A review: Cats the Musical

Cats the Musical is based on a 1939 poetry collection of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T S Eliot and has been written as a musical composed by the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is a sung-through musical (meaning no dialogue) which depicts the story of a tribe of cats – the Jellicle cats. These cats were gathered at the annual Jellicle Ball to make a jellicle choice on which cat will ascend cat heaven (Heaviside Layer) and be reborn again into a new (hopefully better) life.

The production is a 2-hour performance of songs and dance with an intermission in between. The junkyard stage set is the same throughout the musical so do not expect fanciful props. However, there are loads to watch for and here's the kiddo's and my favourite parts of the show. 

1) Graceful and cat-like movements

When I first watched this musical, it was eons (and I do mean eons) ago when our local artiste Jacintha was cast as Grizabella in 1993 (in the South East Asian tour). I recall that the actors were around the foyer and seating area, really getting into their character as they came near to us for us to pat them.

For this round, we did not spot any, but the actors did an amazing job getting into their characters – their movements graceful and gestures deliberate and lifelike. 

Rehearsal photos

Check out the makeup and the movements

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

If you are lucky enough to be seated along the aisle (Dumpling did!) you will meet them close up and personal as they prowl along the steps where we could see the realistic makeup and even their contacts! 

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

2) Mr Mistoffelees the Magician

Oh, can this magician cat dance! His “solo” was frankly one of the highlights for me as he twirled, swirled and owned the stage. More than that, he has fur that lit up (bling bling!) and had a couple of magic tricks up his sleeve! (I shan’t say more so that there’s no spoiler) He was a clear crowd favorite judging from the applause he received. 😊

Fun fact: Number of conjuring turns Mr Mistoffelees performs during his solo: a whopping 22!

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

3) Grizabella the Glamour Cat

And of course, not forgetting Grizabella. According to the "fandom" website, her name "griza" is derived from grey / disheveled and "bella" of course, means beauty. Hence as the name would suggest, it means grey beauty. 

When Grizabella first appeared on stage, she was indeed disheveled and “old”. Previously known as the Glamour Cat, part of the story is centered on this cat, a “has-been”, who has fallen hard on times and was trying to seek for the tribe’s forgiveness.

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

The vocal prowess and the actor’s portrayal of Grizabella did not disappoint. Dumpling and I could hear the despair and the loneliness as she first sang “Memory” and when she later reappeared and sang the reprise (of Memory), trying even harder to earn the acceptance of the tribe. Her desperation rang convincingly and true as the last notes faded in the theatre. 

Photo credit: CATS Tour 2019 Photography by Alessandro Pinna

Though I was originally unsure if the production was suited for Dumpling, she enjoyed herself (she’s just turned 11 recently) and could understand most of the play and the emotions behind it though there were some parts she had to google to understand the characters better. For me, it was a great night where I got to re-watch the musical at a different phase in life, and just enjoy the songs, dance and the feline antics. :) It is no wonder that CATS is one of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history, received its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances.

Here's more fun facts to share:

• The word JELLICLE is mentioned 138 times in the show
• The production tours 9 full shipping containers 
• The production tours 116 wigs
• The musical has toured 20 cities so far this year
• 50kg of ice is used for ice baths for the actors at the end of a hard week 

:: PERFORMANCE TIMES (From 17 December)

Tuesday to Friday: 8:00pm

Saturday: 2:00pm and 8:00pm

Sunday: 1:00pm and 6:00pm

:: TICKET PRICE

From 50 SGD*

*Excludes the booking fee of 4 SGD per ticket

:: BOOKINGS

www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing 

or www.sistic.com.sg 

PHONE

+65 6688 8826

:: IN PERSON AT

Marina Bay Sands Box Offices

(Museum, Theatre, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1 Lobby)

For more information please log onto

www.MarinaBaySands.com

Disclaimer: We were invited by Base Entertainment to the Gala night so that we can give our opinions about the musical. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both on the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), outdoor fun, useful reviews, early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review: The Sound of Music

Five days after watching one of the world's most famous musicals "The Sound of Music", the songs are ringing in my ears, and in good way. The Marina Bay Sands Theatre was indeed buzzing with the sound of music last Thursday, where Dumpling and I attended the Gala Night. Melodious songs filled the air over the 2+ hours stellar performance which had Dumpling and I singing and tapping along with the singers.

The Sound of Music was an all time favorite when I was a little girl – especially since I play the organ and we had to learn solfege so the musical’s theme song resonated well with me.  When I became a mum, I was very intentional in sharing the many classic movies which I enjoyed with Dumpling and The Sound of Music, is one such treasure.

The Sound of Music is a production inspired by a true story: The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. In this broadway musical, it centers on Maria Rainer, a-nun-in-training, and a widowed Captain von Trapp, with seven children. The story takes place preceding WWII where the underlying tension between the Germans and Austrians was felt in the production.

