History-making Dollies
Dollies make history
Talented trio give the Singapore story a spunky spin
By Hong Xinyi
IF YOU thought the Dim Sum Dollies were funny before, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
This sixth instalment - featuring the inimitable talents of Selena Tan, Pam Oei and Emma Yong as they retell the history of Singapore - is a marvel of sharp, sure rhythms, full of precisely calibrated set-ups that add up to a sensational whole.
Tautly directed by Glen Goei, the concept for this year's show has yielded a goldmine for lyricist Tan and musical director Elaine Chan.
Chan has always had a knack for sweet harmonies and catchy hooks, as evidenced by her work in previous Dollies shows, but this year she has outdone herself.
That the tunes in this revue come with cheeky lyrics is to be expected. That they are also replete with musical riffs that double up as mischievous comedic cues is a wonderful surprise.
The voyage of Sang Nila Utama (in this version, a slacker Mama's boy) marries an infectious chorus to the ronggeng rhythms of old Malay tunes; three kamikaze pilots bewail Japan's World War II surrender as they croon an Orientalised power ballad into karaoke microphones, complete with mock-tragic flute solos; kampung aunties channel Motown-inflected blues as they mourn the passing of an era.
The musical pastiche party complements the multitasking, multilayered comedic material almost flawlessly. Take the Dirty Very Dirty Pirates number, which manages to make fun of the ministerial pay hike (the pirate sector is also very competitive, apparently), reference Pirates Of The Caribbean and allude to DVD pirates with a dash of thumping Canto-techno beats all in the space of a short skit.
Indeed, both the main skits and the throwaway bits of filler in between each set-up unfold with such breezy ease, shifting from slapstick to satire to sincere tribute with sly, blithe grace.
Be My Ang Moh, for instance, chronicles the birth of the Sarong Party Girl following the establishment of Singapore as a British colony. The following number, Samsui Woman, pays heartfelt homage to the labour of these female construction workers.
The contrast between kebaya-clad bimbos and independent women who toil to construct towers is clear. The smart, sassy history of Singapore the Dollies give you is often incisively sarcastic about establishment entities.
But they never turn cynical - the Singapore the Dollies celebrate is spunky and scrappy and sometimes silly, a place that 'makes your heart glow'.
The History Of Singapore is quite possibly going to be remembered as a landmark production for Singapore comedy.
Go see it - you'll be awed by how the Dollies are making history.
Talented trio give the Singapore story a spunky spin
By Hong Xinyi
IF YOU thought the Dim Sum Dollies were funny before, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
This sixth instalment - featuring the inimitable talents of Selena Tan, Pam Oei and Emma Yong as they retell the history of Singapore - is a marvel of sharp, sure rhythms, full of precisely calibrated set-ups that add up to a sensational whole.
Tautly directed by Glen Goei, the concept for this year's show has yielded a goldmine for lyricist Tan and musical director Elaine Chan.
Chan has always had a knack for sweet harmonies and catchy hooks, as evidenced by her work in previous Dollies shows, but this year she has outdone herself.
That the tunes in this revue come with cheeky lyrics is to be expected. That they are also replete with musical riffs that double up as mischievous comedic cues is a wonderful surprise.
The voyage of Sang Nila Utama (in this version, a slacker Mama's boy) marries an infectious chorus to the ronggeng rhythms of old Malay tunes; three kamikaze pilots bewail Japan's World War II surrender as they croon an Orientalised power ballad into karaoke microphones, complete with mock-tragic flute solos; kampung aunties channel Motown-inflected blues as they mourn the passing of an era.
The musical pastiche party complements the multitasking, multilayered comedic material almost flawlessly. Take the Dirty Very Dirty Pirates number, which manages to make fun of the ministerial pay hike (the pirate sector is also very competitive, apparently), reference Pirates Of The Caribbean and allude to DVD pirates with a dash of thumping Canto-techno beats all in the space of a short skit.
Indeed, both the main skits and the throwaway bits of filler in between each set-up unfold with such breezy ease, shifting from slapstick to satire to sincere tribute with sly, blithe grace.
Be My Ang Moh, for instance, chronicles the birth of the Sarong Party Girl following the establishment of Singapore as a British colony. The following number, Samsui Woman, pays heartfelt homage to the labour of these female construction workers.
The contrast between kebaya-clad bimbos and independent women who toil to construct towers is clear. The smart, sassy history of Singapore the Dollies give you is often incisively sarcastic about establishment entities.
But they never turn cynical - the Singapore the Dollies celebrate is spunky and scrappy and sometimes silly, a place that 'makes your heart glow'.
The History Of Singapore is quite possibly going to be remembered as a landmark production for Singapore comedy.
Go see it - you'll be awed by how the Dollies are making history.
posted by Al @ 11:46 am
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