Dramatic Discourse

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One of the good things about being in TSD is the free plays that I've watch. Here are a bunch of plays I was lucky enough to go for this year, and it's only May! Some of these I had to pay out of my own pocket, but others I had the rare chance to watch for free!

20 February 2013 - And Then There Were None (Lasalle)

11 April 2013 - One Day in this Place (Esplanade Theatre Studio)

21 April 2013 - The Witches (Alliance Fracaise Theatre)

27 April 2013 - Shakespeare in the Park - Othello (Fort Canning Park)

11 May 2013 - Of Babies (Not Really) And People (Marine Parade Library)

20 May 2013 - Volpone (SOTA)

20 February 2013 - And Then There Were None (Lasalle)

My TSD class went down to Lasalle to catch Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None [production programme].

First, there were ten - a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal - and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion

The highlight of the play was the disappearance of the ten soldier figurines on stage; each one would disappear following the murder of a character. The audience was on the edge of our seats trying to spot the removal of the figurines which added to the chilling atmosphere of the murders. The theatre students were all really good and convincing, although listening to one was quite uncomfortable for me as I felt she didn't occupy the role fully, especially because of her awkward speech. The grand finish would have been a little bit melodramatic, with the revelation coming out across the fourth wall, if not for the mastermind who was basically madness personified, an eloquent and neurotic murder who pulled it off . It was, on the whole, a powerful cast to a complex plot JUST WOW ok 10/10 A+

My first mystery play and such an experience! The dramatic tension was amplified in the theatre studio and I think the audience members were ready to jump out of their skins. If you ever want to go for a murder mystery play, I say go right ahead. You won't regret it.

+++

11 April 2013 - One Day in this Place (Esplanade Theatre Studio)

Ta da! This is my TSD class (from left): Evie, Jolyn, Tricia, *~*me**~, Dhiraj, Ally, Gordon, Hao Jun (Missing: Nicholas, Yi Shan and Peiling)

One Day in This Place was a comedic collage of the different locals issues that are prevalent in Singapore: ageing population, abuse against the elderly, the fast-paced life, racial harmony, PANDAs, maids etc. It was a thought-provoking, somewhat abstract piece that pulled together a lot of theatrical espects -- musicals, dance, physical theatricality, tableaus and contrasting light-hearted treatment of heavy subject matter and emotional portrayals of DEPRESSING THEMES. [A review] We, paper tigers and cellophane dragons. Don't be like us. Don't be like us. Don't be like us.

27 April 2013 - Shakespeare in the Park - Othello (Fort Canning Park)

21 April 2013 - The Witches (Alliance Francaise Theatre)

The Meridian Stage's production of The Witches was so well done! Good job to Sarah and her role as the Doctor! I was especially impressed by Grandmama heheheh who reminded me of Yasmin. She was a very grounded and mature character and pulled off the age really well. I was a huge fan of the set and props. It was clear they had put in lots of effort into the making of props (thereby putting Drama Nite's props section to utter shame). What a pity there aren't photographs of the props!! They had three sizes of props/costumes done for the rats and a giant paper mache face of the Grand High Witch 1.5m in diameter. Props - to swoon over.

I thought the GHW could have dominated the role more :( She carried herself well as the poised "lady" but she was quite low on energy as compared to the other witches. The grotesque mask should have helped her achieve a greater stage presence but I still feel it fell quite flat; it seemed to have done the opposite and restricted the expression. She didn't manage to step out of the 'poise' into the terrifying witch (that blasted a head off) The power balance was then affected because of her status mismatch :( Maybe lighting and being more physical could have helped. :-( :-(

I wish the stage were bigger to accommodate the larger than life festivities of the play. It was way too cramped for the amount of things going on, especially at the climax in the restaurant, where the ensemble of waitresses, the long table of witches and the waiting area were all a little much for me to take in and focus on. That said, it was thus made even more impressive by the efficient crew members who knew exactly what they had to move even on the cramp stage. *claps* because I want to have such brilliant non-acting members too :')))))))

11 May 2013 - Of Babies (Not Really) And People (Marine Parade Library)

Every year, TheatreWorks holds The 24-hour Playwriting Competition and the winner of the competition gets to have his play directed and performed by semi-professional/professional actors. These plays usually target social issues are then performed at libraries, community clubs and other more accessible places for free to bring the theatre closer to the masses. I've been a fan of this programme ever since I heard of it in 2011 because it really is a way of debunking the popular belief that theatre is only for the 'elites' or the 'pretentious'.

In 2012, I watched Saying Grace with Brenda, Pamela, Sarah and Swedha at the Serangoon Library and was thoroughly impressed by the script by 17 year-old Hu Fangda and the acting by Andrew Lua (who would, as I later discovered, play Boon in Boom). The script dealt with eating disorders and was such a poignant performance. It was, even for us, a whole new experience because it was up-close and personal; the library setting was especially intimate with only an audience of less than 30.

