“One Meenah, One Cheenah, One Singapore”

Reviewer: Liana Gurung
Performance: 22 February 2019

Reprising its 2016 success, Meenah and Cheenah is uproariously navigates of Singapore’s murky ethnic waters with humour, flair and dizzyingly quick costume changes. Judee Tan and Siti Khalijah shine on stage as comic archetypes of the ‘meenah’ and ‘cheenah’, exploring racial identity in Singapore not only as independent quantities but also as a point of intersection. The thread that weaves through the narrative seam is the story of two childhood friends – one Malay, one Chinese – who grow up against a backdrop of familiar Singaporean settings and questions.

But make no mistake: Meenah and Cheenah’s first aim is to delight. From a show-stopping opening number that sets the ecstatic tone of the production, to wigs in every size and colour, to skits that dare to imagine and stretch everything from racial origin stories to multicultural afterlives – there is little that seems out-of-bounds. Social critique and commentary come only as by-products of gags that, on less winning personalities, could be hackneyed or overdone. Jokes that rely on more stale racial stereotypes still form the bulk of the production’s humour, but come creatively repackaged. For instance, Chinese miserliness follows into the afterlife in one scene, while anthropological definitions of the “meenah” and “cheenah” are explored through rather interactive PowerPoint “slides” in another.

Perhaps what is most enjoyable about Meenah and Cheenah is how it celebrates the local vernacular, a ‘quintessential Singaporean-ness’ that can generate a huge sense of camaraderie in its audience. The fourth wall is broken – not just explicitly, such as when Siti and Tan cheekily apologises to the audience for not casting a full CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) spectrum, but also because the audience can see fragments of themselves onstage.

Meenah and Cheenah, ultimately, offers an example of how race can be explored and celebrated on the local stage – provided you have the magnetism, warmth, and comedic prowess of actors of Tan and Siti’s calibre to bring the show to life.

“人与剧的青春期”

Reviewer: Zekson Tan | 陈迦笙
Performance: 2 March 2017

幽默和诙谐一向来是 Dream Academy 擅长的元素，这一次的原创音乐剧《Detention Katong》也不例外。戏里妙趣横生的对白，搭配着原创的歌曲及编舞，让观众在欢笑声中再次去经历那充满着欢愉和矛盾的青春校园时光。从同学之间的互动与相处以及师长凭成绩对学生先入为主的偏见，到家长与孩子之间的沟通和社交媒体所带来的各种现象和霸凌等等，这部音乐剧除了以风趣的对白大胆的反讽本地的教育制度和现象，也精准的捕捉了处于青春期的学生们所面对的种种问题。

然而当戏里的角色们演绎着青春时期的懵懂、碰撞及矛盾的同时，《Detention Katong》也不禁让人觉得像是一部正在经历着“青春期”的音乐剧一样，充斥着绚丽、创新与精彩等元素，但是却与成熟和完整还有一段距离。就像青春期的学生们只差岁月的磨练一样，《Detention Katong》这部音乐剧欠缺了一个能够妥善兼顾和处理主次之分的情节编排和比重。

《Detention Katong》看似是以中学校园现象和问题为主轴，但随着剧情的推进，却又渐渐的把故事的焦距挪移到了家长和孩子之间的沟通问题上。然而在这过程中，却还是继续的把时间和戏份分给了其他的情节，像是交代老师们的背景及之间的互动和情愫、充满着幽默和反讽的家长日和体育课等等。虽然这些环节都为《Detention Katong 》增色不少，但是却让整部音乐剧的焦点也跟着模糊起来。尤其这些情节是由Sebastian Tan及Suhaimi Yusof 等一票拥有深厚实力的资深音乐剧和喜剧演员担纲演出，给予观众的印象和冲击力度更是深刻。以至于在回顾整场音乐剧的时候，反而是这些精彩的环节让人留下深刻的记忆，而让人多少忽略甚至是遗忘了由那群年轻演员饰演的学生所带出来的故事和互动才是这部音乐剧的主轴，让整部音乐剧显得有点主次不明。

《Detention Katong》整体上来说其实质量并不差，也维持着Dream Academy一贯优良的喜剧元素，让观众能够在笑声中去体验整部戏。另外难能可贵的是，这部音乐剧也看见了一批实力不俗且充满潜力的本地新生代音乐剧演员的出现。但是剧情主次不明的缺陷，却让整部音乐剧的水准只停留在类似于人的“青春期”一样，拥有着许多不错和美好的部分，但就是欠缺了至关重要的一个元素。身处青春期的人们缺少的，是岁月的历练和成长；而《Detention Katong》欠缺的，就是那游走于故事主次之间的轻重和拿捏。

“Prepare to be detained.”

