We Talk With Hossan Leong, Director of New Jukebox Musical Forever Young
PUBLISHED October 6th, 2017 06:00 am
The year is 2067 and a nursing home houses a motley group of actors who were once pillars of the Singapore arts scene. Under the watchful eye of their no-nonsense nurse, Sister Sara, these prolific nonagenarians are your everyday elderly folk, but once she leaves the room, the wigs come out, dentures start flying, and walking sticks become stage props.
This hilarious jukebox musical, Forever Young, is part of Sing’Theatre’s glorious 10th anniversary and sees a star-studded cast led by Director Hossan Leong. Originally a European cult hit written by the Swiss thespian Erik Gedeon, it has now been rewritten for the Singapore audience by Benjamin ‘Mr Miyagi’ Lee, who has previously worked with the likes of Irene Ang and Kumar on immensely successful shows. The play will also address deeper societal issues like the consequences of an increasingly aged population and the deterioration that comes with a greying head.
Is age just a (musical) number? Hossan Leong as he tells us what it means to be ‘forever young’.
Hi Hossan! Can you tell us what is Forever Young about, in a nutshell?
In a nutshell, Forever Young is a hilarious jukebox Musical about growing old in Singapore.
How is this adaptation going to differ from the original?
As the original show is set in Europe, many stereotypes and habits of the original characters do not apply in the local context. How this adaptation will differ is that it will be localised and also each character will have an element of true selves in it!
How did Mr Miyagi come to be involved in the musical?
Benjamin Lee aka Mr Miyagi has always been writing for me, from my one-man shows to corporate events. He and I think on a similar plane, comedic-wise and all the drama bits. He is my go-to writer.
What is your process like when preparing to direct plays? Any particular challenges with Forever Young?
The script is not an easy piece to translate into a stage production. We had to bring the play into the Singapore context. But fortunately I have an amazing group of actors who are also my friends, so every rehearsal is a joy to attend!
Tell us about the character you’re playing.
I play Adrian Heng, an actor. He’s 90, and physically not really in good shape anymore. But he still has pride in his dressing, his looks and still wants a little bit of fun, even though he is now literally, a grumpy old man.
Who else is performing in the musical, and who will they play?
So let’s see, the gang will comprise of Adam Aziz played by Suhaimi Yusof, Tan Hwee Neo played by Karen Tan, the power couple Margaret Lim and Ramesh Chandran played by Tan Kheng Hua and Ebi Shankara, our resident pianist Joel Chan Wen Fu played by Julian Wong, and our dearest no-nonsense nurse and caretaker, Sister Sara, who will be played by Candice De Rozario.
What are the hit songs audiences should look out for?
To name a few: we are singing songs from Bruno Mars, Led Zeppelin, Aqua, Adele and many more. To know which songs in particular, come watch Forever Young!
What would you say the takeaway message of Forever Young is?
Hope. Growing old is about Hope.
Forever Young is running at the School of the Arts (SOTA) from 11 to 21 October 2017. Tickets are priced from $40, available via SISTIC. For more details, check out the Facebook page here.
