Witty Script, Withering Structure
To read the script Chestnuts 50: The UnbelYeevable Jubilee Edition would be a joy, as every word is pungent; every song suffused with humour. Scripted and directed by Jonathan Lim, Chestnuts 50 is definitely a well-researched, sincere piece of comedy revue. However, as a 2.5-hour parody, one wishes that there are more unexpected moments, more varied rhythm one has come to expect from the genre of a comedy revue. Originally designed to be a more than 3-hour show, a whole 40-minute segment inspired by the Amos Yee incident is removed, as instructed by the Media Development Authority.
The first half of the show is more engaging than the second half and there are many witty moments in the showcase. A husband and wife who try to delay the delivery of their baby minutes before 2015 in order to be qualified for the Jubilee Baby Gift opens the evening, heralding great expectations for the rest of the show. Other humorous snippets include a parody of The LKY Musical in which a complex homosexual relationship between Lee Kuan Yew and Lim Chin Siong is suggested; the spoof on Singapura: The Musical; and the witticisms surrounding Dick Lee’s “Home” and his creation of “My Singapore”. The five actors Joshua Lim, Faizal Abdullah, Judee Tan, Dwayne Lau and Jonathan Lim are able to deliver diverse characters, songs and lines in different accents with their versatile vocals as well as energetic and convincing acting. Detailed attention is put in designing the re-creation of the costumes and set of The LKY Musical. However, the joke about Sharon Au’s accent and singing in The LKY Musical, and some explicit mocking over-played scenes in that musical may baffle those who have not seen it.
The “serious moments” of the show are well incorporated — the short snippets of the 50 plays presented at The Studios: fifty by The Esplanade give an overview of the significant plays in Singapore’s history though the transitions from one play to the next are predictable. A tribute to the arts in 2015 and the acappella song which pays tribute to Lee Kuan Yew give a nice heartfelt touch to the evening.
While Stages has a good script for Chestnuts 50, the shifts between segments and the overall structure could be tightened further. The second half of the show falls flat with little surprises served to the audience. Nevertheless, Stages has done a great job with its yearly documenting of key events in Singapore and the arts through Chestnuts. It is indeed heart-warming to see the effort invested into presenting these episodes in the forms of parody, social commentary and storytelling. The work reflects the concerns that the group has for a place where we belong. Chestnut, this is home surely, as the stories tell me; this is where I see our past year flashes before our eyes— not alone.