{Review} The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio | 25 July – 6 Aug 2017

We had such an amazing time last year with Lyngo Theatre at Jack and The Beanstalk, (read our review here) that we were looking forward to this year’s The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio.

The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio is an excellent retelling of the story of Pinocchio. Artistic Director, Patrick Lynch doesn’t disappoint with his unique style of story telling. This master storyteller was able to put together the entire production on his own. The children were captivated from the minute he appeared onstage and started the narration.  At every corner of the theatre, I could hear children laughing or asking when would Pinocchio’s nose grow longer haha…

As expected, the props that accompanied his master retelling of the story were simple yet effective. Amidst dusty old books, the magic starts and the story of Pinocchio comes alive on stage. Patrick was able not only to hold the attention of the young audience, he made them laugh gleefully at his playful antics and his curious magical props.

My favourite part must have been when Pinocchio crushes all those ice cream cones (oops! I mean Pinocchio’s long nose) bit by bit by bit after he learns not to lie again.

Wey was spellbound throughout the entire hour. Although there were no actors, and many of the characters in the story that Patrick spoke of were left to imagination only, I could see he was truly absorbed in the story unfolding onstage. At one point, he even exclaimed out loud, “Oh no, this story is tragic…” I was quite surprised at his choice of words because it showed that he was emotionally invested and had empathy for the characters of the story. Therein lies the mastery of Lyngo Theatre’s story telling.

Catch a glimpse of what’s in the show at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5XHqO6sOxc&feature=youtu.be and I’m sure you will be clicking on the SISTIC http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/cpino0817   link to get hold of tickets. There is only one more weekend to catch this production at the Drama Centre Black Box, before the run ends on 6 August 2017. Details at end of post.

It’s a pity though that this time, there is no Backstage Workshop Tour special like in Jack and the Beanstalk but Patrick was kind enough to have a short question and answer session that left the children wanting more! haha…. I do so wish that there will be a rerun of Jack and the Beanstalk next year.

Expect a magical experience through interesting props that seem alive eg. a book that grows, a book with a bottomless hole, a log that apparently moves on its own! Wey could not help himself but to ask how this was done during the Q&A session but alas, a secret it must stay hahaha! We need that Backstage Tour again! haha…

It would do well for parents to heed the age advisory of 5 years old and above as the style and attention span and maturity required for this production would not be suitable for any child younger than the recommended. Also, get there early as it is free seating and queues to enter the theatre forms even 10-15mins before show time.

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey  

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio, for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated monetarily for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of Act 3 International and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio

When: 25 July to 6 August 2017| Mon – Fri: 9am | Sat & Sunday : 10.30am & 2.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Black Box

 

Who: 5 years and above and their families

Ticket Pricing : Standard $28 Weekdays, $38 Weekends (Excludes Booking Fee)

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes no interval

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

*For School Group Bookings, please call ACT 3 International at 6735 9986

{Media Invite} The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey|A Night of Stunning Vocals

I was so looking forward to go to The Great Wall Musical at the Drama Centre Theatre with the hubby on Thursday night (especially since the kiddo was finally done with his Math Mini- Test).  Date night finally! Away from the crazy homework and mini-tests schedules!

Part of the excitement was also because it’s been such a long time since we’ve hit the theatres, and what a good one to start with. A brand new original musical based on a beautiful love story with a stellar cast! I was excited to get to see Nathan Hartono sing live on stage too! It was no wonder then that even on a week night, this musical was playing to an almost full house!

Set in the time of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China, who wants to create a new history, a new One China united under his rule, the musical is based on the legend of Meng Jiang Nü (played by Na-Young Jeon) whose devotion and love for her husband Fan Qi Liang (Nathan Hartono), sends her on a long and arduous journey in search of him after he is captured by the Emperor’s guards to work at The Great Wall.

Behold the Great Emperor of China

The opening scene with Emperor Qin(played by George Chan) is grand and sets the tone of the times~ where fear of this great tyrant prevails throughout the new One China. The dramatic effect was perfect, with the Emperor perched up high against the dark backdrop.  We were transported immediately into those fearful tyrannical times where everyone’s existence is for the pleasure of one man- the Emperor.

The Emperor commands that all males be conscripted to build his Great Wall and all scholars be killed!

