(NB: Even though this post is about a brand new Singapore musical, I choose to abstain from posting this on “Buttons in the Bread” because I feel it would be a tad inappropriate to post it there. You’ll see why soon enough.)
Adeline Chia’s scathing review of the “Singapura, Lion City” musical, currently playing at the brand new Kallang Theatre, in Life! today caught my attention.
I mean, it’s never a good sign when a reviewer chooses to use the adjective “nightmare” in her headline.
She went on to call it a “disorienting and surreal experience” (not in a good way), and topped it off with the line “the show has become a nightmarish Disney version of Singapore seen through Chinese eyes”.
(We’ll get to the “Chinese” part later.)
She is normally not so harsh when it comes to reviewing theatre productions, so I had to dig a bit deeper.
“Singapura, Lion City” is a musical spectacular that heralds the re-opening of our grand old dame the Kallang Theatre, which had been closed for 4 years for revamping, and attempts to depict the historical story of our nation through a series of spectacular and flamboyant musical performances.
And get this – it’s going to be the resident show at the new Kallang Theatre for the next 3 years, and tickets range from $48 to $118.
There was a similarly unfavourable review of this show on the TODAY online newspaper (here), written by May Seah, and the readers’ comments in her TODAY review were equally unforgiving.
Now let’s get to the crux of the matter.
Why is there such a outpouring of criticism toward this production?
Perhaps it’s really atrocious, I dunno.
If so many people say it’s bad, then perhaps it’s really bad.
Do I intend to go catch it?
Er…no.
I wasn’t intending to watch it before reading the reviews, and I am certainly not interested in watching it after reading the reviews.
But perhaps I could throw something else into the mix as well – Does the scathing criticism have anything to do with the fact that the musical is performed by the Yunnan Provincial Performance Arts Group of China?
Look, I’m not refuting the fact that the show may be abysmal.
It probably might be, or it might not be…I dunno.
(But then again, it’s not as if we’ve not had any abysmal shows the past few years right? “Phua Chu Kang The Musical” anyone?)
I’ve not watched it and am unlikely to watch it.
But I’m just wondering if the criticism of “Singapura, Lion City” would have been so forthcoming if the performers were Singaporeans instead.
Or maybe, say, Australians, or Japanese even?
Would the negative reactions have been so strong?
As it is, one commenter in May Seah’s TODAY column said “Embarrassing. Hope it closes soon and the FTs sent home”, so you can’t say that there is absolutely no xenophobic sentiment at play in this here.
Would Adeline Chia have been so heavy-handed if she were reviewing a local theatre company’s work performed by locals?
Perhaps not.
Anyhow, I wish “Singapura, Lion City” all the best and if they can survive this initial rocky reception to their ambitious 3-year run, then more power to them.
As for me, I’ll just sit here and marvel at the sheer irony of Singapore theatre choosing to do an elaborate musical based on a historical Chinese Empress for the opening of the Esplanade, and a Chinese troupe performing a musical depicting Singapore history for the opening of the new Kallang Theatre.
Apparently we haven’t heard of the concept of each of us focussing on what we know best.
I wouldn’t watch it too. And yea, maybe it’s partly because of the Chinese troupe. It feels like some sort of mockery and very ironical. Nothing against them as I would rather watch them doing acrobatics and/or story set in their homeland.
I went to see the show with my family on 8 Oct 2011. Maybe, I think I would be more qualified to express my view about the show. I am a professional engineer by training and from what I saw the 3-D effect of the show is impressive. The technology used is not what May Seah described in her TODAY review on 10 Oct 2011 of the “Singapura, Lion City” musical as one such “outdated electronic displays”. We enjoyed the show very much, especially on the 3D lighting effects and the performance of the Chinese troupe. There are certainly improvements that can be made in this musical, for examples, the story line of the show, the grammatical errors of the English text projected on the side-wall that need to be corrected and the consistency in Chinese/English translation of the show script.
Thanks for sharing your informed and balanced view, LHC.
Yes, the 3D effect was good and impressive, but you see it from an engineer point of view, May Seah might be seeing it from the theatre and arts point of view. Frankly, I do see the effects as impressive, but I do wonder are those effect really arts? Somehow, I feel that those effects are more like a show you see in those Chinese tour, you get what I mean? We want something arts, showing those 3D lazer lightings doesn’t mean is arts or qualified to be labeled as musical.
If the show is titled as something else, it probably will be an entertaining show, but call it a singapore musical? it is way too far away!
[...] use a boxing analogy, last Monday Adeline Chia knocked the musical “Singapura, Lion City” down onto the canvas, and just as it was making its way back up to its feet again, today she [...]
I watched it last Saturday becoz someone given me free ticket. I enjoyed the show as in those acrobatic and lighting effects. BUT, I really do not see any Singapore elements in the show, to call it a first Singapore Musical is really a joke to me. My friends were disappointed after the shows, he felt that he got cheated by the title. Singapore history? Culture? nope, I see Shanghai tang, Mongolian dance, Chinese acrobatics, and even the face of the Merlion at the ending seem like a Chinese face to me.
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