Avenue Q

Hello People!

Came back home after watching Avenue Q a few hours ago. Enjoyed it a lot, since i burnt my pocket paying for the ticket. It might sound like I'm forcing myself to enjoy the musical, but trust me, IT WAS REALLY GOOD!! I like how the whole show was carefully choreographed, meticulously puppetted(pardon me for the improvised word), handsomely/beautifully designed stage and not forgetting to mention the very sensitive issues about society that were so generously discussed, like porn, straight sex, gay sex, losers, dreams, purpose (or propose) in the light of selfishness, gaining happiness from others' misery, etc.

I think i enjoyed the show so much because of my Sociology course. Hmm, there were some slight glitches i didn't like, but that didn't stop me from loving the show. Like what i told Hwan and Zi Ming, luckily we saw the last show, if not, i might be back to watch it again. Wait a second, i burnt my pocket remember? and I told myself I'll watch HSM3 again, but i didn't. So even if i was given a chance to watch the musical again, i doubt I'll do so.. haha..

And watching the show with friends from both university and Drums were kinda cool, since i don't have time to think to myself (in other's point of view, EMO) since i have to keep interacting with the 2 sides, a pity both sides were kinda shy, but who won't be in that kind of setting?

Got a necklace from TopMan while waiting people to turn up. Hmm, it was quite a steal. It's a bolt design, and the actual price was $23, but do to the fashion vs time effect, i manage to get it for $9. Well, that just tells you how much TopMan is earning from you from every item they sell you, remembering that no businesses will( or should not) ever make a loss from a transaction. Painful outlook at business. Hmm, pretend you didn't see this sentence if it bothers you.

Talking about shopping, I'll but MayDay's album in support of their very nice song in the latest album Although i burnt my pocket after Avenue Q. Never been a great fan of them, but this album (after hearing over the radio and other sources) proves to be compacted with great songs that cause a tingling sensation in me. Great Work Mayday.

Then Yesterday, we had our performance at RP, Reflection Concert is the name if I didn't remember wrongly, which is part of their Art Festival. Erm. the performances was good and our performance was great, according to the Art Director of RP, the other performers as well as the audience who innocently laughed at our performance but was awed by the end of the performance. it was heartwarming that we had both stage support (edwin, teck Li and others) and audience support (norman, russell and friends)

I can't help it but can i complain about the performance? (note to self: why are you even asking anyway? Can they reply after you post this blog with your near-to-perfectionist complains?) Well, I'm not a perfectionist, but i do want to see quality in things we (as a group) do. Especially on stage. For me, the stage is not limited to the timber which we step on, bounded by curtains, brightly lit up by spotlights and all other kind of lights being switched on and focused on in a big room which resembles the Cerebow machine in the Movie X-men which is Professor X's XL version mind reading device.

The stage is when we put on our Group (black with white prints) shirt and people recognise you not by individuals but a group. The Art Director told his students, if they perform on stage, it doesn't matter who the performers are, at the end of the day, the audience will give credit or disservice to RP and RP only. Well, I totally agree with him. So when being recognised as a group, I think our performance has started. With this mindset, every word you say, every move you make, the audience can see. And the audience is not only those who manages to get the tickets and fill up the seats in the theatre, the audience is everyone who can see you as the group member. Oh well, then who is the audiences you may ask.. Let's see, the RP art director, technical Staff, Stage managers, Stage Hands, Arts Administrators, Other performers, etc.. these people are so much different from the normal audience mentioned earlier. they get to see your item over and over again, and worst, your silly behaviour when you are around them. on stage, off stage, back stage, dressing rooms, toilets, during dinner, loading bay and even while you take photos! More irritating than anything else, is Standing on stage, with or without the spotlights on, like your daily self (jokes about others that are irritating, isolating yourself in a corner of the room and sleeping to look pathetic, taking other performers seats, not paying attention to others around you, curse and swear, spending money on food like food money is never an issue, etc) on stage is totally outrageous (at least for me) and idling on stage makes me wanna punch you off the stage. so that you won't disgrace yourself, or should i say, our group any further.

I sound like I want to create a pseudo culture for our group, but what i hope (to the highest degree this word can be used and yet not to the level of the word 'want') to see is that we can be sensible in front of all our audience. Being a performer, forget about your personal space until you go home and take off that black shirt with white prints! Think of what image will be formed from every move you make, every word you say, even if the other party might not understand your language. Be more self conscious. Take on and embrace your role on stage, whether Helper or Performer, know the purpose of your role and take back all your complains and play the role well, as ZingO.

Ahh~~~~~~~~ feel so much better after bottling this up for close to 30 hours or so since yesterday's first run through. although i should be sleeping

and one more tiny complain, performers' food need to be improved on. BAD FOOD LEADS TO WORSE FEELINGS!

Going to sleep.

Night people!!

ONg LAi

ps. need to further work on my NAPFA performance.