I think it safe to say that every single person in the audience was moved by the singing of Na-Young Jeon. She was amazing. Her voice crystal clear and beautiful. Her singing lifted our spirits as she found love and fell sweetly and deeply in love to runaway scholar Fan Qi Liang. We felt her misery, her helplessness and desperation when her beloved was arrested and taken away by the Emperor’s Guards. We wanted to run with her and journey with her as she went in search of her husband to see him again. Na-Young Jeon made Meng Jiang Nü real… our sister in a desperate situation. (I hear Ethel Yap’s performance as Meng Jiang Nü is equally enthralling)

The beautiful lovebirds

I really enjoyed watching the two well matched lovebirds on stage. Nathan Hartono did not disappoint. Handsome as he sang away to melt our hearts (hahah) but a pity I felt he didn’t seem to have as many singing parts as I had hoped. In fact, I have a nasty suspicion that his air-time was far lesser than the Women in the Village!! But then again that could be just me? If only there was more of Nathan and Na-Young… the night would have been perfect! haha..

Even so, every song in this 2.5 hour long musical was delightful with stunningly good singing.

The Women in The Village / Mother / Women of China take up quite a fair bit of the musical, unfortunately.

The set and costume were simple yet beautifully designed and each scene was an artistic visual treat.

I especially remembered a scene of Meng Jiang Nü’s journey which required an amazing display of precision and teamwork, as the villagers laid out the wooden planks for Meng Jiang Nü, who walks and climbs on each plank. As her journey progresses, it is a stunning visual.  Perhaps, through this repetitive act of laying out the pathway for Meng Jiang Nü, the audience also experiences the difficulty and the long journey she took.

Truly a great display of No wall too tall. No Journey too long… Meng Jiang Nü’s arduous journey in search of her beloved.

The Great Wall Musical is a powerful love story of one woman’s undying love and determination to be with her beloved against all odds. But it is not just a love story, it is an amazing story of human strength and tenacity despite immense suffering … A story about bravery and courage to stand up for what you believe in, and remain unyielding in spite of ruthless tyranny.

The Great Wall Musical runs from 14 -30 July 2017 at the Drama Centre Theatre, so there’s only one more week before it ends, next Sunday. Do catch it even if it’s a week night show.

The hubby gave it a thumbs up and has been telling everyone (who has asked us) that it’s a must watch. I agree 🙂 This is truly a Must – Watch Musical for 2017. Take a well deserved break from the mundane and be transported into another time, another world, another love. Book quickly at SISTIC https://www.sistic.com/events/cwall0717 before tickets are totally sold out! Have a lovely time with The Great Wall Musical!

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey  

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend Glowtape Production’s The Great Wall Musical for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of Crispi I Photography & Glowtape Productions and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey

When  : 14 – 30 JULY 2017 | Tue – Sat 8pm |Sat & Sun 3pm

* Please note that the role of Meng Jiang Nü will be played by Ethel Yap for performances on 16 Jul 3pm, 19 Jul 8pm and 26 Jul 8pm.

Where: Drama Centre Theatre (Map)

Duration: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes  (15 minutes interval)

Who : No admission for infants in arms and person below 8 years old.

Ticket Pricing :  Check SISTIC for discounts applicable.

14 & 15 JULY	$68 – $98
FRI 8PM, SAT 3PM & 8PM	$68 – $98, $128 (VIP)
TUE – THU 8PM, SUN 3PM	$58 – $88

(Ticket prices excludes $4 SISTIC Booking Fee)

Tickets available through: Get Your Tickets Now
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

{Giveaway} Glowtape Productions’ The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey| 14 – 30 JULY 2017

Glowtape Productions presents The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey from 14 – 30 July at the Drama Centre Theatre.

The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey is a spectacular musical adaptation that transforms Meng Jiang Nü’s tale into a soaring musical odyssey. Raw emotions are laid bare in a dazzling display of vocal showmanship as the characters come to life in a beautiful contemporary setting detailed with traditional design influences.

Captivating and profoundly moving, this production weaves a gripping tale of love and courage against an epic backdrop of imperial China. In the face of insurmountable odds, a young everywoman does not yield to her fate. What unfolds is a passionate display of a woman’s resolve as she stands alone against the ultimate symbol of unbridled hubris and power.

Join the phenomenal Na-Young Jeon’s Singapore debut, multi-talented George Chan and homegrown singing sensation Nathan Hartono as they team up this July for The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey.

No wall too tall.
No journey too long.
The legend of Meng Jiang Nü.

Behind the imposing façade of The Great Wall lies one of the most enduring legends in Chinese folklore – the story of Meng Jiang Nü, whose tears brought down the Great Wall.

