Monkey Goes West runs from 12 November to 27 December 2026 at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre at Wild Rice, inside Funan. The Singapore holiday pantomime follows Ah Tang and the Monkey King in a new take on Journey to the West. The show runs about 2 hours 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
Wild Rice lists previews from S$50, regular Tuesday to Thursday performances from S$55 and regular Friday to Sunday performances from S$60 before applicable fees. Children under five cannot attend, according to Sistic. Families can choose a Saturday matinee or the earlier Sunday matinee, and Wild Rice lists several December access performances.
- 12 November to 27 December 2026, Wild Rice at Funan, Level 4.
- Regular Saturday matinee at 2.30pm, Sunday matinee at 1.30pm. Check the exact calendar.
- Audio description and touch tour on 12 December, captioning on 16–18 December, relaxed performance on 20 December.
- Use the official Wild Rice page or Sistic. The show is listed for SG Culture Pass credits.
Find your route
Monkey Goes West showtimes and best family matinees · How much are Monkey Goes West tickets? · Relaxed, captioned and audio-described performances · What is the story and is it suitable for children?
Full guide contents
- Monkey Goes West showtimes and best family matinees
- How much are Monkey Goes West tickets?
- Relaxed, captioned and audio-described performances
- What is the story and is it suitable for children?
- How to get to Wild Rice at Funan
- Which Wild Rice performance fits your group?
- What makes Monkey Goes West a Singapore pantomime?
- Frequently asked questions
- More November and December events in Singapore
| Performance type | Published time pattern | Listed price before fees |
|---|---|---|
| Preview | 12–13 Nov 7.30pm; 14 Nov 2.30pm | S$50–S$95 |
| Regular Tue–Thu | 7.30pm | S$55–S$105 |
| Regular Fri–Sun | Fri 7.30pm; Sat 2.30pm or 7.30pm; Sun 1.30pm | S$60–S$120 |
Monkey Goes West showtimes and best family matinees
The Wild Rice event page gives a regular pattern and lists a separate preview schedule. Thursday 12 November and Friday 13 November previews are at 7.30pm. The Saturday 14 November preview is at 2.30pm. For the remaining run, check the dated booking calendar rather than assuming every day within the range has a performance.
Saturday or Sunday for younger children?
The regular Saturday 2.30pm show would finish about 5pm if it runs to the published time. The Sunday 1.30pm show would finish about 4pm. Pick the date based on the child’s normal routine and the rest of the day. A 1.30pm matinee can work with an early lunch. A 2.30pm show gives you more time for lunch before reaching the theatre.
What about evening performances?
The 7.30pm performances would finish around 10pm, before time to leave the theatre and get to the station. That can work for older children and adults. If the youngest guest has an early bedtime or a long return trip, compare it with a matinee. Set a time to leave dinner for the theatre, especially if people are arriving after work from different parts of Singapore.
Check the cast if it matters to your group
Wild Rice lists two groups of young performers across different date ranges and selected understudy performances. If you want to support a specific performer, use the published cast and understudy information for the exact date. A ticket is for the performance you book and cast arrangements can change.
Contents · Next: How much are Monkey Goes West tickets?
How much are Monkey Goes West tickets?
Wild Rice lists four categories per price band. Previews are S$50, S$60, S$80 or S$95. Regular Tuesday to Thursday performances are S$55, S$70, S$90 or S$105. Regular Friday to Sunday performances are S$60, S$80, S$100 or S$120. Check the chosen performance and fees at Sistic.
Compare the actual family total
Four tickets at the lowest regular weekday tier would be S$220 before fees. At the lowest regular weekend tier they would be S$240 before fees. The actual total depends on whether seats in that category are available together. A more convenient date or a clearer view may matter more than the difference in the advertised from-price. Open both dates if you have some flexibility.
Can you use SG Culture Pass?
