Fashion & Memory: Francis Hogan
Photographs of Wayang Peranakan stage actor
Francis Hogan dressed in a sarong kebaya, 1950s. Collection of the Peranakan Museum. Gift of Francis Hogan.
Amid the vast collection of the Peranakan Museum is a set of personal photographs donated by actor Francis Hogan. Hogan is known for his female theatrical roles, and for reviving Wayang Peranakan, or Peranakan theatre. These photographs, spanning from his childhood to the beginning of his career in the theatre, offer a profound personal perspective, allowing viewers a glimpse into Peranakan heritage and culture, which text alone cannot capture.
Studio portrait of a teenage Francis Hogan. In this photograph, Hogan drew a dress on him to see what he would look like wearing a dress. Collection of the Peranakan Museum. Gift of Francis Hogan.
Born in 1936 to a Eurasian father and Nyonya mother, Francis Hogan’s upbringing in Singapore was heavily influenced by Nyonya figures in his life. As a child, he watched his mother wear the sarong kebaya, while his grandmother taught him to sing dondang sayang, a traditional Malay poetic art form, mainly sparking a passion for Peranakan culture. Throughout his life, Hogan learned to sing in Baba Malay, Mandarin, Japanese, and several Chinese dialects, setting him apart from his contemporaries. His interest in cross-dressing began in his teenage years when he drew a dress on one of his photographs. This intrigue soon blossomed into a career as a female stage impersonator.
The female impersonators from Nasib Anak Tiri, 1950s. Clockwise: Eddie Lim, Timmy Tay, Francis Hogan, and Gan Teck Hock (seated). Collection of the Peranakan Museum. Gift of Francis Hogan.
At only twenty-two years old, Hogan made his theatrical debut, writing and starring in Nasib Anak Tiri (Fate of a Step-Child), a Peranakan adaptation of Cinderella. Premiering at the Happy World Stadium in March 1958, the production featured an all-male cast, with Hogan playing the role of the mistreated stepdaughter.
Francis Hogan dressed in a sarong kebaya, 1950s. Collection of the Peranakan Museum. Gift of Francis Hogan.
As women were not allowed to appear on stage, male performers acted out the female roles, as this followed Peranakan cultural customs. To transform into character, Hogan’s mother taught him how to embody a proper Nyonya. Peranakan costumes and a make-up artist were also provided to him. Reflecting on his past career, Hogan recalled in an oral history interview with the National Archives of Singapore that he did not experience negative sentiment regarding dressing up as female, but only admiration, particularly for his slim waist.¹
Wedding scene from Kerhidopan Si Buta (A Blind Girl’s Fate), 1950s. Collection of the Peranakan Museum. Gift of Francis Hogan.
Following his debut, Hogan took on multiple roles for Kerhidopan Si Buta (A Blind Girl’s Fate), a production that raised money for the Red Cross Society Hospital. The cast borrowed costumes and jewellery belonging to the director, Madam Ah Bee, a well-known Sangkek Um (wedding mistress of ceremonies), and was said to have cost “several thousand dollars”.²
Despite his success, Francis Hogan retired from the stage in 1965 to focus on full-time work. Nevertheless, almost forty years later, he received an invitation from The Peranakan Association Singapore and starred in the musical Bibiks Behind Bar in 2002.
Francis Hogan featured in Sherman On’s Si Punggok Rindukan Bulan (The Owl Pines for the Moon), 2018. Collection of the Peranakan Museum. Gift of Mr and Mrs Lee Kip Lee.
In 2018, Francis Hogan was further immortalised through artist Sherman Ong’s work Si Punggok Rindukan Bulan (The Owl Pines for the Moon), which featured Hogan dressed in Peranakan attire. In an interview in The Peranakan, Ong explained, “My work with Francis, as the mistress of his art, also delves into a hidden aspect of Nyonyas whom we will never see photographed in their inner garments.”³
Now in his eighties, Hogan is celebrated as the longest-performing female impersonator in the Singapore Book of Records. In an interview in The Peranakan, Hogan detailed his two-hour process of getting into character as combing his hair into a chignon, applying make-up, selecting an outfit to wear, and playing with his dog. After performing, he keeps his look until he returns home. Hogan has now accumulated a costume collection of his own, composed of about a dozen sarongs and baju panjang. He has also expressed hope that more people will wear the sarong kebaya.
The digitalised personal photographs of Francis Hogan are a testament to the vibrant nature of Peranakan culture, now accessible to a global audience. As we increasingly rely on digital mediums and tools, real-life stories, like Hogan’s, foster intergenerational dialogue and community empowerment. His willingness to share personal images publicly emphasises the importance of preserving and celebrating cultural heritage. These representations can serve as beneficial tools to ensure a deeper understanding of history, culture, and art and inspire future generations to embrace and revitalise their unique identities.
Notes
Francis Hogan, "HOGAN, Francis," by Ghalpanah Thangaraju, National Archives of Singapore - Oral History Centre, audio, October 10, 2002.
Lau, Baba Emeric. "The Mistress of Mimicry." The Peranakan, 2018.
The Peranakan Museum. "Si Punggok Rindukan Bulan (The Owl Pines for the Moon)." Roots. https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1434841.
About the Writer
Faith Cooper is the creator of the Asian Fashion Archive. She graduated from FIT, studying art and fashion history. Under the Fulbright programme, she is researching Taiwanese fashion and cultural identity at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. To learn more or connect with Faith, please visit her website.