HOTEL Theatre Singapore: Wild Rice’s 5-Hour Epic Guide

Wild Rice’s HOTEL is a five-hour, two-part theatrical epic that traces a century of Singapore’s history through nine languages. This guide covers the play’s plot, production history, critical reception, and everything you need to know about its final run from 14 August to 21 September 2025 — drawing on the theatre company’s official materials, independent reviews, and venue details.

Last checked: 2026-07-07

Production Name: HOTEL · Theatre Company: Wild Rice · Running Time: 5 hours · Final Run Dates: 14 August – 21 September 2025 · Genre: Immersive multi-generational epic

What is the Play hotel about?

HOTEL is an immersive, multi-generational epic that explores empire, nationhood, migration, and identity against the backdrop of a century of Singapore history, according to Wild Rice. The production spans nine languages and runs close to five hours, structured in two parts that are sold as a set rather than separately.

An Epic of Empire and Identity

The play condenses decades of history into a single theatrical event, examining the collisions between old and new, East and West, tradition and modernity. Time Out Singapore describes it as a five-hour performance spanning nine languages that examines empire, nationhood, migration, and identity. The Straits Times called it a five-hour-long “instant classic.”

The Structure of the Performance

Wild Rice requires audiences to attend both Part I and Part II to experience the full narrative. Tickets cannot be purchased separately for each part. The company also offers limited standing tickets — 20 per performance at S$60 each — sold one hour before Part 1 at the Funan box office.

What is the best theatre in Singapore?

Wild Rice is widely regarded as one of Singapore’s leading professional theatre companies. Its production HOTEL has been described by The Straits Times as a “magnum opus” and won four Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards: Production of the Year, Best Direction, Best Original Script, and Best Ensemble.

Wild Rice: A Leading Theatre Company

Wild Rice operates from its Cultural Nexus at Funan, a purpose-built venue featuring an intimate thrust stage with 350 seats, according to Charcoalblue, the design consultancy behind the theatre. The company is known for bold original works that engage with Singaporean identity and history.

Other Notable Venues

While Wild Rice is a cornerstone of Singapore theatre, other venues such as the Esplanade Theatre and Victoria Theatre also host major productions. However, HOTEL is uniquely tied to Wild Rice’s intimate thrust stage, which brings the audience close to the action across its five-hour duration.

Why is the Raffles Hotel so famous?

Raffles Hotel is an iconic luxury hotel named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the British statesman who founded modern Singapore. Its colonial architecture, storied history, and association with literary figures and film have made it a global landmark.

History and Colonial Legacy

Opened in 1887, Raffles Hotel has hosted writers, royalty, and celebrities for over a century. Its name and legacy are directly tied to Singapore’s colonial history, a theme that HOTEL the play also examines through its multi-generational narrative about empire and nationhood.

Literary and Film Fame

Raffles Hotel appears in multiple films and has been the subject of questions about famous guests and movie appearances. While specific movie titles are not provided in the available sources, the hotel’s cultural footprint is well established.

What famous movie was filmed at the Raffles Hotel?

Raffles Hotel has served as a filming location for multiple Hollywood and international productions. While the specific movie title referenced in search queries is not confirmed in the available research materials, the hotel’s distinctive colonial architecture and bar — particularly the Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling was invented — have made it a recurring backdrop in film.

Hollywood in Singapore

Several major films have shot scenes at Raffles Hotel, leveraging its period interiors and tropical courtyard. The hotel’s appearance in cinema has reinforced its status as a global symbol of Singaporean luxury and history.

The Raffles Hotel as a Film Set

Without a specific movie title confirmed in the inputs, it is worth noting that the hotel’s fame as a film location is well documented in popular culture. The connection between HOTEL the play and Raffles Hotel the landmark lies in their shared subject matter: both are sites where Singapore’s colonial and post-colonial stories unfold.

Timeline: HOTEL from 2015 to 2025

• 2015: World premiere at the Singapore International Festival of Arts (Wild Rice)
• 2023: The Straits Times publishes “instant classic” feature on HOTEL (The Straits Times)
• 14 August – 21 September 2025: Final run at Wild Rice @ Funan (Wild Rice Facebook)
• 11–14 September 2025: Captioned performances (Wild Rice)
• 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep 2025: Post-show talks after Part II on Fridays (Wild Rice)

“An immersive, multi-generational epic, HOTEL explores the notions of empire, nationhood, migration and identity against the backdrop of a shrinking world.”

— Wild Rice, theatre company

“Spanning a century and performed over close to five hours in nine languages, this groundbreaking theatrical event highlights the eclectic energies born from the collisions between the old and the new, East and West, tradition and modernity.”

— Wild Rice, theatre company

For a different scale and atmosphere, consider the 1,541-seat Theatre at Mediacorp venue in Mediapolis.

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