A Raffles Hall Musical Production

Book by Aidan Woodford, Music by Liew Nam Yang and Ding Jian Han

Directed by Yong Hwee Jun, Tay Yu Rong, and Pang Wei Han

Producers: Poh Yu Tong, Yan Yilong, and Gavin Prasetyo Raharjo

 

I have been invited by Hall Master Prof Ho Chee Kong, to help out with Raffles Hall’s annual musicals since its inception in 2011 with the production of Happealy Ever After. Every year I have seen these productions evolve into ever complex  products. This year is no exception.

 

Ostensibly The Girl With the Red Balloon is a love triangle set in an old public housing estate due for demolition. What makes this musical so compelling is the in-depth development of the main characters. Kudos goes to bookwriter Aidan Woodford. Each character has a complex psychological make-up with a compelling back story. As an aside, if Aidan keeps up with this profound multi-layered writing, he will be a major creative force in Singapore’s literary scene.

 

The male protagonist, Josh is brilliantly played by Jasper Lee. Josh defies convention by chosing to become an artist, but even his art is unconventional, as he is a graffiti artist who paints on the walls of public areas.  Although Josh has garnered considerable acclaim, he remains unknown because he is hiding behind the pseudonym, GD.  We feel sorry for him because we sense that his attempts to prevent the redevelopment of the old block of flats, and to salvage the broken relationship with his childhood girlfriend, are doomed to failure. His subtle and convincing character development is key to the success of this musical.

 

Josh’s childhood girlfriend, Indigo, is sensitively played by Chan Shiyin. She has gone to New York for an extended internship, and has come back to Singapore only for a short visit. Josh’s initial delight in seeing Indigo is quickly dashed when she introduces Howard, her fiancé, whose arrogant and condescending personality is played to a tee by Chua Song Yu.

 

The other cast members support the protagonists very well. The hot-tempered gangster-like Archie is played by Clement Tan. The buffoonish Don is played by Caleb Ho, who brings on the most laughs in this production.  Indigo’s childhood friend Carrie, is a rather sweet innocent girl who likes to hang out with her female friends, and Rachel Wong carries (apologies for the unfunny pun) the role very well.  The third member of the female is Beth, humorously played by Wong Yushan. Adding even more hilarity to the show is the Kopi auntie, who Vanessa Ng Zi Yan portrays with much aplomb, complete with proletariat Singlish. Jerome Wong plays Indigo’s father so convincingly that you can believe that he is indeed her real father.

 

Music is an important, if not the most important, component of a musical. It was most enjoyable listening to the varied moods and rhythms composed by Liew Nam Yang and Ding Jian Han. One must not forget the music arrangers who enhance the emotional effects of the music, and they were created by Hew Kai Ling and Jesline Tang Chia Ling. The choral directors Lim Hoe King, Sebastian Tan, and Raphael Quek made the cast sing harmoniously.

 

Dance formed a significant element of The Girl with the Red Balloon. The choreographers Png Rou Jing, Tan Shi Bei, Tristan Teo, and Ng Yiling, must be congratulated for their varied dance movements.

 

Often forgotten are the directors Yong Hwee Jun, Tay Yu Rong, and Pang Wei Han. They really extracted every ounce of profundity, subtlety, and character development from the main cast. Hidden, and yet absolutely essential to a successful production, are the producers: Poh Yu Tong, Yan Yilong, and Gavin Prasetyo Raharjo. Overeseeing the entire production with delicate mastery is Prof Ho Han Kiat.

 

In a large production like this, it is inevitable that many names will be omitted, inadvertently. All must be congratulated.

 

In short, The Girl With the Red Balloon is another important landmark in the history of Raffles Hall Musical Productions. It is funny, yet serious. It is frivolous, yet profound. It is entertaining, yet philosophical. And oh yes, the music is wonderful.

 

Congratulations!

 

Kenneth Lyen

23 Oct 2016