Musicals

[Theatre Review] tick, tick… BOOM! by Sight Lines: Tick… Tick… Pop…

/ Isaac Tan / Leave a comment

Turning 30 and not achieving one’s dreams / Photo: Bernie Ng / Courtesy of Sight Lines

tick, tick… BOOM!
Sight Lines
6 July 2024, 3 p.m.
KC Arts Centre
5–14 July 2024

The onomatopoeic title of Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical refers to the existential angst of not achieving one’s dreams. Throw in pesky everyday realities—the AIDS epidemic; keeping the lights on; and age creeping up on you—and it feels like life is going to blow up. 

Written before Rent (1996)—which gave Jonathan Larson the recognition that he wanted, albeit posthumously—Larson expresses his frustration of his musicals not being accepted by Broadway through a rock monologue, originally performed as a solo act with backing musicians.

Preston Lim as Jon, a struggling musical composer / Photo: Crispian Chan / Courtesy of Sight Lines

On first hearing the songs from tick, tick… BOOM!, it is easy to see why Broadway in the 1980s–early 1990s were not receptive to his music: overly repetitive melody lines, shoe-horning more words into a bar than necessary, and rock music being a relatively new genre in the world of musicals. 

Yet, on further listening, it becomes clear that Larson does this on purpose with a glint in his eye, rather than a lack of skill. “Sunday” proves he is adept at gorgeous harmonies; “Therapy” shows his comic chops with a country twang; and “Come to your Senses” testifies that he can write a heartfelt, soulful song. 

After his death, playwright David Auburn was brought in to revise the script to include Michael (Jon’s best friend) and Susan (Jon’s dancer girlfriend) with some dramatised scenes in between the songs. This allows the show to be performed by other actors, expanding the dramatic possibilities of a rock confessional to a full-fledged musical.

L-R: Eric Larrea, Vanessa Kee, Preston Lim, Ryan Ang, Beatrice Jaymes Pung / Photo: Bernie Ng / Courtesy of Sight Lines

Unfortunately, in Sight Line’s production of tick, tick… BOOM!, director Derrick Chew did not explore the dramatic possibilities of those scenes to the fullest extent. They feel rushed and are not allowed to settle before the song comes on. This impedes us from sympathising with the characters, especially in pivotal moments such as Michael revealing a very personal predicament to Jon.

 While Preston Lim (Jon) hits the right notes in his singing, his portrayal of the struggling composer is quite studied. One does not feel the stakes of Jon needing to complete the musical before the showcase; or not wanting Susan to leave him in “See Her Smile”; or his disdain for the self-important customers in the diner where he worked, before slipping into “Sunday”, a comic satire. 

Perhaps it might be the nerves of the opening weekend, but one hopes that Lim can enjoy the process more and, like the person he’s portraying, throw himself into the role in the subsequent shows.

Jon (Preston Lim) in “Sunday” / Photo: Bernie Ng / Courtesy of Sight Lines

That said, there is much to commend the production for. 

Ryan Ang’s (Michael) camp antics serve as a nice counterpoint to the neuroses of his best friend, Jon. The sheer abandon in his tomfoolery in “No More”—as Jon and Michael explore the latter’s apartment after Michael gave up acting for marketing research—makes you long for your teenage years and those hours spent mucking about with your best friend.

Despite the best friends getting the most stage time, Vanessa Kee (Susan) and Beatrice Jaymes Pung (Karessa, an actress in Jon’s musical showcase) steal the show with a stirring rendition of “Come to your Senses”—a brilliant mix of technique and emotion that expresses longing.

Both women also display a great deal of versatility. Witness Kee’s marionette-like movements while singing quickly in “Therapy”, a song that encapsulates the misunderstandings and absurdities of a couple’s quarrel. Pung pulls off both the experienced Rosa Stevens (Jon’s agent who has a strong Brooklyn accent), and flirtatious young actress, Karessa, like it is a walk in Central Park.

Apart from proving that he can portray middle-aged men of all kinds (from the jaded bodega owner to the camp dance instructor), Eric Larrea has a strong singing voice with a bright tone. It is a shame that one could only hear a few solo notes from him in “Johnny Can’t Decide”, and I would love to see more of him in future productions. 

Susan (Vanessa Kee) and Jon (Preston Lim) quarrel in “Therapy” / Photo: Bernie Ng / Courtesy of Sight Lines

Despite the small performance area, it is wonderful that choreographers Tan Rui Shan and Hafiz Hosni are not constrained by it. The clever use of space, playful partner work, and dynamic transitions kept the energy high, and the audience engaged.