This original musical with brand new script by acclaimed Singaporean playwright Jean Tay, who won best original script for Everything But The Brain and authored Boom, both literature texts in schools, is led by an international team of artists – featuring composer David Shrubsole (National Gallery Singapore’s Opening Festival, London Road) from the UK, helmed by Australian director Darren Yap (Man of Letters, Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia!), and starring talents from the West End – Dutch-Korean actress Na-Young Jeon (Les Misérables, Miss Saigon) and Monique Wilson (Miss Saigon, The King & I), along with George Chan (Chicago, December Rains) and homegrown singer-songwriter Nathan Hartono, fresh from his stint on Sing! China.

The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey is a musical not to be missed! We can’t wait attend this amazing new musical in July. Book your tickets early at SISTIC and get the best seats before it is a Sold Out performance!

GIVEAWAY : 

WIN a Pair of Tickets worth $144!  

We’ve got great news for our loyal followers and fans of Nathan Hartono!

Glowtape Productions has kindly sponsored a pair of Cat 3 tickets worth more than for the 16 July, Sunday 3pm performance! Do follow ALL the instructions below to take part for your chance to win! 

To take part and qualify, please make sure all the following steps are completed:

1) COMMENT on this blog post stating your Facebook Name and Email address.

2) LIKE SAys! Happy Mums  and The Great Wall Musical on Facebook.

3) LIKE and SHARE this Facebook post on your Facebook Wall with the caption “Tag @Friend A Tag @Friend B Tag @Friend C Tag @Friend D Tag @Friend E, I want to watch The Great Wall : A Woman’s Journey with @Says Happy Mums ”. DO set your post to PUBLIC so that we are able to verify your entry.

Bonus entry:

1. Follow us on Instagram {@sayshappymums}
2. Repost this photo on IG and tag @sayshappymums @thegreatwallmusical #TheGreatWallMusical  + 3 Friends 

Terms and Conditions:

• Giveaway ends 30 June, Friday at 2359 hrs.
• Collection will be at the Drama Centre Theatre, Level 3, 45 minutes before show time. Do note that children younger than 8 years old will not be admitted.
• Winner will need to produce their IC to claim their tickets.
• Prize is fixed and cannot be changed to a different day or time.
• Tickets are non-transferable, non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
• The Winner will be notified by the email provided under the blog comments and must reply within 48 hours, failing which, a new winner will be drawn, without notice.
• This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
• The Sponsor reserves the right to request for a redraw if the drawn winner on our blog has also won tickets to the show from another giveaway.
• Incomplete / Half-completed entries will be disqualified without notice. Decisions are final and no changes/disputes will be entertained.
• All information is solely collected for the purpose of this giveaway and we will not send unsolicited emails to your inbox unless you have opted to subscribe to us (on the right of this page!).
• This giveaway is in no manner associated with any social media accounts except our blog.

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey  

About The Great Wall: One Woman’s Journey

When  : 14 – 30 JULY 2017 | Tue – Sat 8pm |Sat & Sun 3pm

* Please note that the role of Meng Jiang Nü will be played by Ethel Yap for performances on 16 Jul 3pm, 19 Jul 8pm and 26 Jul 8pm.

Where: Drama Centre Theatre (Map)

Duration: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes  (15 minutes interval)

Who : No admission for infants in arms and person below 8 years old.

Ticket Pricing :  Check SISTIC for discounts applicable.

14 & 15 JULY	$68 – $98
FRI 8PM, SAT 3PM & 8PM	$68 – $98, $128 (VIP)
TUE – THU 8PM, SUN 3PM	$58 – $88

(Ticket prices excludes $4 SISTIC Booking Fee)

Tickets available through: Get Your Tickets Now
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

{Review} Pangdemonium’s RENT! | A Broadway Musical Treat

After a most touching and wonderful production of Falling, Pangdemonium surprises yet again with a stellar cast and an amazing production of RENT at the Drama Centre Theatre from 7- 23 October 2016.

Indeed this new production of RENT in Singapore is a fitting round off for Pangdemonium’s 2016 Season of Love! Simply not to be missed if you are a musical lover. We had a wonderful Sunday matinee filled with beautiful singing that left our souls recharged, thanks to Pangdemonium’s generous media invite that opening weekend.

RENT premiered in 1996, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Although, I have not watched this overseas, I think I can quite safely say that Pangdemonium did no disservice to this well loved musical.  This year’s production of RENT in Singapore is spectacular and it showcases amazing local talent!