Reviewer: Jocelyn Chng
Performance: 18 February 2017

2017 has somehow been designated a year of musicals – the local theatre calendar this year is marked with a slew of nine musicals, and Detention Katong is first off the block.

Let’s start with the positives – the biggest strength of this musical is its cast. While previous musicals staged by local companies have tended to suffer from uneven casting, the cast of Detention Katong is rather consistent in terms of technical ability. Most of the cast is adept at pulling off the oft-mentioned triple threat skills required of a musical theatre performer: singing, dancing and acting. It is heartening that the scene is slowly stepping up to the demands of musical theatre with an increasing numbers of young performers trained in this genre.

The other nice thing is the set by Denise Low and Melissa Ho. Simple and functional, it quite niftily demonstrates that it is possible to put up a good show without the elaborate, expensive sets so often associated with big budget musicals.

As with every school report card, there is always room for improvement. Firstly, the material has potential – the gist of the story is that people are not always what they seem, which can conceivably provide good fodder for the twists and turns of a musical plot. Unfortunately the book takes too many twists down unrelated side alleys, making for a rather confusing ride.

Secondly, not all the musical numbers are well incorporated. Some feel like tokenistic inclusions, such as “Discipline Mistress’ Lament,” which awkwardly references S&M, and Mr Saw, the school counsellor’s “Early Daze,” which does little to further the plot and unexplainably incorporates psychedelic multimedia projections. There is also a ballet-parody number lampooning the system of balloting for entry to Primary school, which at best vaguely relates to the Secondary school context of the musical.

Some of the scenes with singing, dancing schoolgirls and teachers is reminiscent of Spring Awakening, especially when Amanda, our deceptively goody two-shoes leading lady, belts out the word “Mama” close to the beginning of the musical. But there are memorable numbers, like “Eyes Closed,” also sung by Amanda.

However, by the end of the performance, I cannot help but feel more like I have attended a work-in-progress showing than a finished musical.

There is a reason why most of the big famous Broadway musicals take years and years of workshopping off-Broadway, with trials in different cities, before making it to Broadway. Now that we have made some headway in developing musical theatre talent in Singapore, perhaps it is also time to re-look and reflect on the creative process in order to develop stronger musicals that we can call our own.

“Bringing out the inner lians in us all”

Reviewer: Isaac Lim
Performance: 12 May 2016

The 90-minute performance, which initially appears to be a low-brow comedy show poking fun at a group of lesser educated Malays and Chinese, turns out to be a pretty good lesson on racial practices and racial harmony.

Well, at least for this reviewer, who admits to being a classy, closeted lian.

The main narrative follows the lives of two best friends who went to school together, vying for the attention of the same Indian boy, till the said Indian boy (named Vicknesh) gets married. Mixed within the comedy sketches, we see two everyday characters facing scenarios related to their respective ethnicity. For example, when two office ladies meet in the pantry during the month of Ramadan, and the Muslim woman, played by Siti Khalijah, has to explain the rules of the fasting month, while fighting the temptation presented by her Chinese colleague’s food.

While Meenah is an endearing way of calling Aminah, a rather common Malay girl’s name in 1990s Singapore (and continues till today), Cheenah has a rather negative connotation. It is now associated with the uncouth Mainland Chinese. However, Cheenah here refers to the ah lian sub-culture in Singapore society, the Chinese counterpart to Minah (which is derived from Meenah).

Alfian Sa’at, the lead writer, together with contributing writers Rishi Budhrani, Fukkah Fuzz (both mainstays in the local stand-up comedy scene) and Josiah Ng deliver an entertaining script packed with nuggets of information and loads of funny sound bites.

That said, the pacing of the show can be tighter. The show started on a high, but as the segments wore on, there was a feeling that the jokes were on repeat mode. Honestly, how many times can you milk the gag of mispronouncing Barbie as Babi (pig in Malay)? Additionally the scene transitions using shadow puppetry projections pale in comparison to the outlandish disco music interludes from the ’90s.

Of the two, Siti Kalijah stands out as she portrays the different Malay characters effortlessly, and with conviction. Judee Tan is less convincing in the first half, as she appears to be less energetic. Tan’s performance did pick up in the second half, especially after her solo dance segment, in which she gyrates to cheesy Mandopop and techno songs.

