PUBLISHED June 30th, 2017 06:00 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 02:58 pm
It’s every swinging bachelor’s dream come true: not just one, but three beautiful air stewardesses taking turns to be his fiancée. But there’s a catch – none of them are aware of the other’s existence. Such is the life of Bernard, the modern day Casanova and protagonist of Boeing Boeing, the latest production by local cutting-edge theatre group W!LD RICE.
If you’ve seen any of its previous three sold-out stagings in 2002, 2005, and 2010, you’ll be pleased to learn that this brand-new rendition is pleasingly different. Refreshed by director Pam Oei (HOTEL, The Dim Sum Dollies) and her new generation of young actors, it’s much like flying another airline for the first time.
But for all its relatable references to Singaporean life, it’s easy to forget that this side-splitting comedy did not originate here – the Marc Camoletti play first made its premiere in 1960s Paris before being translated and adapted for the English crowd at London’s West End.
Tweaking the play for local audiences was evidently no simple task, especially when it comes the tricky French genre of farce. As Pam puts it, it’s all about “[putting] believable characters in unbelievable situations and exaggerating it till it all blows up.” The finest farce, as seen in the company’s latest show La Cage Aux Folles, involves weeks in rehearsal honing rhythms and routines that would provoke the most laughter – such as people barely missing each other by split seconds, a recurring motif in Boeing Boeing’s game of polygamy.
It is that same precision and skill that makes us so invested in the characters, even for the deplorable protagonist. The strapping Rodney Oliveiro, who’s once admitted to having dated two people at one, plays Bernard with the full confidence of any serial polygamist, executing meticulous scheming and down-to-the-minute scheduling that keeps his hectic love life cruising at just the right altitude.
We’re introduced to the trio of sexy stewardesses: the snobby tai tai wannabe Jeanette (played by the spunky Oon Shu An) of Singapore Airlines, the assured albeit domineering Air India lady Jayanthi (Sangeetha Dorai), and the intensely passionate Jin Jin (Judee Tan) from Air China.
Under normal circumstances, managing three vastly conflicting personalities (spot-on accents and all) would seem like a logistical nightmare for one person, but behind every man is a strong woman. In this case, it’s Rosa (Bibeth Orteza), Bernard’s lovable and grumpy Filipino domestic helper, who helps him in his romantic deceit, though not without a whole deal of complaining – “It’s not eas-yyyy!”. Her quirky one-liners and hilarious banter with each cast that easily makes her the MVP of the production.
There’s also Shane Mardjuki as Robert, Bernard’s university friend from Kuching, who balances his role of moral antithesis to his friend’s scandalous antics with his own quest for love and lust. As arguably the most layered character in Boeing Boeing, it’s easy to feel for the loyal soul, no doubt a testament of Shane’s delightful acting chops and exuberant stamina.
While Sangeetha’s full-blown Indian accent may bring to might bring to mind the viral Facebook post by Singaporean actor Shrey Bhargava, she’s far from just a caricature, and is as intelligent and substantial as any ‘real’ woman. Even her ‘Indian strut’ is due to the way women in saris walk.
The same goes for Judee’s Jin Jin, whose Chinese mainlander accent was right on point, even as she accidentally tripped and spewed a string of Mandarin off script in cover. The sweet girl even manages to exaggerated while still being believable, though, granted, the Tsingtao kung fu moves might have been a little too much. Jeanette, whose goal in life is to find and marry a high-flyer, is undoubtedly Singaporean in mannerism and speech, executed to precise relatability. And that vixenish growl she made when Robert puckered his lips? Perfection.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to the amount of belly guffawing antics in Boeing Boeing, and we have Pam, the exceptional cast, and their bottomless energy to thank for that. When you’re ready for two hours of non-stop fun, get onboard the W!LD RICE airlines, because this flight is absolutely first class.
Take to the skies with Boeing Boeing, running from 23 June to 22 July 2017 at the Victoria Theatre. Tickets are priced from $50 (Tue-Thu) and $55 (Fri-Sun), available via SISTIC. For more information about the show, please click here.