My Perfect Weekend with Broadway Beng star Sebastian Tan

Who: Sebastian Tan is a familiar figure in the Singapore theatre scene. Best known for playing the straight-talking, musical-loving character Broadway Beng, the home-grown actor, 50, is back with the eighth instalment of the show titled Broadway Beng Growing Gold. 

The production runs from July 13 to 29 at the Capitol Theatre. Joining him are actresses Denise Tan, Hannah Nordin and Sarah Smith.

Started in 2006, Broadway Beng shows are a mixture of stand-up comedy, musicals and Hokkien humour, which have evolved over the years from being sketch-based to adopting a current classier theatrical format.

“My weekdays are occupied with rehearsals, so my perfect weekend is doing nothing at all.

I like to lie on the couch and watch series on streaming platforms with a glass of wine. Recently, I finished watching two shows: American-Born Chinese and Pachinko. American-Born Chinese was an easy watch – it is a creative retelling of Monkey King.

Usually, I will have a glass of champagne – lately, one from Louis Roederer – but occasionally, I will indulge in a Scotch whisky.

Living with my mother means I have home-cooked meals on weekends. It’s a luxury as I often eat out on weekdays when I am rehearsing. She is Hokkien, so she typically cooks dishes like tau yew bak (braised pork belly in soya sauce), Hokkien-style zhou (porridge) and tau chiam (noodles made from mung bean sticks).

I cherish her tau chiam most because the dish is very hard to get in Singapore.

Weekends are about vocal rest. I believe in ‘yum tong’ (Cantonese for drinking soup).

If my mother cooks, she makes herbal pork rib soup, with a concoction of Chinese herbs to protect the throat.

Otherwise, I like to buy fish soup from Lai Rong Porridge Ban Mee in Block 285 Yishun Avenue 6. I have been buying from this stall for years, and I think it is one of the best fish soup stalls in Singapore. It always strikes a delicate balance of making the fish slices taste fresh without smelling or tasting too ‘fishy’.

Even though I am not supposed to sing or talk as much to preserve my voice, I end up going through my lyrics and singing a tune or two before I sleep.

But my perfect weekend, if not for rehearsals, is to escape to Bali. I used to go there quite often for a weekend getaway.

I would stay at Ku De Ta or Desa Potato Head, and waste the time away suntanning or swimming under the sun.

I returned last weekend from Azul Beach Club Bali.

It was perfect: I sat by the beach under an umbrella, with a cocktail in hand, looking into the ocean. And when the sun set, I went to the beach and soaked my feet in the water.

My favourite cocktail to sip is a Long Island Iced Tea – it is a strong cocktail meant for drinkers. I also like a good negroni or martini, shaken not stirred.”