Man-ly Pursuits
So the biennial Singapore Theatre Festival gets a generous sponsorship from Man Investments, yes, them of the Booker Prize no less and inherits a prestigious title to boot. And with a tryptich of commissioned premieres and a sophomore outing of a couple of back-by-popular-demand critically acclaimed plays, it looks set to be the talk-of-the-town the Singapore Arts Festival wasn't.
Opening the festival is Ivan Heng in a one-man play about the main protagonist looking back on life, love and lost. Wait a minute... Ivan Heng? One-man play? Surely you don't mean he's reprising Emily so soon again? Nope! Yes, that was one's initial concern too, but in a surprising and refreshing turn of events, Ivan outdid himself by stepping into the (Church's) shoes of the character and so convincing was his portrayal that not even once did Emily come to mind.
And such was the genius of playwright Huzir Sulaiman and director Claire Wong where joined by the considerable talents of Ivan Heng, the debauchery and decadence of John Au Yong are fleshed out and brought to life from the pages of The Weight of Silk on Skin.
At once intense and profound, the clever writing of Sulaiman with turns of phrases and quotable quotes was a treat for the ears. The challenges inherent to the actor fell on Heng who admirably carried the work on his shoulders and while not word perfect, was a masterclass in enunciation and elocution.
The stage was stripped bare, opened up all the way to the rear and sides, the only props a chair and a dresser. So where did the production budget go? As a man of taste and an arbiter of elegance, the character spoke at length about the workmanship that went into crafting a bespoke pair of shoes. And the very ones Heng wore were flown in from England, taking advantage of the weak Sterling. There's also nothing quite like good tailoring for the clothes to maketh the man. Joe's Tailoring was credited for the fine suits on Heng's back.
It was an evening to remember. Who says local talent is lacking? This will be a watershed work to go into the annals.
Posted via LjBeetle
Opening the festival is Ivan Heng in a one-man play about the main protagonist looking back on life, love and lost. Wait a minute... Ivan Heng? One-man play? Surely you don't mean he's reprising Emily so soon again? Nope! Yes, that was one's initial concern too, but in a surprising and refreshing turn of events, Ivan outdid himself by stepping into the (Church's) shoes of the character and so convincing was his portrayal that not even once did Emily come to mind.
And such was the genius of playwright Huzir Sulaiman and director Claire Wong where joined by the considerable talents of Ivan Heng, the debauchery and decadence of John Au Yong are fleshed out and brought to life from the pages of The Weight of Silk on Skin.
At once intense and profound, the clever writing of Sulaiman with turns of phrases and quotable quotes was a treat for the ears. The challenges inherent to the actor fell on Heng who admirably carried the work on his shoulders and while not word perfect, was a masterclass in enunciation and elocution.
The stage was stripped bare, opened up all the way to the rear and sides, the only props a chair and a dresser. So where did the production budget go? As a man of taste and an arbiter of elegance, the character spoke at length about the workmanship that went into crafting a bespoke pair of shoes. And the very ones Heng wore were flown in from England, taking advantage of the weak Sterling. There's also nothing quite like good tailoring for the clothes to maketh the man. Joe's Tailoring was credited for the fine suits on Heng's back.
It was an evening to remember. Who says local talent is lacking? This will be a watershed work to go into the annals.
Posted via LjBeetle