Performance Review: Shut Up! Play

Date: 13 June 2009

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Esplanade Recital Studio

Kaki: YD

Rating: 3.5 stars

Language: Music (with some English "subtitles")

Synopsis:
A delightfully offbeat comedic musical-play that uses strong audio-visual elements and zany musicians/actors that make music from teacups, water, boxes, grunts and squeals, looping sounds and mixing them with audience input. All this is tied in with a simple Alice In Wonderland influenced tale.Musical numbers including a beautifully atmospheric indie tune and a guaranteed club hit complete with glow-in-the-dark drumsticks will get you bopping away and… did you know that blowing bubbles are woefully underused as a sound effect.. check it out for yourself!

Review:

1) Was it mind-blowing?
Not really, but definitely an above-average performance.
2) Was I expecting something more like Stomp?
I was.
4) Was I disappointed?
A little, and that was more my fault than anything, since I went in with pre-conceived notions of what the program should be.
5) Did I come out feeling displeased?
Not really, as I could see the effort of the performers for the show.
6) Was it engaging?
Ok lah, it was a nice break from another movie, and it's always nice to try and feel 'atas', and go to a performance as opposed to a movie.
7) Any other thoughts?
Well, I think there was a little bit of a cultural barrier, meaning, some of the jokes were very japanese. I got most of them, but some, while I understand how it would be funny in japan, sorta went "whoosh" over my head. It was funny at times, a little long-winded (and that's of course due to the fact that I am a very impatient person).

All in all, can lah, watchable. :)