Choral & Drama Nite - The Aftermath

Was so tired yesterday and slept immediately after coming home. And I woke up only at 10am today! (that's very late for me)

Well, it's finally over - 5 days of Choral and Drama Nites.

For the Sec 2s, it's their last time doing this. Next year, they will be doing other EOY programmes - regional CIP to China, India etc. It's also probably their last time together as a class (sob sob), they will all be in different classes next year.

For the Sec 1s, they will be moving into the realm of English drama, and will also be learning the various aspects of theatre - lighting, stage/props design, scriptwriting, directing etc.

I was present 4 out of the 5 nights for C & D Nite this year. Last Thurs and this Mon as stage manager, and this Tues and Wed as an audience member, so got a general sense of how the performances were like this year. Initially, I had said that the Sec 1s did mostly slapstick and the Sec 2s had more serious stuff, but judging from yesterday, I'm gonna change my mind.

These were some of the things in the Sec 2 plays yesterday:
1) Father with a feather duster chasing son round and round the stage.
2) President Duncan drinking poisoned soup served by Prime Minister Macbeth and dies. PM Macbeth was not arrested at once!
3) A minister named Frankenstein (in the same Macbeth play).
4) A mother introduces her Daughters as Daughlly (Dolly) and Terlly.
5) An impressively dressed but goofy Sherlock Holmes.
6) 2 policewomen running onto stage and introduced themselves by spelling out the letters 'P-O-L-I-C-E with big hand gestures.
7) The rich husband is going out with his wife. He tells his wife to wait for him at the bus stop as he gets the car! (Don't they have a garage, a porch and driveway? They are supposed to be HSBC directors)
8) Boy gives a flower to Girl, and he says 'I want to show the flower how pretty you are.' (The best pick-up phrase I've heard this week).

That's why I changed my mind, as you can see, the Sec 2s are perfectly capable of slapstick.

Is there anything wrong with slapstick? Not at all, since it's entertaining, most audiences (esp younger ones) love it, it's very accessible and you don't need to think too hard to get it.

But those who delight in slapstick, do ask yourself, beyond the laughs, is there a message in your play that you let the audience take away? That's what all good drama should have.

Those who want to learn how to write good comedy, go read the farces by Alan Ayckbourn and Georges Feydeau. These are all very silly but expertly crafted comedic plays. Also try The Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo, my favourite piece of slapstick farce, but with a relevant political message. All these plays can be borrowed from library@esplanade. Happy reading!