Woke up yesterday morning to meet my fav mum-treprenuer @thechillmom for a Mother's Day brunch, courtesy of TWG! We didn't get to catch up during my wedding cos she was away at Legoland (!!!π) so this was a long-awaited meet up!
The TWG cafe has so many teas!! It seemed like there were hundreds to choose from?!? #dayretealovers you guys gotta try these.
I couldn't possibly made a choice so I told the waiter the type of tea I like – full-bodied with a hint of floral (lavender Earl Grey is my fav) and he recommended me the Renaissance tea which I really enjoyed #TWGteaOfficial
Heart of Happiness tea anyone? π
We opted for Eggs Benedict and Farmhouse Eggs so we could share and try both cos we couldn't decide between the two π #firstworldproblems
Was a little disappointed with the smoked salmon though because it wasn't smoky enough for us π thankfully the juicy mushrooms made up for it!
I WANTED THE MACAROONS but it wasn't included in the set π
The cakes were so pretty! We opted for Chocolate Orange and Chocolate Matcha instead (although I reallllllllly wanted to try the melon strawberry tart too). Such hard decisions, really π
Here's my chocolate matcha! π I really liked it and wiped it clean except for the gold fondant decor on top, since I'm not a fan of fondant. Pretty to look at, but not so nice to eat!
πππππ
This is why I can't lose weight #dayrefatties
Also caught La Cage Aux Folles yesterday – a local production by Wild Rice – and it was SPLENDID πππ
Seriously, you guys gotta catch this next week before it ends its run! The cast was so freaking talented that I was stalking their bios during the intermission on the programme booklet!
#notsponsored #ipaidformyownticketsk
#wortheverysinglecent
La Cage Aux Folles
The leading star of La Cage is none other than Wild Rice artistic directorΒ Ivan Heng himself as Albin. A family man by day and a fabulous drag queen Zaza by night, as he/she performs on the world famous La Cage cabaret located in Tanjong Pagar.
Albin / Zaza lives with his partner George (Sean Ghazi from Malaysia, who has the most soothing tenor voice I've ever heard on stage), who also helps to run the cabaret. Their chemistry and love for each other on stage is flawless, with a sweet local touch of how they make time every morning for their regular breakfast at the coffee shop where they're now regulars. They also live with Hossan Leong, who plays Zaza's personal assistant and a wannabe star to comedic effect.
One day, their son Jon (played by Aaron Khaled) tells them he has decided to marry his girlfriend Anne (newcomer Mae Eliessa), who unfortunately happens to be the daughter of the conservative and presumptuous politician C.K. Tan (Darius Tan), who's both homophobic and bent on shutting down the nightlife stretch in Tanjong Pagar.
You know hell is about to break loose when Jon brings the Tans home to meet his family over dinner, and in preparation for what could possibly be the most important dinner of his life, he asks his father George to put on a show and play the part of a conservative, values-centric Singaporean family. Of course, his terrible suggestion involves getting rid of Albin / Zaza from the house for just this one night, and inviting his birth mother Tracy (whom he has never seen) for the dinner.
Queen Zaza and his family // A prude + a prick for Anne's parents
George, being still very much in love with Albin and appreciative of what Albin has done for his family over the years, is stuck in a dilemma as he tries (and fails) to break the news gently to his partner. How could anyone, really?
Albin / Zaza then breaks down on stage, giving a powerful and emotionally-packed rendition of "I Am What I Am" that is bound to move you to tears. Ivan Heng's performance in this raw number is just splendid, and a marvellous showcase of his talents.
After all, how could Albin, who has been a mother to Jon and raised him as his/her own, not be present at such an important dinner? Just because he doesn't fit into certain societal stereotypes of how a mother is supposed to be like?
You gotta hand it to George for coming up with what seems like a great compromise – Albin attends as Jon's Uncle Albert, while Tracy and George be themselves (Jon's natural parents). In a hilarious number of "Masculinity", George and the coffee shop owners attempt to teach Zaza how to behave like a real man. I loved the way Wild Rice injected Singaporean flavour into this piece, with references to National Service and holding kaya toast like a man πππ
The set then changes from a flamboyant and loud apartment into a more conservative humble abode, made even more hilarious with a giant crucifix on the wall to espouse their "traditional Christian values". ππ but you can't keep a fabulous queen caged up for too long… (that's what the title of the show means, in case y'all were wondering)
Tracy (Jon's birth mother) pulls a fast one on her son again at the very last minute (as she always had, for his entire life) by ditching him and not showing up at the dinner (I won't spoil the reason why here). Unwilling to see Jon upset, Albin hides the news from him and, in an attempt to salvage the situation, dresses up to play the part of his mother instead.
Of course, things go hilariously wrong eventually (did you really expect otherwise?) and Albin's real identity is revealed, much to the horror of Anne's parents. C.K. Tan throws a fit and is absolutely livid, refusing to approve of his daughter's marriage, and openly showing his repulsion towards Albin and George.
I won't spoil the ending for you guys (and highly encourage you to catch the production before it ends on 13 May), but the family stands united in the face of all odds and the audience is granted an emotional but happy ending.
Was it worth the ticket price? Of course! Ivan Heng's performance as Albin / Zaza was absolutely riveting (and convincing!), the cast each had amazing voices that I could listen to over and over again, and the ensemble of cabaret dancers was a DELIGHT.
Both dancers and non-dancers will surely appreciate the choreography, and every single dancer in the show was just stunning. Their flexibility, speed and versatility across different dance genres were extremely impressive, made even more so by the fact that they were dancing in heels! Also, please watch for the "cannon split" ending in the can can number please! π¨π±π±
All in all, La Cage Aux Folles was the best production I've seen in years, coupled with a talented cast, catchy songs, breathtaking choreography and larger-than-life sets that impress right down to the little details that make them so realistic.
It manages to bring across powerful social messages about homosexuality, acceptance, family and love, while balancing it with a flamboyant and highly entertaining show. No wonder they got a standing ovation during curtain call.
You'll find yourself laughing and crying throughout the journey. For my friends and I, we were kept on the edge of our seats the whole time, always wanting more yet never wanting the show to end.
Tickets
La Cage Aux FollesΒ runs till 13 May at the Victoria Theatre, with 8pm shows from Tuesdays – Sundays, and afternoon matinees at 3pm.
Tickets available from Sistic at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/aux0517
You can easily get 15% – 20% off if you're a student or know someone in Singtel. I don't say this too often, but I highly encourage you to watch this production before it ends! I'm not kidding when I say this is the best performance I've seen in years. My friend who came last night watched it for the second time, and it is not hard to see why.
P.S. Some of the male dancers are even prettier than most girls like whuttttttttt. Ryan, I'm looking at you! πππ
Here to support a dear friend, so gotta take this obligatory imitation shot lol π
You know that happy and warm feeling you get after watching a really good performance? That was us.
Now I'm contemplating whether to re-watch!!
I've watched a number of productions in the past few years and seriously, nothing comes close. Wild Rice's skills in weaving in the local flavours and social issues of our time while keeping its shows highly entertaining are impeccable. Singaporean references and jokes? Check. Local practices and lifestyle customs? Check (I particularly loved the songbird in a cage tribute for Zaza). An unforgettable and talented cast? Check. A emotions-packed show? Check.
These folks belong on Broadway man.
