Everyone knows her as Mrs. Lee Kuan Yew, but her legacy tells you she’s so much more than the former’s Prime Minister’s wife — she’s also someone who helped contribute to Singapore's growth.
Kwa Geok Choo, a play by Toy Factory Production, made its debut in Victoria Theatre on 8 July. It amplifies the voice of an influential woman in Singapore that was long-due and needed to be heard (especially having to live in that era), which ultimately tugged on the heartstrings of the audience.
Written by the acclaimed feminist playwright Olivia Yu, and directed by Toy Factory Chief Artistic Director Goh Boon Teck, this compelling production shares the story of Kwa’s honourable life and remarkable moments she has made throughout her lifetime.
Kwa was a phenomenal student with countless achievements such as topping the whole of Malaya in 1936’s senior Cambridge examination, as well as being the only girl in the all-boys Raffles Institution (where she also met Mr. Lee Kuan Yew for the first time).
While the war had halted her studies, the academic rivalry between her and Lee gave a passageway for their blossoming romance when they met again during the war years. After the war, Kwa graduated from Raffles College, earning the Queen’s scholarship and later joined Lee in Cambridge, where they read law and had their secret marriage.
Bringing home their first class honours degrees together, it was yet again another remarkable achievement for Kwa, as she became the only woman in Singapore then to have a first-class honours degree.
We were left in awe, what couldn’t this woman do? Filled with so much potential, intellectuality, and passion, it was not surprising her future would unravel more monumental moments for such a gifted individual. She soon became Singapore’s first female lawyer and co-founder of a leading law firm in Singapore, Lee & Lee, where she stayed active in legal practice for over 40 years.
We were fully immersed in this 1.5-hour theatrical piece, and the room was filled with laughter throughout the evening. There were a lot of striking points in the play, and we believe there was no other actress better suited to convey this note-worthy story other than Tan Rui Shan herself .
Constantly breaking barriers as a woman, we learned Kwa was definitely ahead of her time. Being highly skilled in legislative drafting, she not only helped the PAP (People’s Action Party) draft their constitution, but also contributed to the water agreement that guaranteed Singapore’s water supply after the separation from Malaysia.
Kwa voiced the iconic quote, “Our society is still built on the assumption that women are the social, political, and economic inferior of men,” during the radio address on behalf of PAP in 1959.
In response, she helped with the passing of the Women’s Charter in 1961, a legislative act she helped draft, which was created to protect and advance the rights of women and girls in Singapore. This was the same legislative act that passed due to years of advocacy work done by the Singapore Council of Women and other outspoken women activists back then.
The line “I hope I made my daughter’s life a little easier” definitely triggered unexpected tears from our eyes. While we live in different times from Kwa, we couldn’t help but resonate with the challenges she faced as a woman in society (even if she was privileged). It doesn’t stray too far from the things we still go through now, which makes us feel like we still have so many improvements to make as a society before we can stop holding our breaths.
Kwa Geok Choo is more than deserving of a round of applause and standing ovations. She juggled the role of being a mother, career woman, and a wife, and she did it all with pride. Even Lee Kuan Yew often mentioned he was able to pursue his political career only because he had a wife who could be the family’s main breadwinner and caregiver. She was a busy lawyer and mom who never failed to have lunch with her three kids every single day during their school years — it’s an understatement she made an impact in society throughout her lifetime.
From being a working mother and nurturing her kids to opening doors for women in Singapore to contributing to Singapore’s growth, Kwa’s legacy should never be forgotten. Overall, we think this meaningful play pushed past our expectations and is worth watching, especially with National Day just around the corner.
Kwa Geok Choo runs until 31 July.
Address: Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, 11 Empress Pl, #01-02, Singapore 179558
Opening Hours: 3:00pm and 8:00pm depending on booking
