《回音》 Review 30 December, 2011
Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear1, For Him For Her, Moving Pictures.add a comment
Ahh… Let me recount this long overdue review of the stage production 《回音》 that we attended 4 Dec 2011 at the UCC, NUS.
First off, why did we want to attend this production? Well, there was one fundamental reason and one circumstantial reason. The fundamental reason was that, as a couple, Dear2 and I have been to numerous movies but had never been to any kind of stage performance events. Well, there was one which we attended during our first 3 months in NJC, and we sat next to each other, but we weren’t official going steady back then. So, it was like our long unfulfilled desire to finally attend a stage production (after 13 years together). The circumstantial reason was that, we’ve been listening to YES933 alot since we bought our car, and they’re been promoting this show alot on air, so we thought, why not? :)
Baby1 was 21 months old on then, so she was quite comfortable with her grandparents, and comfortable with us not being around for a while. On the day of the show, we brought her to my parents’ place and then set off for UCC.
Now, to the actual review bit.
I’ve been to UCC multiple times and know the layout of the hall quite well. But I was surprised upon arrival to find out that 《回音》 will not be using the main hall. Instead, they will use the side hall which I normally using as robing room for my convocation. That hall is really small and so it was a big disappointment for me.
The next big disappointment was our selection of seats. Because I had the main hall in mind when I selected the seats on SISTIC, I picked the $55 seats on the side because I knew the seats were comfortable and offer a decent view of the stage. This is not true for the side hall. First, the seats were make shift chairs, very uncomfortable. Second, there was a huge pillar right next to our seats and blocked off the one-third of the stage nearest to us. This meant that we had to lean forward and stretched our necks to see what is happening on stage throughout the show.
This was to be followed by even more disappointments with the actual show itself. I’ll break it down into three major categories.
First, the marketing efforts overhyped the production. I had my expectations high going in, only to be met with disappointment. For example, Jiahui on 933 mentioned that there was scene where she and her two fellow performers were able to complement one another and enabled an emotional performance. I found that scene too slow and not touching. So did Dear2.
Second, too many unnecessary characters. Going in, I know that this was a collaboration between 933, 958 and 972. But there was simply too many characters that had nearly no impact on the story. For example, the character played by Nicole Chua from 933 could have easily been removed and not affected the story at all. Also, there was no real need to change performers for the different ages of the characters Youying and Youguang. If Chong Qing from 933 could handle his character from young to old, why not the others? I think the casting crew simply overstretched themselves to include as many DJs as possible so as to make it look more like a collaborative effort amongst the 3 radio stations.
Third, the story was rather weak. 《回音》 was marketed as a celebration of 75 years of radio transmission. Naturally, I expected the show to focus on radio and perhaps the history of radio and the evolution of radio. Nope. The show seemed to instead focus on how radio brought together a pair of love birds, and eventually how the wife overcome her depression of losing her husband. I had heard an interview before the show in which the director claimed the story as touching. However, I found the story thin and lacks emotional connection.
Despite all my disappointments, I still had a good time because I was attending this with Dear2 and we’re fulfilling one of our long time dream. We also had lots of fun criticizing the show in unison on our ride back home and over the next few days. Well, this goes to demonstrate that it doesn’t matter whether the show/performance/movie is good or not, it’s who you are watching it with that matters.
-Dear1
我希望家人都身体健康 5 December, 2011
Posted by dear1dear2 in Dear1, Slice of Life, Sports & Health.add a comment
Since I was very young, I had always made the same wish – the one you see in the title of this post.
I can’t remember when the seed was planted, but it was probably during one of the many praying sessions that I had to attend with my parents when I was really really young. Maybe a times, we were praying to ancestors and I was asked to include a wish in my prayers. Naturally, I didn’t really know what to wish for and asking for toys seemed ridiculous to me. Back then, I kinda remembered my father telling me to wish for good health.
And it got stucked. Year after year, I would mindlessly pray for good health for all my loved ones around me. Be it ancestral session, birthdays, shooting stars, my wish was and is always one and the same.
I have been feeling rather emo for this past year. Because of the various health issues that had came up for me and the people around me. Well, for one thing, Dear2 had been to the hospital twice this year. It breaks my heart to see Dear2 having to go through all that. I did what I could. But, what else could I do than to be there by her side, and wait. I wish that it will never have to occur again.
For another, Dear2, Baby1 and I had been down with illnesses for nearly the past 2 months. Baby1 caught a cold/flu from somewhere and caused allergic reactions. She would vomit nearly everyday. She can’t control their cough and her gut reflexes at this age. She would wake up twice a night coughing because of the allergy, sometimes vomiting too. Thankfully, she had recovered after a third visit to the doctor.
Dear2 and I had been falling sick one after another. I fell sick first with flu that wouldn’t recover for 3 weeks. Dear2 also had flu but she recovered after a week. Then I had stomach flu and/or food poisoning just a few days after my last flu, just last week. And right now, Dear2 is feeling pain and unwell again, which the doctor could provide no proper explanation nor remedy except perhaps to drink water and rest well.
This is besides having to cope with minor health annoyances like joint pain, blood pressure, headaches, toe infection, weight gain, skin infections, and just general tiredness.
I feel that age is catching up with me, in two ways. First, all the health problems, albeit minor ones. Second, I’m starting to appreciate my father’s simple advice – just wish for good health.
I’m not saying that I understand the feelings of those who went through life threatening events. I’m just saying that I am able to see how priceless health and general well-being is.
This will continue to be my one and only wish.
-Dear1
p.s. Get well soon Dear2, I love you.
