ME² VS HE² by NUS King Edward VII Hall Chinese Drama

“我和我和他和他 (Me² vs He²)”

Reviewer: Yong Yoke Kay
Performance: 23 February 2019

Cruel and profound. Such is the fate of two characters, Shen Mo (Wang Zezhou) and Jian Ru Jing (Long Luqian), who are about to meet to discuss a merger of their companies. Unbeknownst to their current selves, they once shared a tumultuous past that was erased completely from both of their memories in a car accident. Along the way, both are haunted by the nine-year younger version of themselves (young Shen Mo played by Gao Qikai, and young Jian Ru Jing played by Li Danni), who seek to attain closure from the decisions they had made as lovers. As the plot unfolds over three hours, the two personas are forced to face the repercussions of their life choices.

To restage Me² vs He² too is a brave choice (it was probably not mere coincidence that KECD last staged this play nine years ago), but consequences must be borne.

The advantage of this choice was clear: Stan Lai’s well-written script means that the text itself could move the play along. Lines are mostly delivered on beat, and the audience seems to be enthralled by the punchlines and caricatures.

However, emotional commitment to the characters is not sustained throughout, as some of the more nuanced parts play out mechanically. The emotional touchpoints from the script never quite turn out as expected, save for the embrace between the present Jian Ru Jing and Shen Mo towards the end. Unfortunately, right after the embrace, the sincerity of the characters’ emotions are betrayed once again, leaving this reviewer wishing for more displays of such genuineness.

Perhaps confusion at some points of the play has, in part, to do with the set and lighting design. This is especially noticeable during the transitory scenes, where attempts to bring out the complex layers of space and time become merely an exhibition of aesthetic staging elements. It is a pity that these frills are not reined in more, as the story shines the most when told economically. One such example is the hotel room scene, where the juxtaposition of the characters’ rooms and circumstances cleverly and succinctly mirror the parallels of the characters.

Overall, a production of such quality is not often found in school productions, and it is commendable that the cast maintain their stamina throughout. It is just a pity that attempts to make the script come alive on stage are met with some crucial misses. With fuller embodiment of the text and characters, as well as tighter control over the scenes, Shen Mo and Jian Ru Jing’s struggles and fears, decisions and memories of self and love would come through.

Nonetheless, it is an encouraging sign for a student-led Chinese theatre group to take on a demanding script, and to witness strong support, evidenced by the thunderous applause, from the student-heavy audience. The reviewer hopes that KECD will continue to keep up the good effort.