19th-century mansion turned into set for Little Nyonya spin-off
SINGAPORE – The popular local Chinese-language TV series The Little Nyonya (2008 to 2009) was filmed in a studio. But its star-studded spin-off, Emerald Hill, is shot on location in a 19th-century heritage building.
Over two months, the crew spent $1 million to refurbish the two-storey mansion, which is managed by the Singapore Land Authority. The works included repainting, electrical rewiring, decorating and building a functioning outdoor kitchen. The original tiled floors and hardwood floors were retained.
The exterior of the 19th-century mansion. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The original building has been reimagined as a bungalow with colonial influences atop Emerald Hill. It is home to the Zhang family, which the Mediacorp drama – set in 1950s and 1960s Singapore – will centre on. The sprawling cast includes Zoe Tay, Jesseca Liu, Jeanette Aw, Chen Liping, Tasha Low, Chantalle Ng, Ferlyn G, Romeo Tan, Shaun Chen and Sheila Sim.
“The devil is in the details,” says the show’s executive producer Loh Woon Woon. “To be authentic to the Peranakan community and accurately portray their wealth, we need a specific piece of furniture or prop. Otherwise, the wealth, customs and style of the Peranakans will be lost in the story.”
The walkway on the first floor of the two-storey mansion features Peranakan elements. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The production team consulted historians, visited numerous museums and rented items from antique collectors. It also worked with the set designer of The Little Nyonya.
People from the Peranakan community were also willing to share their stories, which Loh says was due to the success of the original series that had starred Aw as the title character.
An outdoor kitchen was built from scratch for the show. Peranakan celebrity chef Philip Chia will prepare dishes in the kitchen for filming. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Most of the furniture in the house was sourced from Malaysia or collectors who rented out the items for the filming.
The most expensive item is a dining table that costs $50,000, which can be found in the living hall.
In the living hall is a signboard with a Chinese inscription which translates to harmony and unity in the family. The wooden dining table (centre) is the most expensive item on set, costing $50,000. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The oldest piece of furniture, a wardrobe that dates back to the 1930s, is set up in the main bedroom of the matriarch character Liu Xiu Niang (played by Tay).
Actresses Jernelle Oh and Seow Sin Nee, who play servants Ah Hua and Ah Hao, showing the wardrobe that dates back to the 1930s. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Aspects of Peranakan culture, such as a tok panjang grand feast and ronggeng Malay folk dance, will be featured prominently in Emerald Hill.
The dining hall where a tok panjang or grand feast is held. “Tok” means table in Hokkien and “panjang” means long in Malay. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Loh says period dramas are rare these days, as it is difficult to create authentic sets that represent Singapore’s past.
“It’s harder to get locations in Singapore. It’s so modern, and you can hardly find an alley that you can film without CGI. It was easier 16 years ago to get rundown shophouses and back alleys. But now, from a production point of view, we managed to get only one alley to do a scene.”
The main ancestral hall of the house. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The rest of the show’s outdoor scenes will be filmed in Melaka, Batu Pahat and Johor.
Make-up items and a picture reference for Zoe Tay’s character Liu Xiu Niang. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The Little Nyonya, which also starred Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh, was hugely successful when it aired. The two-hour finale smashed ratings records with 1.67 million viewers.
It nabbed nine prizes at the Star Awards in 2009, including for Best Drama Serial, Best Actress for Peh and Best Supporting Actress for Ng Hui and Xiang Yun.
The main living room on the second floor features a strong Western colonial influence. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Loh understands there are high expectations for the spin-off, saying: “We just want to do justice to the story. We want to do it right and do it properly.”
Emerald Hill executive producer Loh Woon Woon at the entrance of the set on June 7. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The main study displays guns and rifles, a reflection of the practice of rich families in the past. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Filming is under way until October. A third of the drama – slated to premiere in the first half of 2025 on Channel 8 – will be filmed in the mansion.
Actresses Seow Sin Nee and Jernelle Oh at a rest area for the cast and crew. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The production team hopes to extend the rental period of the building and conduct public tours.
“If we can bring in the public – before the show begins or while it is airing – to get a glimpse of the set, it could get them more excited,” says Loh.
A portrait on the set. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
- Emerald Hill is set to premiere in the first half of 2025 on Channel 8.