That evening was the second time catching the musical for Dumpling and myself, and it amazed us no less. Carmen Pretorius, who acted as Liesl in the last production when it staged here in 2014 now returns as Maria. Frankly, at the start, I thought that she has large shoes to fill but her delivery was on point throughout the whole show; she did not even look like she broke a sweat as she hit those high notes with such clarity. :p

Pretorius was believable as the young and carefree Maria (employed as a governess) who looked like she’s one who’d scrapped knees, climbed trees and sang freely on mountains yet in the same breath, was mature and brave enough to stand up to the regimented Captain von Trapp who runs his household military style.  

The story's main theme is notably on love. Not just the love story which blossomed slowly between the Captain and Maria but also the motherly love that Mother Abbess had for Maria, and the sisterly love between the nuns. From the start of the show, it was clear that Maria somewhat stuck out like a sore thumb in her study to be a nun where she was always breaking rules. However, Mother Abbess was patient and kind and saw more in Maria than Maria ever saw in herself. 

The exchanges between Maria, the nuns and Mother Abbess treated us to the lovely prowess of the performers' vocals. The show started with "Maria" where the nuns harmonized beautifully. Mother Abbess was also exceptional and stole the show in her solo rendition of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" where the theatre rang with her high notes. 

The von Trapp children were absolutely adorable (with local cast members too!). Dumpling and I actually had a "double" treat because we were seated directly behind some of the children cast members whom I noted, could not help but hummed along during some songs. :)

The little star of the show (both in the 2014 and this production) was Gretl who had the crowd eating out of her little hands with her performance of "So long, Farewell". Brigitta also brought many moments of laughter with her precocious personality and (sometimes too) honest views. Friedrich was well casted as the gangly teenager. The audience around me were clearly engrossed as many (including Dumpling and myself) sung and hummed along with the famous "Do-Re-Mi".

With such strong performance from the cast, it would be easy for Captain von Trapp to be overshadowed. Instead, he held his own with his duet with the Baroness (How can Love Survive) and the ever famous "Edelweiss" as he bade farewell to Austria.

Because this is a love story which took place with an impending war, there were discussions of it between Captain von Trapp, Baroness Schrader (the captain's original love interest) and Max Detweiler (the captain's friend). The captain's political views towards the Germans were all too obvious and this created much tension between him and the officers where he was forced to flee from Austria and the audience was once again treated to "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", ending the show on a crescendo. 

As this is sung "live", it would not be realistic to expect the same plot development as the movie because of time limitation. The whole background of the war may be lost on younger children but I'd say that the songs and sets will more than enthrall them. A musical that is great for the family; highly recommended! 

:: PERFORMANCE TIMES:                
Tuesday to Friday:           7:30pm
Saturday:                          2:00pm and 7:30pm
Sunday:                            1:00pm and 6:00pm

:: TICKET PRICE:                                   
From $65*
* Excludes the booking fee of SGD$4 per ticket

:: BOOKINGS:
INTERNET:  www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing or https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/sound1217
PHONE:   +65 6688 8826
IN PERSON AT:
Marina Bay Sands Box Offices (Museum, Theatres, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1 Lobby).For more information please log onto - www.MarinaBaySands.com

Disclaimer: Dumpling and I were invited to the Gala Night so that we can share our experience on it. All views expressed are entirely mine and does not represent the organisation that I work for.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Barbie LIVE!

I have to admit that Dumpling and I are both not really into Barbie. It was not until we were invited by Nuffnang that I realised that Barbie was in town for a "Live" musical. Not knowing what to expect, we decided to have a go at it and be 'surprised'. :) 

Dumpling at the Foyer area watching the 'trailer' and interviews as we tried to get a sense of what the musical is about before it starts

Waiting patiently for the show to start

The musical, to me, is definitely targeted towards the girls - Dumpling loved the stage and the costumes and it was not hard to see why. Everything was pink, colorful and pretty! Even the curtains were made of glittery fuchsia cloth.   

The story revolves around Barbie™ shooting her latest film and her best friend Teresa™ set on a Hollywood sound stage. The musical also includes Ken™ and Danny (possible love interest for Teresa™) and I was happy that the play did not go into any romantic angle; something which I feel is a tad too mature for girls of this age. :p

Barbie™ came on stage in a grand entrance wow-ing the Barbie™ fans seated around us.

What I like about the musical is that, Barbie™ used the lessons learnt from the other films which she acted in to encourage Teresa™. These scenes were acted out by Barbie™ and Teresa™ which made it more interesting as compared to having the entire storyline revolved just around Barbie™. There were costume changes for all the different tales and I was pleasantly surprised that both the lead actresses have good vocals too!

The fairytales ranged from Princess Odette  

to Mariposa and The Fairy Princess... 

To Princess and the Popstar

On the whole, it was a good experience for us. We were seated between rows of Barbie™ fans who sang along with Barbie™ in many songs. From what I can see, this is a 'must-watch' for Barbie™ fans. :) For Dumpling, it also sparked off her interest in wanting to know and read more about The Swan Lake and Mariposa and The Fairy Princess. 

Barbie is showing from 10 - 14 September at the Sands Theatre. 

Tickets are available at SISTIC. 

