The Dresser
The Dresser
Tonight went with Daphne to watch "The Dresser", produced by the Singapore Repertory Theatre at the DBS Arts Centre. It was really really good! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Adrian Pang is a really good actor. I remember seeing him for the first time in "Into the Woods" waaay back in 1994. The next time that I remember seeing him act was in the production of Hamlet in Fort Canning Park in 1996/97. Back then, he had dyed his hair blond (which I thought was a bit weird). I remember my JC classmates gushing about how he was a great actor and also how cute he was. I think most of my female classmates (and one particular male classmate) were quite obsessed by Mr Pang, but you must remember that we were a TSD class so all things theatre was quite in fashion. Oh for those who don't know, TSD is Theatre Studies and Drama.
Ok, about "The Dresser". I'd say that this was one of the best productions I've seen in a while. The actors managed to captivate the audience throughout the performance and I'd say that the director, who is incidentally Adrian Pang's wife Tracie, did a brilliant job. Well-paced, good blocking, great use of the stage and managing to capture the spirit of a theatre company in WWII England. I loved the staging of it, including how they manage to turn the dressing room into the wings of the stage (Stage Left to be accurate)
For those who aren't familiar with the story here's the Cliff Notes version:
Set in a war torn provincial theatre, an ageing actor manager, known to the loyal acting company as Sir (played by Michael Corbidge), is struggling to keep a grip on his sanity and complete his two hundred and twenty seventh performance of King Lear.
Ensuring that each show goes on without fail is Norman, Sir's devoted dresser (played by Adrian Pang), who for sixteen years has been there to fix his wig, massage his ego, remind him of his opening lines and provide the sound effects to the storm scenes.
It's a pity that I don't know King Lear that well, I wonder if there are any parallels between that play and The Dresser. It's sad that Adrian has to do silly TV shows on Mediacorp (hmm, I'm a TV-snob as well - see my other snob areas). I think that it's a waste of his talent. I wonder what made him decide to come back to work in Singapore. I'm glad that he did, but I wonder what motivated him to make the move. It could be interesting, and related to my work! wow!
Right. I think that's all I blog about tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to catch First Family by The Finger Players. Hope that's good too.
Schleeepy... g'night all.
1 Comments:
With a stretch of imagination, one can perhaps see Norman as a parallel for the Earl of Kent. Kent remains loyal and sensible to Lear and suffers for it, including banishment by the king himself. I don't know if anything is said of what happens to Kent at the end. But almost certainly, Sir's madness is paralleled with Lear's, and I think that moment of lucidity when he offers Madge the ring could mirror that of Lear's momentary sanity when he recognises Cordelia.
There - this is my half-assed parallel analysis.
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