The SG Culture Pass listing includes Monkey Goes West. Wild Rice directs readers to Sistic or the official SG Culture Pass site for eligible bookings. Use those channels and check the steps in the payment flow. If several households are booking separately, agree on the date and preferred section before anyone checks out.
Check the view and access before paying
Look at the current seating plan and any notes about the ticket category. A family with a younger child may prefer being together rather than spreading across two rows. If captioning is important, Wild Rice recommends the Stalls for viewing the captions at the captioned performances. If you need a wheelchair or companion seat, contact the theatre before selecting a seat based on the map alone.
Contents · Previous · Next: Relaxed, captioned and audio-described performances
Relaxed, captioned and audio-described performances
Audio description and touch tour on 12 December
The audio-described performance is on Saturday 12 December at 2.30pm. Wild Rice lists a touch tour at 1.15pm. The tour takes place before the show and helps visitors explore aspects of the stage, set or props. The performance offers audio commentary through a headset. Ask Wild Rice about arrival, equipment and any booking steps before your visit.
Captioned shows on 16, 17 and 18 December
The three captioned performances are at 7.30pm. Wild Rice says the display provides text for dialogue, singing and other sounds. It recommends booking Stalls seats for the best view of the captions. Check the current seating advice if you need to see the display clearly. Captioning is tied to these listed performances rather than every December show.
Relaxed performance on 20 December
Wild Rice lists Sunday 20 December at 1.30pm as a relaxed performance. It describes adjustments such as lower sound levels and a break area for visitors who need to step out. If someone in your group would benefit from those arrangements, check that the ticket says the correct date and ask the theatre about any access requirements. The published runtime remains a useful starting point for travel and meal planning.
What to ask when booking
Tell the theatre which performance you are considering and what information would help, such as caption placement, headset collection or the route to a break area. Plan transport around the earlier touch-tour time if relevant. For a group arriving separately, share the event time and any access appointment as two distinct commitments.
Contents · Previous · Next: What is the story and is it suitable for children?
What is the story and is it suitable for children?
Ah Tang leaves home and finds himself in an unfamiliar land, where he meets Wukong, Pigsy and Sandy. Their adventure includes trials and characters drawn from the Chinese classic, reimagined for a Singapore pantomime. Wild Rice lists Alfian Sa’at as writer, Elaine Chan as composer and Ivan Heng as director.
How much background does a child need?
You can introduce the Monkey King and tell children that the group goes on a journey. Then let the show introduce its own characters. A child who already knows parts of the classic can watch how the Singapore version changes the setting, humour or relationships. A first-time viewer can follow the story without having read the book.
Check the minimum age
Wild Rice recommends ages five and above. Sistic’s admission rules say infants in arms and children below five cannot enter. The approximate duration includes an interval, which gives children a chance to move and use the toilet. If your child has never attended a longer performance, explain the length and ask about the relaxed show if that would suit them better.
What to talk about afterwards
Ask which companion helped Ah Tang and what they did. A child may remember a movement sequence or a joke before recalling the full story. An older child can compare how music and action give clues about a character. This keeps the conversation tied to what each person actually noticed.
Contents · Previous · Next: How to get to Wild Rice at Funan
How to get to Wild Rice at Funan
The theatre is at Wild Rice, Funan, 107 North Bridge Road, #04-08. Wild Rice’s getting-here page gives current directions. City Hall (EW13/NS25) is a convenient MRT stop. Clarke Quay (NE5) is another station named by the theatre. CapitaLand’s Funan guide identifies the underground link from City Hall MRT to Basement 2. Once inside Funan, go to Level 4 and look for Wild Rice and the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre.
Set the correct meeting location
Funan is a mall with multiple entrances and levels. Use a named Level 4 landmark or the theatre foyer instead of a message that just says “at Funan”. Check the route to the theatre before eating if your group tends to arrive close to showtime. Allow more time if you need a lift, have a child who needs a toilet stop or have to collect something at the box office.