RENT is set in NYC amidst social unrest, drug abuse, prejudice, same-sex relationships and HIV AIDS. A group of young talented adults searching for hope, for love and for meaning in life  despite uncertainty, rejection and fears. The narrator Mark (Benjamin Chow who last saw in The LKY Musical and The Three Billy Goats Gruff) is a struggling film-maker and is room mates with doomed musician Roger (Cameron MacDonald). Roger feels depressed and haunted by the suicide of his HIV AIDS girlfriend but inevitably finds love again in a young beautiful but troubled club dancer, Mimi (Tabitha Nauser) who also suffers from HIV AIDS. And then, there is the same-sex relationship between Tech wizard, Collins (Juan Jackson) and drag queen Angel (Aaron Khaled), which is a beautiful giving love that ends in tragedy as Angel dies from HIV as well. This very loving relationship is perhaps starkly contrasted against a more disastrous explosive same sex relationship between wild-child performance artist Maureen (Mina Kaye) and Joanne (Frances Lee), a hot-shot human rights lawyer.  These few friends struggle against all challenges with broken hearts, some fractured friendships, love and loss pushed to the limits and come out perhaps stronger, together.

RENT was first performed 20 years ago in perhaps a somewhat different world when social norms and acceptance was not rampant. In today’s modernity, even in our own Asian society, personal beliefs aside, homosexuality does not seem like a taboo subject anymore. It is still a relevant powerful musical, if not, as a window into the souls of those at society’s fringe.

Indeed, the hubs and I had an amazing afternoon with the stellar cast of Pangdemonium’s RENT. Just the dance sequences alone were nothing short of awe-inspiring. And then there is the sensational singing of not just one but the entire cast. Personally, I was amazed at the vocal talent and loved every moment of the beautiful singing on stage. One of my personal favourites was Maureen, played by Mina Kaye, who so amazingly thrilled us with her powerful vocals in Little Voice, not so long ago. She made yet another incomparable performance at RENT and I can’t wait to see what she does when she’s back from her studies in the USA. Tabitha Nauser, who played Exotic Dancer Mimi, was a delight to watch with her melodious lyrical voice and sleek dance moves, she charmed the audience effortlessly.

The 2 hours 3o minutes flew by all too quickly and the theatre was lit with thunderous applause from the audience at the end.

The memorable characters are bound to remain with you even as you leave the theatres and yes, the music will make your heart sing and lift your spirits in this dreary October month. RENT is as powerful and as energetic as it is about friendship, acceptance and love in spite of poverty, hopelessness and rejection.

Do catch RENT if you have been lucky to get hold of tickets which are almost sold out already! IF you still have not gotten tickets yet at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/rent1016, check and check again if they may have returns, and GO!

Pangdemonium 2017 Season Ticket

If you missed getting tickets to this yet another  amazing production by Pangdemonium, you may like to snap up the season tickets for 2017 which is available already! Click Pangdemonium 2017 Season Ticket to purchase at SISTIC and you’re sure never to miss out on any of the great productions next year ~ The Pillowman in February, Tango in May and Fun Home in September 2017!

About RENT

When:  7 to 23 October 2016 | 7.30pm (Tues – Sat)| 2.30pm (Sat & Sun)| Sun, 23 Oct: 7.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Theatre

Who: Rating: R18 Mature Content

• Advisory 16: Mature Content for 12 & 19 October 2016 7.30pm and 15 & 22 October 2016 2.30pm Shows
• No admission for infant in arms and children below 13 years old

Duration: Approximately 2 hrs 30 min plus 15 min interval

Ticket Price : Exclude SISTIC Charges

Preview (7 Oct 2016)

Standard: S$70, S$50, S$30
Restricted View: S$25

Tue – Thu & Sun matinees
Standard: S$85, S$65, S$45
Restricted View: S$30

Fri & Sat evenings
Standard: S$95, S$75, S$55
Restricted View: S$40

For more information, visit http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/rent1016

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

{Giveaway} The Friendship of Town Mouse & Country Mouse

Glowsticks presents The Friendship of Town Mouse and Country Mouse at the Drama Centre Theatre from 16-25 August 2016. Book your tickets from SISTIC http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/mouse0816

The classic familiar Aesop’s tale of Town Mouse and Country Mouse is given an exciting fresh new take in this all new musical. Join the two mice friends on their adventures as their friendship is put to the test!

Out in the beautiful fields lives Country Mouse, who delights in the magical experience of watching his plants grow. Especially the cucumbers.

Out under the towering skyscrapers lives Town Mouse, who delights in the dazzling experience of watching the streets buzz with life. Especially the colourful city lights.

Will these two mice, who are as different as chalk and (ahem!) cheese, learn how to share and understand each other’s feelings? Will they learn how to be a good friend?

Bring your little ones for a theatre treat with Glowsticks’ The Friendship of Town Mouse and Country Mouse and take the opportunity to read the famous fable together again.

