s music and movies, Tunggu Sekejap: The P. Ramlee Suite sees the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre transformed into a mini-concert hall, as designed by Ivan Heng. Gone is the thrust stage, instead becoming an orchestra pit for re:mix orchestra, as led by Foo Say Ming, while tiny lights line a raised platform behind, as film strips drape down to form the backdrop, and coupled with the theatre’s diamond-patterned walls inspired by Singapore’s old National Theatre, creates the nostalgic atmosphere of a grand old cinema.

The orchestra opens with ‘Di Tanjong Katong’ rearranged by Julian, from Kelly Tang’s ‘Sketches of Singapore’, a song from our childhoods elevated by the orchestra, while bringing us back to an earlier, simpler time. Out comes Julian in a fitted emerald green suit, as he explains the origin behind Tunggu Sekejap, and who better to help him out than P. Ramlee himself? In a clever twist of magic realism, P. Ramlee (played by tribute artist Fadhli Ramlee) appears onstage in a crisp white suit over a red inner shirt, perhaps representing his eternal devotion to Singapore, and both he and Julian banter over his life, his music, and his songs. As a seasoned performer, Fadhli, with all his charisma and charm, makes it feel like P. Ramlee himself is speaking directly to us.

Directed by Ivan Heng, this lecture portion of the show is essential for elevating it; rather than just being a straight up showcase of the new suite, the conversation between Julian and P. Ramlee becomes a strong educational foundation important for understanding the significance behind the suite’s composition. P. Ramlee, having never received any formal music education, played from the heart, taking on the characteristics of his favourite singers like Frank Sinatra, and from Julian, learns how his songs were chosen and matched to create each movement. For the less musically-inclined audience members, this is a godsend and enhances our mental preparation for the suite later, and capturing the individual components as well, as Julian and the orchestra demonstrate and play segments from the original songs.

But not only is there musical education; there is also plenty of history involved as well, particularly surrounding P. Ramlee’s entry into the film industry, and his rapid rise to fame with Malay Film Productions. In terms of dramaturgy, there’s a very natural chronological flow, with both film clips and historical events turned anecdote helping anchor us emotionally in the life of P. Ramlee. We learn so much about him over the course of the evening, from coming to Singapore from Penang, to the titles, plots and highlights of his most well-known films, and of course, both Julian and Fadhli cracking plenty of good-natured jokes along the way as well. It’s a comfortable presentation that’s also hugely informative, and kudos goes to director Ivan for making it feel so homely and warm, a masterstroke of elevating the musical elements and harnessing the natural intimacy of the theatre space. Julian and P. Ramlee’s banter also feels distinctly influenced by Ivan’s direction, capturing perfect comic timing and humour that the entire theatre can appreciate.

And of course, the suite itself is fantastic, where longtime fans of P. Ramlee would easily recognise the songs featured, while newbies also come to understand and fall in love with this man. The first movement opens with a segment from “Azizah”, referencing P. Ramlee’s first love he never forgot. And so the first movement revolves mostly around love and longing, played in moderato, as it utilises “Jangan Tinggal Daku” and one of Julian’s personal favourites: “Malam Bulan Dipagar Bintang”, from the first ever P. Ramlee film Julian watch, and feels like an easy, romantic introduction to the entire suite as a whole.

The second movement though is where the suite reaches an emotional swell, utilising P. Ramlee’s most famous song – ‘Getaran Jiwa’, and the show’s title song ‘Tunggu Sekejap’. The theatre feels awash in emotion, nostalgic for the past, with ‘Tunggu Sekejap’ recalling the scene in Sarjan Hassan where P. Ramlee plays a soldier, and strums his guitar in his army bunk, thinking of his lover while rain pours outside. When maestro Foo performs his solo, he ascends a circular platform in the ‘pit’, and all eyes turn to him while he plays his violin, soulful and making the instrument sing.

Before the final movement, Julian and P. Ramlee come onstage again, not only to talk about the third movement’s rondo-like arrangement and its components, but also the final years of P. Ramlee’s life and career. With his return to Malaysia, the decline of Malay cinema in Singapore soon followed, and so did his career in Malaysia, where he was seen as a has-been by his haters, never reaching the highs of his past. Dying at the tender age of 44 on 29th May (the same day, 52 years later when we watched this show), it wouldn’t be till decades later than Malaysia realised they made a mistake in marginalising him, but too little, too late, with a legend already gone.

The third movement then, feels the most agitated, the most soul-stirring and the most urgent. Bringing together parts of ‘Anakku Sazali’, ‘Nak Dara Rindu’, ‘Senandung Malam’ and ‘Dimanakan Ku Cari Ganti’, there is a ferocity to the way re:mix performs this final movement, aware of the tragic end of P. Ramlee’s life and career, yet finding beauty in the sadness, in allowing the pure passion that drove P. Ramlee’s original compositions in the first place to shine through, and end the suite on a high note. We are whisked back to the heyday of the past, the golden years of Malay cinema and its decline, wistful and reminiscent of the good old days, and the grand legacy left behind by P. Ramlee impossible to replace.

Julian Wong’s Tunggu Sekejap: The P. Ramlee Suite is not just a performance, but a labour of love, an evocative blend of education, nostalgia and artistry that pays heartfelt tribute to a titan of Singapore’s film and musical history. With stellar direction by Ivan Heng, the emotive presence of Fadhli Ramlee, and the superb musical presence of re:mix, the lecture-performance format proves both accessible and resonant. Through this show, the life and times of P. Ramlee feels relevant to both longtime fans and newcomers alike, made moving with poignant storytelling, and performed with passion and sincerity. Setting a high bar for how we honour cultural icons, Tunggu Sekejap is a reminder to wait a while, listen and treasure time with our loved ones, because we never know when we’ll lose them, a masterful lesson on legacy, memory, and music.

Photo Credit: Wild Rice

Tunggu Sekejap: The P. Ramlee Suite played from 15th to 31st May 2025 at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium. More information available here.

Production Credits:

Composer/Writer/Performer Julian Wong Music Director/Violin Soloist Foo Say Ming Orchestra re:mix Performer Fadhli Ramlee Director/Set Designer Ivan Heng Dramaturg Alfian Sa’at Lighting Designer Alberta Wileo Multimedia Designer He Shuming Sound Designer Shah Tahir Costume Designer Max Tan Hair Designer Ashley Lim Make-Up Designer Bobbie Ng Stage Manager Victoria Anna Wong