So I found this performance online at: www.fingerplayers.com
And they said "a silent performance".. (What's that suppose to mean??? How can a theatre performed silently!)
Anyway, I never went to a theatre before, only school performance, and wouldn't consider it as a true theathre experience..
Looking at their website, and finding out that this particular company "the Finger Players" are a non-profit organization, and they have got several awards, my curiousity arised.
I thought "WOW! This is should be perfect for a first experience!"
So, I booked the tickets for their main season. FYI, they only have 2-3 season a year, which each is 2/3 days performance only. And I went for the show at 29 Oct.
Here is the link to their youtube clip :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaRzUrj0Ai8
It was held on Singapore National Library, 5th floor. At first I thought not many people will love this kindda thing. But I was wrong! They only have around 100 seats, which I would say 90%occupied, I wasn't sure that the seats at the back are full, it was too dark.
So the show begin
And.. The lights are off! There are four women, dressed in white raincoat, and their faces covered liked geisha (traditional japan entertainmer woman). It was quite scary for me, as the music is like the horror movies..
I thought "DANG, is it a horror theatre? what a way to start!"
But than, I thought I've paid 31sgd, and so I confinced my self to be brave and to enjoy..
The story
As I said these four women, represent a traveller. Each of them has Suitcases.
As the prologue, these travellers build the city, a little by little, in ritualistic and mechanical motion (this is a bit creepy for me).. Till I realize, Man, they're trying to build singapore as background!
The story was separated into four parts:
1. Sense of Belonging
The first traveller, open her raincoat, and open her suitcase. Inside was a red ballon. She then held the red ballons. It represent child's playing and a person face. She kisses the ballon, and the ballon is creativelly used to create graceful momentum. She dance with the red balloon, sensually, as the expression of a raw desire. But then she becomes too violent, and the ballon exploded into small pieces, which with a great sorrow, she gathers, and then she put her raincoat again, and become anonymously.
2. Evolution
The second traveller, attemps to impress other travellers. But all she got was rejection, and humorously expressed by unexpected use of dialects by the other travellers. With a despair, the traveller rolls up her shirt, revealing a face-like thing on her belly, a bit strange-green hues, and scar tissue texture (gross!)..
This face narrates a story of creation theory, using puppet to express the beginning of Being, the propagation, and its development which led to self-distruction. Then the Being exploded into particles, and waiting to be assembled again.
(After the show, i just know from my friend, that it actually echoes the current situation of global warming!)
Then the focus is back on the traveller. She earns the companionship of the puppet of the original being. (It was a great form of art, I couldn't describe how I feel, I love the soundtract, it really set the atmosphere!)
3. Revolutionary Change
The third part tells about breaking out of meaningless life routine. Represented by the third traveller, trying to adapt into life, by study, working, having fun, eating, sleep, study, working, etc.. Until one time, she feels enough and doubts the purpose if such life routine. This challange the other travellers from being a teacher-like, to a police like, with their batons who force her to go back into the routines. This confrontation is expressed in a puppet, showing up from her suitcase, with a scary face, half safety dummy, half eyeballs with flesh. (It was again so abstract, hard for me to describe, but the light and shadows were giving great atmosphere as well).
4. Hidden Ailments
The final chapter, is about a traveller, which has a bad body odor. Others tried to clean her up, brutally! Failing to remove it, they tried to stuff her into a suitcase! Or other word, they refuse her, and ask her to go back to her origin. The traveller breaks down, cried. With despair, she bares a scar on her chest (for me, it looks similar to the secont traveller). Seeing this, the other travellers, put out ther raincoat, and reveal their own ugly (disquisting) outgrowth to each other, and they extabilish bond. (In my opinion, it represent that we all have ugly thing, and we sometimes tried to hide it. Then in this case, they can know each others' ugliness, being open toward other and befriend)
The closing
They ceremoniously hang up their raincoats, and happily standing together with their new friends, under the singapore's rain..
What I feel after the show
This was a great theatre to start! It makes me think during the show, and I tried to catch up all things happening on the stage.. I love their acts, and the music create great atmosphere. My friends, Singaporean, said that it indeed reflected Singapore's life, how heavy the pressure from the community, etc.
Overall, It was great! I'll be looking forward to their upcoming shows.. And also other theatre performance as well
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