Specially for SAys! Happy Mums Readers, we’ve got a Pair of tickets to watch The Friendship of Town Mouse and Country Mouse on 21 August 2016, Sunday at 11am  for Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY : Share to WIN a Pair of  tickets!

To take part and qualify, please make sure all the following steps are completed:

1) COMMENT on this blog post stating your Facebook Name.

2) LIKE SAys! Happy Mums  and  Glowsticks Children’s Theatre on Facebook.

3) LIKE and SHARE this Facebook post on YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE with the caption “Tag @Friend A Tag @Friend B Tag @Friend C @Friend D @Friend E Share to Win A Pair of Tickets to Glowstick’s #TheFriendshipOfTownMouseandCountryMouse with @SAys Happy Mums”. DO set your post to PUBLIC so that we are able to verify your entry.

Terms and Conditions:

• Giveaway ends 4 August 2016, Thursday at 11.59PM.
• Show date and time is on 21 August 2016, Sunday at 11AM and cannot be changed to a different day or time.
• The Winner will be notified by the email provided under the blog comments and must reply within 24 hours, failing which, a new winner will be drawn, without notice.
• Tickets can be collected at the Box Office, 30min before the show starts, at the Drama Centre Theatre. 
• This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
• The Sponsor reserves the right to request for a redraw if the drawn winner on our blog has also won tickets to the show from another giveaway.
• Incomplete entries will be disqualified without notice. Decisions are final and no changes/disputes will be entertained.
• All information is solely collected for the purpose of this giveaway and we will not send unsolicited emails to your inbox unless you have opted to subscribe to us (on the right!).
• This giveaway is in no manner associated with any social media accounts except our blog.

Best of luck!!

Thanks for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Shirley & Audrey

About The Friendship of Town Mouse & Country Mouse

When: 20- 21 August 2016 |  11am & 2pm |

Where: Drama Centre Theatre

Who: 2 year olds and above 

Duration: Approx. 50 min with no interval

Ticket Price (excludes SISTIC charges)

Standard: S$32, S$28

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

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[Edited 08 Aug ’16]

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

Our heartiest congratulations to below winner for fulfilling the requirements in the above giveaway!  We will be in touch shortly with regards to prize redemption details.

Cleo Cerise

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{Review} Shakespeare with Act3i Festival for Children | All On A Summer’s Day

ACT 3i Festival for Children opened at the Drama Centre on Tuesday and we were so excited to be at the opening show of All on a Summer’s Day.

Wey has been asking about Shakespeare ever since he heard that his dad and I went to a Shakespeare play ~SRT’s Shakespeare In the Park : Romeo and Juliet. He has been interested about the works of Shakespeare and I so wanted to introduce them to this curious 6 year old. It was wonderful that ACT 3i Festival for Children, with all its wide variety of theatre offerings, also included All on a Summer’s Day, a companion piece to Shakespeare’s well loved fairy tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

When Wey was told that he would be going to his first Shakespearean play, he was all excited and wanted to read the story before we went. I was really glad to find a collection of Shakespeare stories for children by Andrew Matthews and Tony Ross at The Book People UK. All the books in this collection were simple, easy to read, children-friendly with colourful illustrations to captivate them. Wey happily read and finished the book the night before show day!

Engrossed with A Midsummer Night’s Dream

There are multiple screenings of different plays at the same time and ACT3i’s All on a Summer’s Day plays at the Black Box Theatre at NLB Drama Centre which is free seating, so it would be good to get there early for ‘better’ seats. Although I must say that because the stage and seating area was small and cosy, it seemed like every seat was a pretty good one with equally good views of the actors.

We got to the Drama Centre early and had a special treat when we spotted Carrot the Elf seated at the garden outside the theatre, plus some of the other cast members as well! CooL! 🙂

Look who we found in the garden!!

Thrills to take a sneak peek at backstage 😛 hahaha…

The story is about the Little Indian Prince, the human child now all grown up under the care of the Fairy Queen Titania, and what happens to him when he meets the Shoemaker’s daughter, Phoebe (his fairy child replacement).

See the precious human child being cradled by Fairy Queen Titania

The young ones were all attentive (plus excited) as the stage came to life with fairies and elves. The children laughed especially at Carrot and Compost, the two playful funny elves, who made the story come alive for them. My personal favourite was Carrot the elf, who made everything seem funny and enjoyable.

Wey’s favourite was the handsome young Prince Rajeev. Will he get to live happily ever after with the lovely shoemaker’s daughter? Who saves the day in the end? Go catch the play soon to find out! 🙂

Wey was captivated throughout the entire play which had absolutely no dull moments. I liked that the little ones got their first taste of Shakespeare through this really fun and entertaining play. It was colourful, light hearted and just right for children.  All on a Summer’s Day brought Shakespeare to an accessible enjoyable level for the young audience.

