H O O K E D - I Left My Heart At Outram Park: Did You?

I Left My Heart At Outram Park: Did You?

Written by Lee Meixian

You may think the title of NUS Kent Ridge Hall's latest production as bizarre, but I Left My Heart At Outram Park is actually aptly befitting.

hooked finds out why so.

The story of this part-drama, part-musical revolves around three MRT commuters whose train journeys are interrupted due to a mild emergency. The train grinds to a halt, as do their lives, even if it's temporary. With time to kill and a lot of pent-up frustration, they begin to talk (or even shout, sometimes).

credit_to_chang_lup_whye_richard_and_molly_in_about_of_exasperation

        What this play attempts to illustrate is that tried-and-true formula about how "Everybody's hiding their personal troubles behind a facade, but nothing is as insolvable as they seem; in fact, daring to open up to people might just be half the battle won."

        Not highly original, yes, but it was a wonderfully enjoyable performance nevertheless, for a variety of reasons.

        Powerful cast, check.

        In addition to their credible and compelling acting, they have also successfully portrayed several Singaporean stereotypes that we are all too familiar with - professional businesswoman in immaculate suit (Jessica); thin, gawky, bespectacled teacher, with the shirt tucked in all the way (Richard); the loud-mouthed, uncouth auntie clad in gaudy colours (Molly); and that suave smooth-talking ang-moh with his charming, gentlemanly ways (Marcus).

Touch of humour, check.

Humour is tricky, because trying too hard shows and isn't funny at all. But this play charms effortlessly without overdoing it.

        Molly, played by Francine Tang, steals the show and elicits the most laughter with her shameless, deluded vanity, and blunt, spot-on frankness. But her story is a starkly moving one, as a wife whose love for her husband was too great to the point of suffocating. Years after he had left home, she still hasn't gotten over his departure and takes to keeping pets (lovingly named after his husband, Ah Pui) and translating ~~lavishing~~ her love for him onto them.

        The whole theatre must have been simultaneously dumbstruck and awed when she broke down, in song and in tears, upon discovering her cat was missing, and the old hurts came rushing back from memories she didn't think she still remembered.

        Such was the gripping nature of the performance that night, which held the audience's attention throughout and even afterwards. (It was not hard to pick out the exclamations of "Molly!"s and "Ah Pui!"s, as well as the peals of laughter that followed, from random snippets of bus-stop conversations overheard after the show.)

        Unpretentious, 100% Singaporean (confirm plus guarantee chop) heartland story, check.

        It's not right to tell a story about things you've never encountered, like drugs and gangs, or perfect English when talking. In this aspect, the play does not disappoint. The generous use of Singlish, our ever-familiar conversational medium, keeps the story real for us.

        And what about Richard's crime of hitting a schoolgirl on the head with a book that led to his eventual dismissal from the school? Jessica's dilemma between the Caucasian charmer and the Singaporean stamp-collecting boyfriend reiterates that ever-fiery debate about which type of men Singaporean girls go for - ang moh, or sin-gah-po-lean? One could almost view this play as a social commentary, a discussion of several real societal issues, made light-hearted with its magical touch of humour.

        Last but not least: original soundtrack, check.

        The music, lyrics and dances, duly self-composed, self-penned, and self-choreographed, though not of the most artistic sophistication and, ahem, clearest diction when rendered, were an impressive attempt nevertheless.

        What they essentially achieved was the creation of an atmosphere that complemented the story in an honest, heartfelt fashion, and it is just as well that it wasn't perfect, since all the characters were meant to be like ordinary You and I, and therefore imperfect anyway. To have them bring the house down with their immaculate vocals would have made it a less real and close-to-heart experience for the rest of us.

        Funny, compelling, spectacular and touching, I Left My Heart At Outram Park was a worthwhile performance to watch. But what really tugged at my heart strings was how close to home it was; that was the greatest of its merits yet - the fact that it connects with the average Singaporean.

Perhaps, we will never be able to take an MRT the same way again, since we will always be wondering what secrets the other passengers are hiding, and what stories they have to tell. hooked

Photos courtesy of Chang Lup Whye and Neo Yiling

Comments
WHO ARE YOU KIDDING?
Written by Guest on 2008-04-06 14:16:22
No biased opinions here since I do not know anyone in the cast and production. I watched it, it was so cringe-worthy that I was counting down every moment to the end of the performance. The suspense of disbelief was way too long that it got unbelievable and unbearable. I thought the singing was way off key. Sets was not bad. However, stylistically speaking, it doesn't complement the line of actions/acting. You CANNOT mime your props when your set is seemingly realistic. It's just a big theatre NO NO. Please be more theatre-literate before critiquing performance. I am reading the article with my eyes rolling up and down.

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