Set designer Eucien Chia achieves the remarkable feat of recreating Larson’s grungy Greenwich apartment while ensuring that several other locales in New York can be easily configured by shifting a certain set piece or prop.

No detail is neglected as the posters in the alley reflect the socio-political zeitgeist of the time, and the papers that Jon handles are facsimiles of Jonathan Larson’s actual notes.

Add the light trusses and prominent lighting rigs by lighting designer Michael Chan, and we get a larger-than-life quality to the show—the struggles of an artist writ large.

Jon is besotted with Karessa (Beatrice Jaymes Pung) / Photo: Crispian Chan / Courtesy of Sight Lines

While Sight Lines’ foray into musical theatre was not a homerun (who gets it on the first try?), it definitely has potential. With its ambitious 2025 season on the horizon, one cannot wait to see what the earnestness and boldness of the company yields.

Other Reviews

“Theatre review: Tick, Tick… Boom! is fun and relatable to Singaporean audiences” by Charmaine Lim, The Straits Times Life!

“[Theatre Review] Tick, Tick… Boom! Resonates with Singaporean Audiences” by Alvin, Alvinology Media

[Theatre Review] Little Shop of Horrors by Sing’Theatre: Bloomin’ Entertaining

/ Isaac Tan / Leave a comment

Photo: Poh Yu Khing / Sing’Theatre

Little Shop of Horrors
Sing’Theatre
14 April 2024
SOTA Drama Theatre
12–28 April 2024

If you think about it, Little Shop of Horrors is ludicrous. 

The plot is an over-the-top cautionary tale about the insatiable nature of ambition and greed personified (or “botanified”?) by an ever-hungry man-eating plant. The references in Howard Ashman’s lyrics and Alan Menken’s music are indulgent pastiches of their favourite aspects of 1950s and 1960s pop culture.

Seymour is a bumbling and innocent orphan who was taken in by Mr Musnik to work at his flower store. His interest in exotic plants leads him to acquire an odd plant which he names Audrey II, after his colleague whom he has a crush on. In a chance encounter, Seymour discovers that the plant seems to only thrive on human blood, and things go downhill as the plant grows along with its voracious appetite.

So why would one sit through two hours only to be given a superficial message of not feeding the plant? 

The energetic and delightful performances by the cast. 

Andrew Marko is endearing as the earnest Seymour who goes out of his way to do anything for the plant and Audrey. He proves to be quite versatile being able to sing, dance, puppeteer Audrey II (when it was small), and react to Audrey II wanting to bite others.

While the characters in this musical are largely sketches, Audrey is given more character development. She presents herself as a ditzy airhead due to a low self-esteem and trauma from abusive relationships, but deep down, she wants more out of life.

Vanessa Kee portrays the ditzy side of Audrey with high-pitched squeaks and tottering on high heels, but adjusts her vocals—due to the exigencies of singing—to deliver a wistful and heartfelt rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green”.  The contrast is too stark and it feels that Kee is playing two different characters rather than showing different facets of the same person. 

On top of his directing duties, TJ Taylor somehow manages to find time to understudy the role of Mr Mushnik and gives him more depth than just a grumpy old man. 

Photo: Poh Yu Khing / Sing’Theatre

AJ Alingalan (Crystal), Nurulhuda Hassan (Ronette), and Marissa Vojodi (Chiffon) rich vocal harmonies and sassy attitude as the street urchins are entertaining. And Honey Gluttony (aka Tony Tong) voicing Audrey II is great fun and unnerving at the same time.

Benjamin Koh plays Orin, Audrey’s sadistic dentist boyfriend, and a slew of characters offering Seymour lucrative deals in “The Meek Shall Inherit”. Koh plays all the characters to the hilt, lending the show grittiness and hilarity equally. 

To top it all off, given that the musicians (Elaine Chan, Jane Foo, Lee Lin Chow, Lee Fengheng) are hidden behind the set, and do not have a direct view of the performers, the spot-on coördination across the music, singing, and other cues is impressive.   

While the stage seems quite small for a musical, Wong Chee Wai’s set design cleverly makes use of every space available to bring Skid Row to life. The main set piece is the interior of Mr Mushnik’s store, but with just a screen coming down, we are immediately sent to the back of the store. Other neat tricks like the moving hands of the clock and a quick tap on the wall to change the store sign adds to the overall delight of the show. 

Just as Seymour got his strange plant after a “total eclipse of the sun”, I caught the show a few days after a solar eclipse by coïncidence. But what is not coïncidental is the thought, skill, and talent on display. 

While we all know the main warning of the show, Sing’Theatre has the wherewithal to water the plant just a little more. 