Wey enjoyed the play thoroughly, squealing with delight each time he recognised a character although he did point out the story was somewhat different yet somewhat similar to the story he had read 🙂 I’m hoping that this very palatable first taste will encourage him to explore more Shakespeare stories until he is better equipped to truly enjoy the beauty of Shakespeare’s words in an actual Shakespearean play.

It was also wonderful to be able to have a memento photograph with the wonderful cast at the end of the play, so do make sure you are ready to get in line for the meet and greet session!

If you would like to catch this rare Shakespearean play for children, the last show is at 10.30am, Saturday 28 May 2016. This performance is a part of the ACT 3i Festival for Children, dedicated to children ages 2 to 12, in celebration of the arts, play and experience.  ACT 3i Festival for Children also has many other wonderful plays to choose from at the NLB Drama Centre, until 5 June 2016. More information, about the amazing shows available, can be found in our earlier post here. Have fun and start booking your tickets at SISTIC  http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/ifest2016!

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey  

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend Act 3i Festival for Children’s All on a Summer’s Day, for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated monetarily for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of Act 3i Festival for Children and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

{Review} Underwater Fun with I Theatre’s The Rainbow Fish | 26 April – 15 May 2016

Finally making a comeback after 5 years, I Theatre is staging the ever popular, The Rainbow Fish for it’s 15th Anniversary Celebrations at the Drama Centre Theatre from 26 April to 15 May 2016. So do book early at SISTIC to avoid disappointment!

Every young one must have had this Marcus Pfister well loved award-winning book on their bookshelves one time or another. The Rainbow Fish stayed our daily bedtime favourite for many a night when Wey was a young boy. At one point, young Wey could even flip the pages and ”read” the book because he had every sentence memorised! That’s how often we read this delightful story.

Having watched this timeless classic back when Wey was no more than 2 years old in 2011, I was surprised that the boys were equally eager to catch the show again now.

So even now, my 6 year old was waiting eagerly to catch The Rainbow Fish at the theatres!

I Theatre’s The Rainbow Fish is such a beautiful production, and it’s no wonder why they’ve brought the show to India, Malaysia, Australia, USA and even UK and always with huge success. Cleverly using Black Light effects, the entire theatre becomes pitch dark, and all the audience can see are the vibrantly colourful props and story characters on stage without ever really seeing the actual actors (who are dressed in black).

As the cute little fish and star fish came on stage, there was excited chatter amongst the young audience, who were too engrossed to even notice that it was pitch dark all around. (So no fears that the kiddos may get scared… they love it!)

I’ve only attended one other children’s theatre production that used black light and as always it is a hit with the kids because everything on stage is just glowing (because of the UV light) and B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!

Beautiful brain coral prop glowing on stage with the help of UV lighting.

Wey’s favourite sea creature in the show was the wise Octopus. The Octopus was indeed impressive just by his sheer size. Wey was intrigued that the Octopus seemed to be floating with his tentacles moving effortlessly as he dished out wise advise to Rainbow Fish. I bet he was popular with most of the kids.

My favourite part must have been when the feared shark came to the reef for a meal… I enjoyed the humour and laughed so hard each time the shark came on. The audience roared with laughter as well… who won’t haha… looking for your favourite SASHIMIIII…. and SUSHIIIIIII…. hahaha

Ooo yummy… Sashimiiii!!! Sashimiiii!!

If I even had the thought that this show was more for younger ones below 5, I would be so wrong! The trio of K, N and R sat captivated throughout the show. Probably at their age, Pri 3 and Pri 1, they could focus more on the conversation and the themes and lessons behind the storyline.

I love I Theatre productions because they are always filled with learning points for take homes and discussion. This time, I asked Wey what he learnt from the show. The first obvious answer was the part about Sharing – how it was wrong to be selfish and not share with friends. I liked that we could talk about Rainbow Fish’s self-centeredness and vanity that made her full of herself and too proud to see the worth of others as equal individuals. It was also nice to explore the value of Teamwork (another value Wey’s school has been focussing on) when Rainbow Fish, Star Fish, Small Blue, Big Violet and Little Green came together to ‘scare’ off the shark.

TEAMWORK! Working together to get rid of Shark!

I Theatre productions are probably one of the very few productions that allow a Meet and Greet for ALL without additional costs. The actors always kindly stay on till everyone gets a chance for the Meet and Greet.  So do take the time and stay on after the show for that extra photo opportunity. It’s always a precious keepsake for me 🙂

K, R and Wey at I Theatre’s The Rainbow Fish 2016! Yay to Sashimi!!

