Curious about Mongolia’s culture? This theatre spectacle coming to MBS shows it’s more than stunning landscapes

Like the average time-starved Singaporean, I often rely on my trusty algorithm to recommend something new that aligns with my taste. As non-English language TV shows and movies go, Mongolia’s productions have never featured on my ever-growing list of must-sees. 

So I felt oddly nervous while waiting for an evening session of The Mongol Khan in the Mongolian State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in August. Not only would the show be performed in Mongolian that night, I am admittedly the furthest thing from a theatre geek, my cultural diet preferences comprising more TV and movies than plays and musicals. 

To be clear, The Mongol Khan is not about notorious figure Genghis Khan, whose conquests have gained him a controversial reputation in the West despite being revered in Mongolia. The play is instead set in the royal court of the ancient Hunnu (Xiongnu) Empire.

But it has all the ingredients of a binge-worthy modern drama: Adultery, swapped identities, manipulation, jealousy, deceit, revenge, and of course, a battle with the male ego.

A man has an affair with a woman whose husband rules the land. The clandestine lovers have a child, whom the woman’s husband rightfully suspects isn't his. And so, rather than risk passing on his legacy to his wife's illegitimate child, the husband chooses another woman’s child (who also has zero genetic relation to him, mind you) as his successor.

The wife's lover won’t stand for it, wanting his biological son to remain in the running, so he swaps the two babies. Chaos ensues.

And that’s just the non-spoiler synopsis.

Still, when I was first invited to catch the play in Ulaanbaatar before it comes to Marina Bay Sands in October, I was sceptical how a Mongolian production – albeit with English performances on select dates, as well as English and Mandarin subtitles for both English and Mongolian performances – would resonate with Singapore audiences. 

The Mongol Khan is Mongolia’s first theatre production to be staged internationally, with its first and only prior stop being London's West End last year. Its star-studded cast also comprises actors and actresses who are household names in Mongolia.

Yet when it comes to our exposure to East Asian cultures, Mongolia doesn’t exactly command the same fanaticism as Japan and South Korea. We're not known to be exceptionally adventurous in our culture consumption either, not least with theatre, an already niche interest.

But if there’s one thing I know about the standard Singaporean psyche, we are easily influenced by the Streisand effect, which describes the phenomenon where attempts to hide, remove or censor information unintentionally increase public awareness of the information.

Tell us something has ticked off authorities, especially if it's related to the arts, and watch its popularity surge. 

BANNED IN CHINA?

My initial lukewarm feelings about The Mongol Khan, which deals with the existential dilemmas facing a nomadic state, immediately flipped 180 degrees when I found out from my guides before the show that the production had been banned in China – after it was reportedly already approved by Chinese authorities. 

According to online reports, the play was slated to run in Inner Mongolia, China’s northernmost province, in September last year. But less than an hour before its start, it was canned due to a “power outage”.

The shutdown allegedly came amid “growing restrictions” on Mongolian culture in China by Beijing, a report in the Sydney Morning Herald noted. 

So did I know anything about Mongolia’s history or culture? No. Had I watched anything in Mongolian before? Also no.

But was I now extra curious? You bet. 

REPRESENTING MONGOLIA “VERY BIG RESPONSIBILITY” 

Surprisingly, it was no biggie that I was a total stranger to Mongolian language and culture. Barely a few minutes into the play, my curiosity overtook all my reservations.

What initially really sucked me in were the energetic dance choreography and intricate costume design, against dramatic lighting that set the mood for a melodrama. But the storyline was also easy to follow, thanks to the cast’s riveting, often emotionally-charged, dramatisation.

A country’s language tends to highlight certain characteristics about its culture, like how Singlish’s truncated expressions point to our love for efficiency. So if The Mongol Khan is the first time you’re hearing Mongolian for an extended period, it’s evident the Mongolians are highly passionate people. From joy to pain, every emotion expressed in Mongolian feels doubly intense – no doubt enhanced by the family-shattering, adultery-driven storyline.

And judging by the play’s positive reviews from the typically-cynical Reddit community when it was performed in Mongolian in London’s West End last year, Mongolia is clearly onto something with this version of soft power. 