A plan for before and after the show
For an afternoon performance, choose an early meal or leave a flexible lunch or dinner stop afterwards. For the evening show, make the theatre the first fixed appointment and set the return route before leaving home. A visitor who is early can explore the mall, but an extra stop is optional. The Funan rooftop guide explains two separate destinations if you are considering another visit.
If you arrive late
Sistic says late entry depends on a suitable moment in the show. Keep your ticket accessible and follow the front-of-house instructions. If one person is delayed, send the theatre name, level and any meeting arrangements before the performance starts. A group already seated can reconnect at the interval.
Contents · Previous · Next: Which Wild Rice performance fits your group?
Which Wild Rice performance fits your group?
For a first theatre visit
Start with the age policy, duration and travel. A Sunday matinee lets families finish before the evening commute and leaves time for a meal. If the child wants to know what will happen, explain the theatre routine in simple order: find the seat, watch the first part, take a short break and return for the rest. A child who has been to a shorter show may want to know that this one has two parts.
For a family meeting after work
The regular 7.30pm start gives you a fixed end time for dinner. Decide when to go upstairs and which adult has each ticket. If some people travel from the East West Line and others from the North East Line, agree to meet at Funan rather than trying to coordinate trains. Leave enough time for people who need lifts or want to stop by the toilet before taking their seats.
For an audience member who needs an access service
Use the dates Wild Rice publishes under Access Performances. Then confirm the best seating and any separate arrangements. Someone joining the touch tour should plan around 1.15pm rather than the 2.30pm show alone. Someone relying on captions should start with the recommended Stalls view. A family choosing the relaxed show can check how the break area works before sitting down.
If your first choice has no suitable seats
Compare the same start time on another weekend or look at another category for the same date. If an access feature is essential, ask the theatre about seat options on that specific date rather than changing to a performance without the feature. Keep the return time and the child’s comfort in the decision. An easier date can be worth more than a small difference in price.
One thing to notice in the show
Watch how the travelling group works together when an obstacle appears. Each companion can respond differently through a line, a song or movement. Younger children can choose the character they would take on a journey. Older children can compare the pantomime’s jokes and theatrical choices with another version of the Monkey King they know. Let the child decide which detail to talk about after the show.
Contents · Previous · Next: What makes Monkey Goes West a Singapore pantomime?
What makes Monkey Goes West a Singapore pantomime?
Two traditions in one show
Wild Rice describes the production as a Singapore musical that combines the pantomime tradition with characters and adventures from Journey to the West. If you have seen a film or read a version of the original, recognise the points of connection and then see what the production chooses to change. The show centres on Ah Tang’s wish to find where he belongs, which gives audiences a story to follow even if they know little about the older material.
Why songs and wushu matter
The staging uses songs, physical comedy and wushu. Watch how a sequence changes the energy of the scene or how a character’s movement signals what they want. A song can interrupt an argument, give a character room to explain something or move the journey forward. During action scenes, look at what the rest of the cast is doing. It can help explain where the main character’s attention is going.
How to make a group discussion work
Let each person choose one detail rather than asking everyone for the whole plot. One viewer might remember the music, another a costume and another how a character changes their mind. If a grandparent or parent knows a different Monkey King story, compare one scene after the show. The family can enjoy the differences without deciding which telling is the definitive version.
Contents · Previous · Next: Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Monkey Goes West on in December?
Yes. The published run continues through 27 December 2026. Check individual performance dates.
Can a four-year-old attend?
No. Sistic lists no admission for children under five.
Is there a relaxed performance?
Yes. Wild Rice lists a relaxed show at 1.30pm on 20 December.
How long is the show?
About 2 hours 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.
Where is Wild Rice at Funan?
On Level 4, #04-08 at 107 North Bridge Road. Use the current theatre and mall signs.
Contents · Previous · Next: More November and December events in Singapore
More November and December events in Singapore
See the year-end Singapore events guide for other family performances and school holiday outings.