At 15, she asks, "I go to a Malay school. I don't speak Chinese. Am I still Chinese?" Then she decides with zeal, "Maybe I shouldn't be a Chinese then!"
It was an enjoyable night when Estella, and a bunch of colleagues and I went to see the play The Girl from Ipoh at KLPAC. The play is directed by Low Ngai Yuen, and starring Carmen Soo, Lee Swee Keong, Season Chee, Tony Eusoff and LiT Performers, with Penny Low front lining as the Music director. Considering that we paid RM48 each, we got pretty good seats. I was seated on the third row from the front but to the side - it was not too shabby from Seadevilyn. ^_^
I'm impressed by the KLPAC. The looming letters of "HOME" with blue and green spotlights highlighting it against the dark night serves to welcome visitors into the premises, with promises of creativity in abundance. We were not disappointed. Before reaching the KLPAC, there's the Colonial Mansion and they have done well to cast lights onto this amazing buildings. Upon reaching the KLPAC, visitors are greeted with a huge green leafy manmade structure that begs the question: What is that building? Did they cast shadows in shapes of leaves onto the walls or are those painted on? Whatever the application, the effect was spectacular. The decor in the theatre was modern with very comfortable and plush seats. The only thing I didn't like was the walls - one side of it was covered with white blocks of all sizes, stuck onto the walls like handholds and footholds as though encouraging the audience to climb it should the play turn out to be horrible and unbearable.
The stage was set with a black and white theme, which I can only surmise represents the two warring sides of the heroine's personalities. She tends to sit on the white side when she's still innocent but after entering the KL side of her life, she tends to lean towards the black side. I'm not sure if my observations are correct or if that is the director's intent, I think that's a pretty clever and subtle way of reminding the audience that the western side of our adopted culture is blacker than we think, and that the white side is when we grow closer to our asian roots.
"The play explores an issue that plagues many-a-Malaysian - when is a Chinese person not Chinese enough? Does speaking English without sounding Chinese make them a traitor to their culture? Or does speaking 'mat-salleh' sounding Chinese make them an abomination to the race? Does liking everything Western mean a degradation of everything that is Asian?" ~ Kakiseno.com ~
Carmen Soo looked like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast in Tiffany's with her big eyes and hair coifed up with short thick fringe covering a head filled with ideals that is prevalent in all cultures, be in Asian or Western. But Wong Mei Lee wanted to be like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast in Tiffany's. One day a good looking man with non-chinese looks, and perfect English spoken in a deep voice, came to her father's HorFun shop to eat and she fell in love with him for all of two weeks. This good looking man was played by none other than the affable Tony Eusoff who showed that he really is a performer by transforming himself from a hunk into a geek in a matter of seconds, in accordance with Wong Mei Lee's daydreams of what her perfect man should be like. The audience laughed when Tony buttoned up and covered his manly chest only to put on a pair of geeky glasses and suspenders to play the foolish geek with some very hilarious moves that is a cross between the act of fornicating and 80's dancing. But later on, she finds out that her HorFun hunk was married and spoke flawless Mandarin to boot! Her dreams crumbled and she moved on.
She strove to separate herself from her grass roots, dismissing it as not being green enough for the likes of her. Carmen did a good job of portraying the innocent Wong Mei Lee from a little town (and us) who had forsaken her roots in order to attain what she thought was the perfect life - life in the big city, living together with her boyfriend and having money to fund her dreams. But all she got in the end was a bun in the oven with nary of the baker in sight. And in the end she went back to Ipoh, with her baby, to live under her father's roof again. Lee Swee Keong was very convincing as the hardworking, no-nonsense, strict chinese father who only wanted the best for his daughter. His portrayal of the Mei Lee's father echoes the hardship that all our fathers went through in order to make a better life for us. I didn't expect to see Lee Swee Keong without his dancing sleepers but I'm glad I did.
The LiT Performers were flawless in their portrayal as Wong Mei Lee's conscience by belting out and humming songs according to her moods. They were very much the highlight of the play as they performed fantastically by entertaining the audience with memorable numbers as well as some hilarious one. My favourite would have to be their rendition of the Pussycat Doll's "Doncha" into "Doncha wish your horfun was smooth like me, doncha wish your coffee was hot like me...!!!" They performed the number complete with sexy moves which was just gregarious somehow! And the effect was as desired. ^_^ The audience roared their approval.
After the performance, I went down to see Tony and congratulated him. I knew he saw me in the audience and when I went to congratulate him, he greeted me with a hug. I missed being hugged by a broad-shouldered man. Hee hee. Anyway, we chatted for a while, just catching up when a fan interrupted to ask for his autograph. The lady was at least 40+ and she loves Tony. *grin*
Congratulations to the people in The Girl from Ipoh on a play well-done.
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