Despite the presence of racial jokes and slurs, Meenah and Cheenah appears to be a lesson on cultural sensitivity as it tries to clear up the many inter-racial misunderstandings. The show also frames itself as a time capsule, capturing many wonderful and hilarious moments for people who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s.

In all, this appears to be a fresh start to a new comedy franchise by the Dream Academy team, and judging from the audiences’ response, they will need to churn out fresh materials soon.

“More than just entertainment”

Reviewer: Meera Nair
Performance: 15 May 2016

I should begin this review with the actual subject matter of this play. After all, a title like Meenah and Cheenah definitely piques curiosity. This production is a series of sketches that poke fun at the stereotypes of the Malays and Chinese in Singapore. After all, in the name of racial harmony and in real life, we simply do not jest about race.

It is in this very act of rebellion that Meenah and Cheenah entertains. Blunt and no holds barred, this show embraces those unflattering stereotypes and makes them funny. This comes as no surprise as lead writer Alfian Sa’at has never shied away from dealing with race issues. The fact that the sketches are built on real life experiences faced by the production team makes it all the more resonant.

But Meenah and Cheenah is not just about race. It also takes potshots at current and historical affairs. In its imaginative take on afterlife, there are parking aunties and CPF… and a pontianak riding one of those two-wheeled electric balancing scooters. Hang Li Po in hindsight is actually victim of human trafficking who faces major linguistic and cultural difficulties when she arrives in Malacca.

Despite charging through a series of unrelated sketches, the production does not feel messy. In fact, the last sketch neatly recalls the start, giving a nice touch of finality and a sense of having come full circle. The flow of the production is also kept up by Siti Khalijah and Judee Tan, who effortlessly bring energy and humour to their gamut of ‘minah’ and ‘cheena’ characters.

This production actively invites its audience to take photographs and videos, fittingly during a sketch on social media influencers. Nevertheless, I am surprised to find more people watching the show rather than taking photographs  even when they are encouraged to do so.

Meenah and Cheenah presents itself as flippant and comic, but it has daringly taken on a topic that we often turn a blind eye to – that of racial stereotyping. As it turns out, this is the third production I have seen in two months that honestly addresses ‘race’, and it is heartening to see that. By bringing these issues out into the light, these productions raise awareness and teach us to take ourselves less seriously, and if the reactions of the audience around me are any indication, it appears to be working.

In short, this production is definitely entertaining; but it does more than just entertain.

“The History of Singapore, as written by the Dim Sum Dollies“

Reviewer: Gan Soon Rui
Performance: 12 June 2015

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana

That is, perhaps, one of the major takeaways from the Dim Sum Dollies, what with the celebrations for the country’s jubilee beginning to intensify (#SG50).

Originally staged in 2007, Dim Sum Dollies’ The History of Singapore Part 1 is a musical revue spanning the founding of Singapura to its independence in 1965 … with, of course, a little creative twist that would have drawn dirty looks from historians.

Sang Nila Utama’s search for Singapura is (in a manner reminiscent to a typical drama series) spurred by the guilt tripping from his mother, forcing the poor prince to find himself a new city with his girlfriend Siti in tow… you get the drift.

What follows subsequently is a two hour performance of comedy and puns neatly portioned into vignettes, and culminating into a NDP-esque sing-along (with Singapore flags to boot), complete with a selection of nostalgic national day songs. Suffice to say, the synchronicity of the Dollies with the chopstick, Hossan Leong, and their “if you know what I mean” face, has the audience thoroughly entertained and actively participating.

Amidst the feathers, sequins, and glitzy song and dance routines however, one aspect that this reviewer finds lamentable is the songs. While the tunes are catchy (kudos to composer Elaine Chan), the lyrics and word play are underwhelming, even clumsy at times. This makes some of the songs forgettable and hard to understand.

Those who are not familiar with the Dim Sum Dollies be warned that while it is performed in English, there are certain points where the characters lapse into Malay or various varieties of Chinese. It is, however, not that big of a deal, as this reviewer (who has problems distinguishing between Sembilan and Sepuluh) has no problem reading between the lines.

In a city of construction sites, Dim Sun Dollies’ The History of Singapore Part 1 serves as an important reality check that reminds us not to overlook the past, even in its tireless progression towards modernity.

Yet, one can’t help but wonder whether this play with/on nostalgia, and its purpose of remembering the past, can be a truly effective piece of performance, or will it be dismissed as being over-the-top due to its carnival-esque treatment?