Mongol actress Dulguun Odkhuu – Queen Gerel in the play's English and Mongolian versions – was brimming with excitement for her upcoming visit to Singapore when I met her backstage in Ulaanbaatar, although she was also anxious and nervous.

"For me, I think most of you guys don't know about Mongolia that much, so we have a very big responsibility to show and represent our country and culture," the actress whose character's son is appointed Archug Khan's successor admitted. (Semi-spoiler: Keep your eyes peeled for what happens to her.)

The "most vital task" is to let the Singapore audience understand that Mongolia is a "very ancient nation with a great history and culture dating back to 3,000 years" and to show its "national identity and distinct nomadic ideology", echoed Bold-Erdene Sugar, who plays Chancellor Egereg, the man who has an affair with Queen Tsetser, in the Mongolian version. 

"Mongolia has had its very own nomadic theatre traditions for hundreds of years, and modern theatre has been developing for the past 90 years. So we aim to showcase not only the cultural heritage, but also the modern theatre arts of (our country)," the Mongol actor told me through a translator.

TO WATCH IN ENGLISH OR MONGOLIAN?

Months ago, when all The Mongol Khan’s Singapore shows were initially meant to be staged in Mongolian with English and Mandarin subtitles, I wondered if it would be a hard sell to Singapore audiences. 

But I remembered subtitles alone had never been a barrier to international acclaim and appreciation, most recently proven by Japanese-language samurai series Shogun's 2024 Emmy sweep. Director of Oscar-winning South Korean film Parasite, Bong Joon-ho, even famously said: “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

After catching The Mongol Khan in its original language, I knew his sentiment was applicable beyond the big screen. 

Then last month, The Mongol Khan’s Singapore shows rolled out English performances too, presumably to cater to our country’s audience preferences and expand the play’s reach. No doubt translators endeavour to capture all the nuances found in the original language – but it feels, to me, a touch ironic to watch a production from a country fighting for the survival of its cultural identity and not let it fully express said identity. 

After all, halfway through the Mongolian session in Ulaanbaatar, I realised I didn’t need to know the language to understand the storyline. I’d inadvertently stopped paying attention to the English dubbed audio from the headset provided. (The Singapore shows don’t use dubbed audio.) 

Instead, I remained transfixed by the cast’s physical gestures and facial expressions, only enhanced by the elaborate costumes and set design.

The spectacle on stage showed me everything I was certain the most eloquent English translation couldn’t convey – a decidedly apt impression of a play ultimately tackling the big, messy, uncomfortable feelings no human is immune to, whether ancient Hunnu or modern Singaporean.

Actress Bayra Bela, who plays Queen Tsetser in the English version, shared that some people have classified The Mongol Khan as a musical, while others have highlighted its operatic elements. But ultimately, the play doesn't quite fit into a distinct theatre category, and that could be its winning factor. 

"We have a huge ensemble of dance. The story itself is very traditionally Shakespearean. But then it's told (through)  circus elements; movie stunt people are involved, (we've got) contortionists, puppetry. It's very rich culturally," she said.

"It's not going to be just a one-night entertainment. It's going to be an exploration of a different culture and dimension.

"I want (people) to go home and start googling about Mongolia, start talking to their friends about Mongolia and get inspired to travel to Mongolia." 

Before catching The Mongol Khan, I only knew Mongolia for its vast, rugged landscapes – the stuff of every intrepid Instagrammer's bucket list. I wasn't sure a theatre production would teach me anything about the country that I couldn't simply find online.

But it took me just three hours to realise Mongolia's deep-seated pride in its nomadic culture and an unfaltering desire to preserve this identity. There's also a seemingly innate, unfortunately unfamiliar, hunger in her people to fight for what one believes in.

It's rarely convenient, sometimes impractical, often all-consuming, and perhaps exactly what Singapore needs.

CNA Lifestyle was in Mongolia at the invitation of Base Entertainment Asia, which is bringing The Mongol Khan to Marina Bay Sands from Oct 17. Shows are staged in English or Mongolian, with English and Mandarin subtitles provided for all sessions. Showtimes and ticketing details can be found here.