As always we loved our favourite I Theatre actors Alicia Kim Chua (Little Green)and Elizabeth Loh (Tiny Stripes), from previous I Theatre productions like The Enormous Turnip, Aesop’s Fables and The Boy Who Cried Wolf (not forgetting Joshua Lim, Mr Arabella/ Octopus, Sharkie). I would not have guessed it was Ann Lek (羊妹妹 from 《三只山羊》 and Jim from Treasure Island) as Starfish and Dwayne Lau (Long John Silver in Treasure Island) as Big Violet too if not for the meet and greet! What a great cast for this second instalment of I Theatre’s 15 Anniversary Celebration productions!

Don’t miss out on this wonderful stage production of the well-loved storybook, The Rainbow Fish. It’s always a popular one, and tickets will sell out quickly. Most weekday shows are fully booked by schools so you have limited weekend shows to catch this superb delightfully fun play! As Shirley says, it’s Sashimi time and have a great fun swim with ITheatre’s The Rainbow Fish before they swim off after 15 May 2016! Just 2 more weekends to catch it and so totally your loss if you miss it this time. Don’t say, we didn’t tell you! 🙂

Oh yes! And I was super happy to get a very nice The Rainbow Fish Tee for Wey at the foyer at just $10! 

Beautiful shiny prints on really good quality material at a really affordable reasonable price… yes this Shopaholic Mama will shop even before a show… haha

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey  

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend ITheatre’s The Rainbow Fish for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of I Theatre and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About The Rainbow Fish

Date:                 26 April to 15 May 2016 (Weekdays 10 am | Sat/Sun 10.30 am & 2.30 pm except No-Show on 8th May ’16)

Venue:             Drama Centre Theatre, Singapore (Map)

Suitable for: Anyone from 3 to 103 years old!

Tickets available at: SISTIC website or call 6348 5555

Ticket Prices:

	Standard Ticket
Adult/Child	$32.00
Family Package (4 Persons)	$121.60
Big Family Package (5 Persons)	$144.00
Corporate Groups (min 20 persons)	25.60

15% DISCOUNT

Friends of I Theatre | OCBC Baby Bonus Card Holders | OCBC Platinum & Arts Platinum Card Members | OCBC Credit & Debit Card Members | Bank of China Card Members | PAssion Card Members | Ikea Smales and Family Members | NTUC Card Members | eXplorerKid Members | Toys’R’Us Star Card Members | Civil Service Club Members | The Enormous Turnip Ticket Stub Holders

Performances

Date/Time	APRIL	10:00 am	10:30 am	2:30 pm
Tuesday	26	Show 1		Show 2
Wednesday	27	Show 3		Show 4
Thursday	28	Show 5
Friday	29	Show 6
Saturday	30		Show 7	Show 8
Sunday	MAY 1		Show 9	Show 10
Monday	2	DARK
Tuesday	3	Show 11		Show 12
Wednesday	4	Show 13		Show 14
Thursday	5	Show 15
Friday	6	Show 16
Saturday	7		Show 17	Show 18
Sunday	8	DARK
Monday	9	Show 19		Show 20
Tuesday	10	Show 21		Show 22
Wednesday	11	Show 23		Show 24
Thursday	12	Show 25
Friday	13	Show 26
Saturday	14		Show 27	Show 28
Sunday	15		Show 29	Show 30

Shows in strike out are for school groups only.

{Review} Do you Chinglish yet?

We were eagerly anticipating Pangdemonium’s Chinglish, its first bilingual play! Playing to a full house at the Sunday matinee at the Drama Centre Theatre, the play wooed the audience with an avalanche of laughter throughout the entire 2 hours ( not counting the interval).  It’s no wonder the play has been totally sold out even before it’s opening night! Read our preview post here. Audrey Luo’s opening prelude scene set the tone with her deliberate Chinglish and accent that got everyone laughing from the start till the end. With her “Please do not talk during the presentation, this is not China!”  and “Thankee you” who can keep a straight face? LOL! The play opens with an experienced businessman Daniel Cavanaugh (Daniel Jenkins) sharing his business experiences in China and showing us signage translations that were so bad, they were funny!

We are then taken back to a time when Daniel was a disoriented newbie in China, trying to figure out what guanxi (relationship) is and hoping to land his first lucrative deal.

Is sealing a deal easier with ‘guanxi’? Can Teacher Peter really help as he pretends to be a Business Consultant to Daniel.