 Disclaimer: We were invited to watch Barbie LIVE! by Nuffnang to give our opinion of it. All opinions expressed are entirely mine. 

Giveaway! The Enormous Turnip by iTheatre!

Dumpling is a great great fan of performing Arts. She loves the songs, dances and the story line and we have basically been to more than 20 theatrical productions over a span of 2 odd years. 

iTheatre is a non-profit organisation and is one of the production houses Dumpling and I look out for. The most recent production we watched is The Little Red Hen which we enjoyed tremendously. This May and June, iTheatre is once again running ACE! Festival. 

ACE! Festival was conceived with the aim of celebrating, promoting, inspiring and stimulating creativity and artistry in families and children aged 3 to 14, presenting a positive and top quality total arts experience using Singapore’s finest talents and the best from the region and the rest of the world.

iTheatre will be showcasing 2 brand new “World Premiere” productions – The Enormous Turnip, and The Magic Porridge Pot.

Beanie N Us is pleased to announce a giveaway of 2 sets of 4 tickets to The Enormous Turnip worth $248!

:: Synopsis
This is the story of a tiny mouse – and an enormous turnip.

Little Eek the Mouse’s dream is to be noticed. But Eek is SO small.

Diggory the Gardener’s dream is to win a prize – any prize for his vegetables.
And then – in his garden, a turnip grows – and grows – and grows!What will he do with it? And who is strong enough to pull this Enormous Turnip out of the ground?
A fast paced, colourful, interactive play, carefully designed for the younger audience, with cute characters, fun and memorable songs, and a clear moral message for everyone.

Date: 1 June 2013 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm
Duration: Performances 55 minutes including meet and greet
Most suitable for: 3 - 14YO and familes
Venue: Alliance Francaise Theatre, Sarkies Road
Creatives: Written and Directed by Brian Seward,

Music composed and arranged by Julian Wong

:: To enter:

1) Like iTheatre's FB Page

2) Like Beanie N Us FB Page

3) Leave a comment below and share why you should win these tickets (Do share this giveaway for an additional chance to win the tickets ~ please mention that you have shared the announcement in the comment)

4) Please provide your Name + your Email Address for us to contact you! 

Contest closes at 2359 on 26 April 2013. 

** Note: Winners will be chosen randomly.

**  Tickets are to be collected directly from iTheatre office @ 27 Kerbau Road. Tickets are not exchangeable for cash or for other dates. As the play takes place in Singapore, this giveaway is opened only to Singapore Residents. 

GOOD LUCK! 

Gloobaloo and the Enchanted Forest

It was yet another mummy and daughter day for Dumpling and  I where I allowed her to pontang school (played hookey!) to catch  the homegrown mascot Gloobaloo in a musical production.

Prior to the catching it, I caught the YouTube clip of the production last year. I was pleasantly entertained with the catchy songs and hence, took up the invitation from Global Edu Hub.

(Excerpt from last year's production)

We arrived early that morning and hung around Kallang Leisure Park before the play started. (And for the record, I am very proud to say that Mama Sue did not get lost driving there AND back! Ha!) When we arrived, school buses with hordes of school children were arriving too.

Dumpling and I quickly settled in (about 10 mins before the starting time at 10am). However, there was a delay that morning and the musical ended up starting around 10.20/25am. I guess that this was due to the fact that some of the school buses was late. Thankfully, Dumpling did not fuss too much.

As this was our first time at the show, I did not know what to expect. It was quite interesting to note that the production did not use much "props" but instead, used screens to project the different backgrounds and scenes. I particularly enjoyed the effects of a "raining" scene where it looked very lifelike.

Despite the long wait, the show did not disappoint as the music was catchy and there was loads of choreographed movements. I like that some parts of the production were educational - for e.g. it touched on letter introductions, colours of the rainbow, etc.

The screens also helped in pumping up the "fun" element with its colourful and fast animation. Additionally, I like that the show touched on environmental awareness without being too "technical" and this was done through the various magical and mythical characters in the show - mushroom fairies to the guardian of the forest - Unicorn.



One thing I noted was that from Sistic site, it was stated that there was no intermission but for that morning, we had a 20 min interval. Thankfully for us, we were not in a rush (especially with the production having started later than expected) so it did not affect us.

On the production front, the entire production reminded me of Hi-5 which I watched with Dumpling last year (through the invitation of a dear mummy friend) with a similar concept of song and dance. I am no technical and sound expert but one difference I caught on was that the voice-over and songs were pre-recorded unlike Hi-5 who sang "live". I personally felt that because of the pre-recording, it sounded "flat" unlike "live" singing.

Having said that, all the performers did really well with their wide smiles, dance moves and the energy they exuded.

There was also participation garnered from the audiences where the children showed off their grooooovy moves too!

Even Dumpling caught on the dance fever and participated with some her "swim" moves. :p 

All in all, Dumpling (and I dare say the rest of the children too, judging from the loud responses and the audience participation) enjoyed herself at the musical. :)

Disclaimer: I received an invitation to watch the musical with Dumpling. All opinions are entirely my own. For purchase of tickets, you may wish to visit Sistic.