Live out your detective dreams in a new virtual interactive play helmed by actor-director Hossan Leong. You can also enjoy the experience from the comfort of one of the grande dame Raffles Hotel Singapore’s well-appointed suites with exclusive “daycation” and staycation packages
One missing Peranakan treasure, six suspects lurking in the hallowed hallways of a grande dame hotel, and the general manager tasked to solve the case before the police are called in—these are all the makings of an Agatha Christie mystery novel. But rather than in the pages of a book, the story of The Curious Case of the Missing Peranakan Treasure unfolds, from April 1 to June 30, within a virtual interactive play set in the most unlikely of places—the Raffles Hotel Singapore.
Conceptualised by actor-director Hossan Leong of Double Confirm Productions, and written by award-winning playwright Jean Tay, the detective whodunnit tale brings elements of mystery to the historic building, while at the same time exploring its cultural heritage, along with “themes of relationships past and present, between family, friends and lovers”. Leong shares, “Every scene evokes feelings of nostalgia and history. We literally didn’t have to dress the ‘set’. We walked in, rolled the cameras and shot our scenes.”
The 134-year-old grande dame hotel holds a very special place in his heart. “I performed my first musical at the [now-defunct] Jubilee Hall in the mid-1990s. Fast forward to three years ago, I had the honour of hosting the final charity gala before she was closed for restoration and then being invited back to host and perform at The Grand Lobby for her reopening [in 2019]. This sense of familiarity—it’s like coming home.”
(Related: 5 Unknown Facts About Raffles Hotel Singapore According to Leslie Danker, its Resident Historian)
Leong also roped in Chong Tze Chien, the creative director of theatre company Sight Lines Entertainment, who was behind the Murder at Mandai Camp production, the first virtual horror-mystery escape room with live-action gameplay in Asia. “Audiences were surprised by how the team had repurposed technology to enhance and change the way we tell a story. It has been a great marriage between good old theatrical elements with new-fangled technological advancements and injections. Arguably, we have created a new genre which combines elements of mystery theatre, interactivity and gameplay,” enthuses Chong.
He brings this creative know-how to The Curious Case of the Missing Peranakan Treasure, which “employs new interactive features and storytelling techniques that echo Agatha Christie mystery novels”. Brought to life by homegrown theatre talents, including Audrey Luo, Dwayne Lau and Siti Khalijah Zainal, “the virtual interactive play employs a choose-your-own-adventure mechanism, which literally takes you into the nooks and crannies of the luxurious hotel”, explains Chong.
(Related: Singapore Theatre Directors Discuss the Changing Face of Live Productions in 2021)