Totally loved Audrey Luo who played multiple roles as different translators! She was brilliant and was probably single-handedly responsible for most of the laughter in the theatre. Her comic Chinglish cracked the audience up each time she appeared… Kudos to Audrey! haha my favourite translator was the curly haired translator for Judge Xu (Guoliang).

At times, the Chinglish was really hard to understand. Seriously, when Vice Minister Xi Yan played by Oon Shu Ann said “Talking … so sleepy. You and Me are sleeping together” Wow! What was that??!! haha… it took me quite awhile to realise what she meant was “Talking is so tiring…” LOL!! and one wonders why people complain about Singlish? Have they been to China? I mean Singlish makes pretty good sense doesn’t it, hmm…or am I just bias since I’m Singaporean?? hehe…

Impressing the Judge Xu (Guoliang) – husband of Vice Minister Xi Yan, and building on “guanxi”

Chinglish is wildly funny and so enjoyable! I loved the witty wicked bits and the entire cast really got our funny bones working overtime. We had so many laugh out loud moments during the play that at some point I had to consciously muffle my laughs with my hands because I was laughing too loudly! Oopsy! I was only a little disappointed that there was not enough of Adrian Pang and Guo Liang (who only appears after the break) hahha! Was so looking forward to seeing Adrian Pang on stage again and he certainly did a great job with the Chinese, I must say! haha… One almost feels sad for Minister Cai (Adrian Pang) who gets kicked off the job and ‘arrested’ for corruption. Loved him in The LKY Musical and still loving him in Chinglish! 🙂

If you can get your hands on tickets to Chinglish, GO! It’ll be a good 2 hours of laughter with whoever you go with!

P/S :  If you missed getting tickets for Chinglish, don’t miss out on Pandemonium’s Season of Love 2016. Early Bird Special : Get their season ticket for 3 great shows – The EFFECT |FALLING |RENT in 2016 for only $155 if you make your purchase before the end of October. More information at the end of post. Book at SISTIC http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/pangseason2016 now!

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you’ve read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey

About Chinglish

(Advisory: Some Mature Content and Coarse Language)

When:  9 to 25 Oct 2015 8pm (Tues – Sat) , 3pm (Sat & Sun) , Sun, 25 Oct 8pm 

Where: Drama Centre Theatre @ NLB

Who: No admission for infants in arms and children below 12 years old.

Duration: Approximately 2 hours (Includes 15 minutes interval)

Ticket Price : Exclude SISTIC Charges

Preview
Standard: S$50, S$40, S$30, S$25

Fri & Sat Evening
Standard: S$70, S$60, S$50, S$35

Tue – Thu, Sat & Sun Matinees, Sun Evening
Standard: S$60, S$50, S$40, S$30

For more information, visit www.pangdemonium.com/productions/chinglish

Tickets available through:  SISTIC Website | SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555 | SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

About Pangedmonium’s SEASON OF LOVE

Early Bird Special : $155 before end of Oct 2015, $165 until 17 Feb 2016

Pangdemonium 2016 Season Ticket bundles three great performances into one convenient card. The Season Ticket entitles the individual to a Category One seat for each of the three shows of the 2016 season.  Book at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/pangseason2016

On top of enjoying three riveting shows, 2016 Season Ticket holders also receive:

• Best Available Seats and Exchanges

–  We understand plans change. Season Ticket holders receive personalised service by our Pangdemonium Ticketing Team and have the privilege of changing their booking up to 72 hours before the chosen performance.

• Best Value for Money

– Save up to 25% off regular ticket prices for Category One seats. A great gift for yourself and loved ones!

• Exclusive Rewards

–  Love from our partners and sponsors in the form of special discounts and exclusive offers.

• VIP Party Night

– Get an invitation for the Pangdemonium Pow Wow – our exclusive party – where you can enjoy wine and get up close with the casts and creative teams of all three shows.

• Support Singapore Theatre

– Be part of the Pangdemonium family and support the work that we do!

The Effect

23 February to 13 March 2016

Victoria Theatre

Kicking off in February, the Season begins with award-winning psycho-romantic comedy-drama THE EFFECT, which examines romance, passion, lust, and deconstructs the meaning of love itself.

Falling

13 to 29 May 2016

DBS Arts Centre – Home of SRT

In May, we explore the nature of unconditional love in the Singapore premiere of FALLING, a provocative and poignant family drama.

Rent

7 to 23 October 2016

Drama Centre Theatre

The Season will wrap up with the 20^th Anniversary Celebration of a story about love, friendship and community, in the form of the modern classic musical of our times, RENT.

For more information on the 2016 Season, click here