Other Reviews

Theatre review: Stellar vocals and comedic timing in Little Shop Of Horrors by Charmaine Lim, The Straits Times Life!

Sing’theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors delivers a gritty charm and stellar performances by Xiao Xing Wan, TimeOut

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ review: Audience will eat up every note of this musical by Sing’Theatre by Beverly Anne Devakishen, SG Magazine

Sing’theatre’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is a Musical Feast by Derrick Lim, The Flying Inkpot

[Theatre Review] Cats, presented by Base Entertainment Asia

/ Isaac Tan / Leave a comment

I am honoured to be invited by Hawk Liu (singing teacher, singer, and actor) to share my thoughts on Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, brought to Singapore by Base Entertainment Asia.

Full details can be found on Hawk’s website.

In this spontaneous exchange, we talked about the background of the show; how it compares to previous stagings; and what we liked about the actual show that we watched on 19 December 2019.

Addenda

♦ The Guardian article I was referring to is by Katherine Hughes on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

Dance / Movement
♦ While we spoke mainly of ballet, there were elements of tap dance, jazz, and contemporary in this musical.

♦ A key element in the musical is audience interaction. The cats were scampering from the audience onto the stage. It may be easy to stand up and do a few cat-like twitches of the head. But the actors actually crawled up and down the aisles. The embodiment here is wonderful. 

♦ There was a strong synchronicity and control in the cast. 

Music

♦ Some may complain that the timbre of the music, with the multiple keyboards, may sound a little dated. But I think it still works for the musical as it creates an unnerving feeling created whenever Macavity is thought to be nearby. 

♦ As with the dramaturgy, there is also a range of music styles present such as rock, music hall, pseudo-opera, and many more.  

♦ “Memory” sung by Grizzabella is good, but slightly marred by the extreme jacking up of her mic’s sound level during the climax of the song. This limits the actor’s ability to expand her presence and voice. It becomes a little jarring. 

More About Hawk Liu

Hawk has interviewed many actors and creatives of big musicals that were brought to Singapore. Visit his website to watch them. 

If you are interested in singing, you can learn more about Hawk’s singing lessons here.

[Theatre Review] Sweeny Todd – Ploddy Todd

/ Isaac Tan / Leave a comment

Sweeney Todd (Jett Pangan) and Mrs Lovett (Lea Salonga)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group
Presented by Singapore Repertory Theatre
3 December 2019
Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
28 November‒8 December 2019

We all know that Mrs Lovett has the “worst pies in London”, but at least she could tell us what is in them.

The same cannot be said of Bobby Garcia’s production of Sweeney Todd.

In the programme notes, he states that he drew his inspiration from Hitchcock’s thrillers and wanted to create a scary atmosphere filled with suspense. He also wanted the visual aspects of the show to “subtly comment on the industrial revolution” when technology and automation took over “home made [sic] manufacturing”.

The result?

A production that borrows its vehicles from Grease and wardrobe from Rent. Set designer David Gallo then sprinkles the vehicles all over, while costume designer Rajo Laurel refashions the slum-dwellers as sloppy American teenagers—his idea of deconstructing Sweeney Todd.

The show then starts with the characters spending five full minutes exploring the set with torch lights only to remind the audience to put away their mobile phones—scary and suspenseful indeed.

Worse still, most of the major action is carried out on the back, the bonnet, or inside a utility vehicle. Mr Todd’s barbershop is on the back of a utility vehicle while Mrs Lovett’s pie shop is on the stage. Todd’s victims simply get up from the chair, slides off the side of the vehicle, and walks into cage-like oven on stage right.

As if that cannot get any worse, the utility vehicle has to be manually moved by the ensemble as the floorboards crackle, even in the quieter moments.

Vehicles borrowed from “Grease”, costumes borrowed from “Rent”

Continuing the theme of incoherence is Jett Pangan as Sweeney Todd. Rather than being hell-bent on revenge for his wrongful conviction and the loss of his wife, Pangan’s Todd comes across as a bored teenager in a math class. His sudden outbursts of anger are completely unmotivated. To top it all off, his accent zips across continents at a pace that would put the Concorde to shame. It varies between faux-British, American South, and a sprinkle of the Bronx. His only saving grace is that he could carry a tune, albeit in a very studied fashion.

This is in stark contrast to Lea Salonga’s vivacity as Mrs Lovett, and she maintains her cockney accent impeccably. Her eccentricities are endearing and the way she plays up the comical aspects of Mrs Lovett is refreshing. Mrs Lovett’s pies may be half-baked, but Salonga’s performance is anything but so. One feels sorry for her in “A Little Priest” as Mrs Lovett imagines the various victims that would be used in her pies. Salonga gives everything she got and hits every joke only for it to fall flat when it comes to Pangan—imagine trying to bounce a tennis ball off a soggy pile of mud.

