(no subject)
SUNDAY 22nd:
I had arranged to meet Mark at the Drama Centre before 3pm, when the matinee began. But I was running late and was pulling it close and nearing the location with five minutes to spare when thecab driver missed the exit from the highway and we were roaring into the wrong area. I was frantic and furious, and as the taxi zig-zagged through unfamiliar streets and got held up at traffic lights, I was fuming. We arrived shortly after 3 pm and I ran up the escalators, panting and out of breath. But thankfully, they had not started yet, as they were waiting for Sir ian to arrive, and he had just showed up, just as I did. We all went in.
He sat with the playwright, Alfian Sa’at; Gaurav Kipalani, the MD of the Singapore Repertory Theatre (which brought in King Lear) ; the director of Asian Boys, Ivan Heng and Glen Goei. Thanks to Ivan, I’d gotten seats right behind Sir Ian and could see his reactions to the play. He watched the play very intently, and seemed to really like it. Later, he told me that it had moved him very much, and that it reminded him of his own life and his own coming out. He said that there were scenes from the play that he “would remember for the rest of my life.”He had to rush off for the evening performance of Chekov’s “The Seagull” so he didn’t stay long after the play but he stayed to meet the cast and posed for photos. Timothy Nga told me “I was hugged by Sir Ian! I can die happy!” The rest of the cast were similarly touched and I was so happy for them, that their hard work and passion for this play was witnessed by one of the world’s greatest stage actors, and a gay one at that.
Mark and me with Pierre and Ben, two of the Asian boys! How cute are they!
Mark and I left and cabbed over to Plaza Singapura as I was watching Harry Potter and teh Order of the Phoenix at 7 pm with my sister. My Mom, Aunt, brother and sister-in-law were in the adjacent theatre watching "Die Hard 4" which both me and my sis had no desire to watch. Mark and I grabbed a quick dinner at Carl Junior's and I then went up to catch Harry. It was a very enjoyable film, although it'd gotten mixed reviews, I liked it. We all regrouped and went to Cafe Cartel on the ground floor and had some food and drink before going home.
Around 1 a.m., just as I was about to go to sleep around 1 am, I was called by Gaurav of SRT, who told me that Sir Ian wanted to visit Powerhouse and asking if I wanted to come along. I figured that if I stayed in and went to bed, I would kick myself, so I got up, dressed and cabbed down to Powerhouse. Gaurav had just arrive and told me that Sir Ian was on his way, riding with Ivan Heng and Robin Goh. And sure enough, they all arrived in a taxi in a short while, and I laughed out loud when I saw Sir Ian - he was wearing the bright pink tee-shirt with the words “Asian Boy” printed in front, which was being sold at the play!
Unlike Mox, few people noticed or recognised him, and he joined the others from the cast who had also come. A few people recognised him and asked for autographs and posed for photos, but the majority of the clubbers seemed oblivious. Incredibly two guys who saw him made rude ageist remarks in Chinese. But almost all the Malay waitstaff recognised him and he obligingly posed with them and signed autographs.
Sir Ian's an Asian Boy too!
I then had a talk with him about gay rights & laws & attitudes in Singapore and saw just how passionate he was about the issue. He said that he got so angry when he hears the real life stories of other gay people’s struggles and even shared some personal accounts of his own coming out. He then asked me what he could do to help here, and said he had a suggestion for a way to bring more attention to the gay issue in Singapore. I can’t discuss the idea here but we are exploring it and hopefully, I will have something positive to report on this soon.
After the serious talk he said he wanted to dance so we all ended up dancing together - on the podium no less! As long as I live, I will never forget dancing with Sir Ian McKellen, wearing a fuchsia “Asian Boy” tee shirt on a podium in a gay club in Singapore.
I finally had to leave and go home around 330 a.m. But he and the others stayed and were last seen dancing the night away. It was an apt image for me to close an unforgettable and extraordinary weekend.