“History according to the Dollies“

Reviewer: Gloria Ho
Performance: 12 June 2015

A cup full of sequins, a dash of quick-witted puns and a pinch of sociopolitical commentary are just some of the main ingredients found in this steaming Dim Sum Dollies production.  Throw in the myriad of flashy costumes, extensive (2D) set pieces, disco lighting, a live band.  Of course there is the highly-energetic dance routines faultlessly executed by the sextet – Loh Mai Guys.

Dim Sum Dollies : The History of Singapore Part 1 returns for a re-run after its successful debut back in 2007. We retrace major periods from Sang Nila Utama’s discovery of this little island to the “Nanyang” period when opium dens and brothels were common to the early independent days of Singapore.

In Dim Sum Dollies’ version of history, the shtick is the juxtaposing of elements from different eras forming little vignettes – often to hilarious effect. Sang Nila Utama meets a modern sales person; Rickshaw pullers encounter a parking attendant – the juxtapositions do present interesting viewpoints. While most work, some feel strangely misplaced (like the Irish missionaries disciplining a Singlish-speaking, pinafore-wearing school girl).

The joyous chemistry that Selena Tan, Pam Oei, Denise Tan and Hossan Leong exhibit manages to excite and keep the audience in suspense.  Individually, each Dollie (I think Leong qualifies as an honourary Dollie) demonstrate versatility and command a strong stage presence. Collectively, they complement each other without stealing anyone’s limelight.

The main draw of a Dim Sum Dollies show is surely the easily recognized local jibs and references. The mischievous plays on acronyms, nudge-in-ribs references to local sentiments, to issues such as MRT breakdowns and witty comments made in dialects may have disoriented, excluded the foreigners but these delight the locals.

The lightning quick costume and set changes are impressive and help maintain the brisk pace of the production. The production ran like clockwork – with Selena Tan incorporating the cleaning up of the streamers into her own segment – a brilliant move.

The sociopolitical commentaries are, however, weak. They are amusing but do no more than to remind us and reinforce what we know. Perhaps it is time for the Dim Sum Dollies to relook at their formula and whip up something with more bite.

Standing Kumar

Reviewer: Gan Soon Rui
Performance: 24 April 2015

If, to quote a quotable quote, “Laughter is the best medicine”, can KUMAR Stands Up For Singapore be the proverbial “all-cure” to Singapore’s problems?

Perhaps.

KUMAR Stands Up For Singapore is the latest stand-up comedy by the self-proclaimed STB (Singapore’s Top Bapok. In this installment, Kumar who, as the title iterates, stands up for Singapore by bringing up current issues of concerns. The performance is presented in five parts, each part based on one of the ideas behind each of the five stars (Justice, Equality, Democracy, Peace and Progress) on the Singapore flag.

As far as stand-up comedy goes, KUMAR Stands Up For Singapore manages to explore much of the Singapore current affairs:

The obligatory puns and innuendos about his sexuality, and the public’s “intolerance” of it?

Check.

The occasional wink wink, nudge nudge regarding the stereotypical personalities and portrayal of the four races in Singapore?

Check.

Thinly veiled pot-shots fired at the Singapore government?

Check.

Questions of the true foreigners in our country?

Check.

Recycled jokes and gags notwithstanding, the performance remains interesting and fresh. Kumar, ever sensitive to his audience and its reaction, alters his pace and angle of approach to accommodate for the “slower” audience, all the while gaining maximum mileage out of his jokes. In short, he had most of the audience in stitches throughout the entire performance. Yet, this reviewer cannot help but wonder whether if this performance does anything else besides amuse and entertain?

In this reviewer’s opinion, stand-up comedy prides itself on being able to inject critical commentary because it has license to be politically incorrect. In a carnivalesque space were everyone and everything is fair game in comedy, comedians mocks anything and anyone and consequently shed light on issues worthy of attention. Based on this criteria, Kumar Stands Up For Singapore did stir the waters in an increasing stagnant pool called Singapore, but whether this will ripple onto the audience, that remains to be seen.

The Ha-Ha Show? Not Quite.

Reviewer: Muhammed Faizad Bin Salim
Performance: 22 April 2015

I have to be honest that I came to this show with gargantuan expectations, having watched prior runs of Kumar’s stand-up comedy shows a number of years ago.

And it certainly looks promising.

As you make your way into the theatre, you are greeted by red and white ribbons adorning the corridors (akin to an SG50 or National Day Celebrations event) and the theatre is swathed with bright lights and atmospheric (euphemism for grandiose) music once you enter. In fact there is even a photo booth with props outside the theatre for you to take fun shots with your company for the night and even chances to take part in a lucky draw by completing an online survey. All very fun and carnival-like.

But it stops there.