Having had an amazing experience last year, Sarah and I went down to Marine Parade Library to catch Of Babies (Not Really) and People. It was written by 15 year old Sabrina who grappled with the issue of surrogacy in a Muslim context. The play is about Jenny (played by Clarice Jena Luo aka pretty girl with really huge eyes) who wants to see what the fuss of having babies is all about, so she asks her best friends, Mas and Jamal to help her out. She tries to persuade Jamal to have a baby with her and later take the child since the couple has been having trouble trying for a baby.

I enjoyed Saying Grace better than this play, to be honest. I felt it was a little too abrupt, but then again, 15 years old and a production to her name. Have I done that? Haha no way. Dhiraj was way more harsh on the playwright. He thought she was really "fake" with her dramatic way of speaking in front of the crowd, but personal attacks (just kidding) aside, he critiqued that the characters were all not trying, except for Clarice. Our sentiments align, sort of: she was the one who managed to brighten up the play with her liveliness. He was unconvinced by everyone else's acting. Sarah, on the other hand, thought that the Malay/Muslim context was refreshing. The on-stage conversation in Malay were very natural and reflective of the religious context they were bound by.

A little tidbit: before the show, we saw Fanny Kee outside and Sarah waved to her. The former was so creeped out and confused so she came up to ask, "I'm sorry, uh but do I know you?" Poor Sarah had to admit, "No, but I saw you in a production before." Other than being a classic case of fan-girliness, it was also a nice full circle from last year's catching Andrew Lua in Saying Grace and then in Boom, and Fanny Kee in Boom and now at Of Babies.

(from tumblr) 12 May 2013: Ok so yesterday Sarah and I were out at Marine Parade library and it’s such a great place to be at and I just thought about how amazing it would be if I had the chance to run a place like that in the future. Like I’d work with my friends to run a place that caters to our interests and loves!!! The MP library has The Necessary Stage, Scoop of Art which is an ice-cream café + something like an art gallery of sorts and a library!!!!

So imagine how great it’d be if I could own something like that? A theatre for acts (and I’m not just talking about actors and drama and theatre and plays. Imagine resident musicians!) big and small – for semi-professional pieces and amateur ones put up by student enthusiasts who would otherwise have nowhere to share their craft?

I can almost see Lidiya on stage doing her thing!!!! Then we can have cool architecture and amazing murals that Deborah can do up and Zhen Hui can plan for Spoken Word and Open Mike and Sarah will be holding her signings, performing her poems. Then I’d stage a play and engage my acting friends for a bit and I’d get Andrea to be the librarian or in charge of the books and Audrey will be chef in the kitchen of the café or eatery. Fiona can have her photography on the walls and run a little handicraft booth and Yufeng can own a shop selling clothes or awesome stuff. And I’m sure Swedha will be successful then so I’ll get her to invest in the place and fund me. We’d have so much fun doing what we love with people we love!!!

Things like that get me really excited about the future.

20 May 2013 - Volpone (SOTA)

The most recent play I caught was Volpone, an A level text for Jacobean Drama in TSD. It was put up by the year four SOTA kids. I'm so easily impressed :') They did so well I wanted to cry before and after and during because I was so in awe of everything OK EVERYTHING.

1) It's a Jacobean text which means tough old English of the 17th century.

2) Their theatre studio is so big and beautiful complete with a balcony and lights that went all the way up there.

3) Their Commedia dell'arte masks were so well done.

4) Volpone was played really well. Gordon and I were squirming in our seats because he was so charismatic. Not one to judge an actor by face, but behind the mask, Volpone was charming and foxy (ha ha) so we were really looking forward to him removing the mask.

5) Mosca, Voltore, Corbaccio, Corvino and Lady Would-be were excellent as well, each representing their (animalistic) characteristics exceedingly well. The last one had great stage presence and was a joy to watch. Peregrine reminded Gordon and I of Mel.

Bonario reminded us of Jing Yu, but he was the most awkward actor there and Sir Politic was really low on energy, which was quite crucial that she maintain because of the long dialogue.

At the end of it, I was really quite devastated that they were so good. I'm really jealous about SOTA (and ACJC); I'm not even going to hide the fact. I just wish that my TSD journey could be as esteemed as it's supposed to be. I got quite upset yesterday because I felt I was being short-changed in my programme. I had never expected to dislike the state of affairs I'm in. I wish we had better facilities. Sure, the studios are great as they are but if only we had a more conducive place for showcases. You know what? Scrap that. I don’t need amazing facilities. I don’t need anything more than the studio theatre facilities if that’s the bare minimum we need. I just want a teacher I can trust when nobody else trusts in what I love. I wish we had more teachers or better teachers. I wish we had a better structure, a better programme, not just one that puts my entire A level journey on its head.

Maybe it's the style. Maybe this "grab your own education" thing goes against every type of hand-holding and spoon-feeding I've had in my entire education and that's why I can't accept it. But I really am at a lost. How do I approach my As in this state? I know that I don't have what others do and I'm not going to let a legendary tradition that's going downhill dictate my future. I'm going to get my A if it's the last thing I do.