"Army Daze"
Michael Chiang's hilarious comedy Army Daze was this year's production from Raffles Players.
The play traces the misadventures of Malcolm Png, Krishnamoorthi, Teo Ah Beng, Kenny Pereira, and Johari Salleh (played by Justin Lau, Dinesh Raju, Ng Zhi Wen, Jonathan Pflug, and Marcus Ang respectively), five 18-year-old recruits from diverse backgrounds as they enter the 'twilight zone' of national service.
The entertaining plot is sprinkled with pompous pontifications from the sergeant (Adam Sharif) and unfathomable Hokkien sayings from the corporal (Christopher Tay), while dramatic tension arises from a romantically charged scene between the second lieutenant (Benjamin Seow) and Lathi... The three lady teachers (Ms Santha, Carol Khoo and Janelle Ho) performed most creditably.
The backstage and technical teams also deserve special accolades. The backstage crew for their efficient handling of set changes, while lighting and sound effects were also carried out most efficiently in this most demanding of productions.
Judging from the spontaneous laughter during all three performances, there is no doubt that Raffles Players' Army Daze was a resounding success.
Bayley: "Five People Sitting Round A Table Arguing"
Buckley: "Masks"
Hullett: "Sweet and Sour"
Moor: "Daughter of a Naked Moon"
Morrison: "Flight"
What are the common threads that weave the five houses into a memorable tapestry for Drama Feste 1996?
The scripts were varied but serious attempts at exploring much of the human condition and relationships. "Flight" (Morrison) plays out the universal theme of family love that treads the line between caging and allowing the child to take flight; "Masks" (Buckley) looks at the friendship among four teenagers from different backgrounds; "Daughter of a Naked Moon" is much-inspired by the classics, and explores issues of incest and power; "Sweet and Sour" (Hullett), portrays three sets of relationships, each caught in its own web of dilemma and entanglement; "Five People Sitting Round A Table Arguing" (Bayley), which won Best Script, wittily puts on stage the real-life situation of five students arguing about completing a script for a drama competition!
Acting saw a high level of commitment and participation, with the Best Ensemble award going to Bayley. The three individual acting awards were given to Leow Yik Shiong, who played a mute; Tan Say Yong, the megalomaniac house captain; and Benjamin Ng.
The standard for staging was most commendable for all houses and much attention was paid to realistic details: Hullett's setting in a restaurant had real, piping hot food; Morrison's piece had authentic props of the 1960s era; Moor's Egypt setting made innovative use of available minimal sets; Buckley creatively used masks; and Bayley made clever use of all the set and props from the other houses!
Best Director was won by Tan Jun Han, of Morrison, for his very fine sensitivity and attention to details, altogether creating a most impressive piece which also won the overall Best Play.