Once the show proper gets underway, you are reminded how the meat of any comedic performance must be the material. And this is when all the superficial facade of the glitzy performance starts to crack. A lot of the material is really quite hackneyed: digs at local politicians, national campaigns and businesses, foreign nationals and even our silly Singaporean antics. Granted, nothing is sacred because Kumar will take on anything regardless of race, language or religion. But this was a vegan roasting at best.

The show takes a risk with an audience interaction segment in the middle of the show. This is often tricky as audience reaction is unpredictable. Nevertheless, Kumar is in his element and deals with everything thrown at him and milks it for all its worth. It is during times like these where you see glimpses of Kumar’s brilliance as a comedian – his ability to find and create humour from the ad-lib moments instead of adhering to a set script.

The show can do with tighter direction to avoid coming across as overly-kitschy. To be perfectly honest, what is the point of the different voiceover effects? And getting Kumar to lip-sync to Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ and Katy Perry’s ‘Roar?

Aesthetically, there are (few) hits and (many more) misses. Kumar looks elegant in all his dresses, sari and Wonder Woman outfit. However, the set design is sparse and largely unimaginative. The audience, fully aware of the five-star motif and theme of the show, is presented with – yep, you’ve guessed it — five huge LED-lit stars emblazoned across the otherwise deserted Esplanade Theatre stage. Oh yes, did I forget to mention that these stars yoyo up and down in between scenes and provide a convenient screen for Kumar to perform one of his many costume changes? To be fair, the final scene did introduce a shiny, shimmering curtain as the backdrop in addition to the stars but this is yet another distraction. Ultimately, there are few things that added a purposeful dimension to the performance – which unfortunately is an apt description for the entire show.

“Let’s Bo Bo Cha Cha!”

Reviewer: Sam Kee
Performance: 14 March 2015, 3pm

The live band swoops in from the right in a blink of an eye, reminding me of the Cantina band in Star Wars – smooth and lively, but looking like they belong to a different time and space. The band is the main reason I enjoyed my siesta, my first in Resorts World Theatre.

Prior to the live band’s entrance, the stage stands as a museum exhibition displaying memorabilia from the foregone era of cabaret entertainment showbiz in Singapore. Young actors posing as visitors weave in and out of the exhibition before the principal show starts.

In the tradition of a cabaret show, a Master of Ceremonies hosts the show and introduces each item for the night. Simon Tay, (Shane Mardjuki) trots into the museum as an aged security guard, before travelling back in time and transforms into a glib-tongued emcee for this afternoon’s show.

So the exhibition and memorabilia disappears – the 60’s come alive. The opening number, Let’s Bo Bo Cha Cha!, is composed by Bang Wenfu and lyrics by Alfian Sa’at. We are subsequently serenaded with several nostalgic musical numbers, featuring the three iconic divas of Flaming Flowers: Queen of A-Go-Go Sakura Teng (Joanna Dong), Queen of Keroncong Kartina Dahari (Aisyah Aziz), and Queen of Striptease Rose Chan (Seong Hui Xuan). I am mesmerised by Aisyah’s rendition of Bunga Melur in traditional Malay folksong style, and then in Chinese. Also, we are treated to an eyeful when Seong was stripped of her glitzy qipao, revealing a nude suit with playful tassels.

Although the music and dance numbers are light-hearted and entertaining enough, it seems that the headline comedian of the day always manages to steal the show. Dr. Teo Chew Moi (Judee Tan) is up today, delivering her signature dose of ‘laughter is the best (traditional Chinese) medicine [TCM punning with Teo Chew Moi]’. She receives the most laughter in the house this afternoon, although I am not particularly tickled by her many innuendos, having experienced a more polished script in another of Selena Tan’s script: Happily Ever Laughter.

I remember cabaret being a popular feature in tour packages about a decade ago. Cabaret shows are also a permanent highlight in cruises, providing family-friendly entertainment. I would say the Great World Cabaret is more akin to this. I am not put off by the inclusion of several filler acts but unfortunately, these filler acts (including the Three Drunken Sailors and J C Sum’s magic segment) are rather dull fail to sustain the energy from segment to segment. The comical antics by the Three Drunken Sailors are decidedly lacklustre next to the heart-stopping feats from the Qing Dao Acrobatic Troupe. During the grand finale, though, it is interesting and heart-warming to see these foreign participants singing along to the words of Let’s Bo Bo Cha Cha!, hokkien phrases and all.

All in all, for an integrated resort wanting to bring “non-stop entertainment” to the people, the Great World Cabaret does work.