[Review] Gateway Arts Adapts Award-winning Play, How To Be A Kid, Explores How Families Cope with Grief

Gateway Arts is staging How To Be A Kid, an award-winning coming-of-age play about childhood, bereavement and family relationships, at Gateway Theatre’s Black Box from 5 to 15 November 2026.

Written by British playwright Sarah McDonald-Hughes and adapted for Singapore audiences by local director Ian Loy, the 60-minute production follows the protaganist Molly as she and her family figure out how to individually cope with the death of her grandma.

As her mother is crippled with grief, Molly takes it upon herself to carry the burden of household responsibilities, looking after her little brother Joe all the while trying to manage her own feelings of grief.

I caught the Singapore adaptation with my dad last Friday evening.

The play itself teaches the importance of communication amongst family members, and the isolation that can occur as well as its consequences. It explores how adults and children can confront grief differently, and how there is no right way to react when someone precious to you has passed away.

The play is touching despite the consistent lighthearted tone throughout, using humour and a child’s adventure to keep the story engaging for all ages.

The production is aimed at children aged seven to 12, as well as the parents, caregivers and educators who support them. Its themes are particularly relevant in Singapore, where only 40.9% of adults feel confident talking to children about death and grief, according to a survey commissioned by the Singapore Hospice Council.

Director Ian Loy brings a personal connection to the story.

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He lost his father in an accident when he was 10 and grew up in a single-parent family, helping his mother care for his younger brother. He recalled taking on odd jobs during Primary Four and Five to ease his mother’s financial burden, while feeling that he had to remain strong as the older child.

His experiences informed his approach to the production, particularly its portrayal of children who assume adult responsibilities when their families are struggling. Loy hopes the play will encourage parents and children to talk more openly, so that young people do not feel they have to carry difficult emotions alone.

The cast features Genevieve Tan as Molly, Jeremy Leong as Joe, and Misha Paule Tan as Mum, Taylor and several other characters.

Personally, I found the show interesting in its portrayal of how kids and adults deal with grief differently and that there are multiple spectrums to grief.

Every public and school performance is followed by a post-show discussion. Social workers from Singapore Children’s Society lead the sessions for public performances, helping children and caregivers develop a shared vocabulary for discussing emotions, understand different experiences of grief and identify practical ways to support one another.

I attended the post-show discussion with my dad and both of us found it a good way for parent and child to open up conversations on difficult topics like dealing with grief which can come in many forms, from mild to severe:

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School sessions will be conducted in partnership with the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH). These discussions will give students a guided environment to reflect on grief and loss, explore coping strategies and learn where they can seek help for themselves or others.

Gateway Arts will also pilot a one-hour parent-child workshop titled Leaning On Each Other, designed by actor, drama educator and applied theatre practitioner Renee Chua. The interactive workshop was conducted on 7 November and will is scheduled again on 15 November at 3.15pm, following the next performance.

Through facilitated discussions, role-play and drama games, participants get to revisit situations from the play, consider different perspectives and explore ways family members can support one another. The workshop is intended to help families practise listening without judgement and become more comfortable discussing difficult emotions.

Parent-child pairs who purchase two show tickets can attend the workshop for an additional S$10.

Overall, this is a good show for parents to catch together with their kids. The post-show discussion, workshops and other additional activities are added takeaways.

Ticketing and Availability

Public performances for the show will take place on 6 and 13 November at 7.30pm; 7, 8 and 14 November at 2pm and 5pm; and 15 November at 2pm.

School performances are scheduled for 5, 6, 10, 11, 12 and 13 November.

Tickets are priced at S$45, excluding SISTIC booking fees. The performance runs for approximately 60 minutes without an intermission and is recommended for children aged seven to 12.

How To Be A Kid will be staged at Gateway Theatre’s Black Box. Tickets are available through SISTIC, while further information is available from Gateway Arts.

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