An imperious baritone voice is quite suitable for Judge Turpin (Andrew Fernando), who sentenced Sweeney (then known as Benjamin Barker) while taking the latter’s daughter, Johanna Barker, as his ward. Unfortunately, Fernando cannot seem to shake off his opera training, resulting in some lyrics and spoken text being garbled by the plummy timbre of his operatic baritone voice.

Nyoy Volante’s Adolfo Pirelli, Todd’s competitor who knows of his past, is delightful dainty and one relishes his camp posturing.

Gerald Santos tries his best with the accent as Anthony Hope. He succeeds by delivering his lines with two different types of inflections, thereby giving us a forgettable performance. This is slightly improved when he is with his love interest, Johanna Barker (Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante), who has a pleasant singing voice, and Sondheim ought to be chastised for not giving her more music.

The ensemble as chorus commenting on the story is decent. They serve as the glue that is just about strong enough to prevent this slap-dash production from collapsing into a junk heap.

At the end of it all, one goes away not being spooked one bit, but wishing Mrs Lovett and Pirelli got together and do a thigh-slapping revue instead.

Other Reviews

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street review at Sands Theatre in Singapore – It’s bloody and awful, but not bloody awful” by Andrew Leci, Robb Report Singapore

“Review: Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment, Presented by Singapore Repertory Theatre” by Bak Chor Mee Boy

[Theatre Review] Phantom of the Opera Still Seduces Three Decades On

/ Isaac Tan / 1 Comment

Phantom of the Opera
Brought to Singapore by Base Entertainment Asia
25 April 2019
Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
24 April‒8 June 2019

The last time I watched Phantom of the Opera live about a decade ago, I was a wee lad, still easily impressed by every flash and puff of the stage. The extravagant show seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Since then, I have watched the show multiple times on DVD.

Despite knowing the plot and the little tricks that the phantom plays, the magic has not worn off in this production.

Jonathan Roxmouth sizzles as the tortured Phantom. There is much detail in the way he prowls like a panther in the first act and hunches over slightly as a dejected gargoyle towards the end of the show.

In “Past the Point of No Return”, when he pretends to be Piangi in his own opera, “Don Juan Triumphant”, he disguises himself in a black robe and covers his head with a black hood. Yet, there is a palpable sexual tension with Christine in the way he moves his body, despite being in an outfit that makes one formless.

Musically, Roxmouth’s singing is equally full-bodied. He resists the temptation to growl or include a wispy timbre in order to make his voice sound more ghostly. There is attention to the way he shapes every note, and he really brings out the best of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score.

It is unfortunate that Christine (Meghan Picerno) appears to be the shortest amongst all the girls. While this is beyond Picerno’s control, it does look visually off and it takes some getting used to in order to settle into the romance between Christine and Raoul. Yet, there is a silver lining because as the Phantom entrances Christine in “Music of the Night”, the exceedingly tall Roxmouth looks like he is manipulating a doll, which enhances the scene.

However, she more than compensates for her short stature with her singing. Apart from hitting the really high notes ably, she lends a certain earnestness and longing as she calls out to her deceased father in “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. This is one of the rare times when I prefer that song to the other songs that Christine sings.

Matt Leisy as Raoul does not pale in comparison when it comes to singing, and the scenes between him and Christine are endearing.

While the show is every bit as extravagant and spectacular as we expect Phantom to be, there are some weaknesses. There are certain moments in which the cast can fill up a little more: there should be a little more tenderness mixed with fear when Christine returns Phantom his mask. When the Phantom appears, Raoul could have reacted a little more truthfully to his nemesis. Madame Giry (Melina Kalomas) could afford to be fiercer. The new owners of the Paris Opera House, Mssrs Firmin (James Borthwick) and André (Curt Olds) could be more comical and outlandish—imagine “Prima Donna” without the managers being drippingly sycophantic to Carlotta!

That said, the show is still a success on the whole and worth the night’s indulgence. To add a cherry on top, while the blocking is more or less fixed, assistant director Rainer Fried ensured to add in a regional reference as a little wink to the audience. (See if you can spot it when you attend the show.)

With its rousing score and tight pacing of the show, one can’t help but be swept up by the fantasy and intrigue that Phantom of the Opera has been inducing in its audiences for three decades.

Interviews
To find out more about the show, my collaborator and friend, Hawk Liu, has interviewed the creatives and Matt Leisy (Raoul).  He has also written his impressions of the show. Follow this  link for more information.