Last Friday,I went over to Penang Free School to watch a play which was Phantom of the Opera.I brought my noisy siblings along with me.
If I didn't go,they would not have gone.So I am like...their passport???

I wanted to see what they had to offer actually.I know that Penang Free School had the Phantom of the Opera play some time ago-well,when Gabriel was still in school.

OH,I forgot to ask if he acted in it!Hmmmm....

Confession:I went partly to see if 'Hope' was better or was this going to be better.
Just in case you didn't know,I was one of the main cast of 'Hope-The Musical'.If you want to read more about it...

Hope-The Musical

Click the above link!

I managed to grab the tickets from Benedict-a fellow cast of The Phantom of the Opera,as the drunkard.

I shall go into detail about the play.

I was WISHING that it would be free seating.But it was not.Much to my regret,I was ushered to seats beside the side aisle,close to the speakers.
In my mind,I was like...'OH NO, the speakers will blow me away!!!'
I shall not go into that.Not important.

Note:
Okay,hopefully,by the end of this post,my fellow friends from Penang Free School will not skin me alive.I am just typing out what I feel very frankly.
I am NOT judging it or comparing it to 'Hope-The Musical' because I was acting in Hope,I didn't watch it.I bought the DVD but I never let myself watch it.So,I didn't know how Hope went.

The play started with the school band playing the Phantom of the Opera medley.I have to tell you this-It was very very nice!I absolutely loved it.So much different form the way they play during assembly when I was in Penang Free School (not that I have been to to that school for long-only 1 month).
The music had so much emotion,I was quite optimistic about the whole thing!
Thumbs up for the band!!!Your efforts and practice are appreciated.From what I heard,the band practiced everyday after school!

Act 1-Scene 1
The curtain opens for the first time.I see three girls in black on stage.I expected a graceful and coordinated piece of movement but I didn't.I am wondering why!They were very easy plie's and I am wondering if they were supposed to be not coordinated or the nerves just got into them.
Monsieur Richard Firmin played by Keshav Indran-I thought he was very good!I could read him well and I felt the character.
Monsieur Gilles Andre played by Haan Ming's Pengajian Am teacher,Mr.Ooi Eng Lye-Wow,the guts to take up that role?Thumbs up for you sir!I hope your students don't tease you.It is very very brave of you.

Scene 2 (Don't worry,I won't go scene by scene)
The Phantom is revealed after the show when Christine Daee takes Carlotta's part singing'Think of Me'.
Before the show,I was wondering how they would portray The Phantom.Well,in this case,The Phantom is an Indian.But hey,he portrayed it better than I thought he would.I mean,it's definitely far from the Phantom of the Opera where Emmy Rossum played Christine but for a school play....not bad at all!

(So far,all good comments)

Okay,I didn't like how Christine portrayed her character.I just positively didn't like it!Her hair was wonderful....seriously.It looked similar to the Christine in the show.But the similarity stops there.
It's just sad.
She is pretty and she may be the only one who would take up the task to star as Christine but I thought she could really do better!
I also would prefer it if she lip sync throughout the show.No live singing.
AND,a bigger disaster was,I felt that she had more chemistry with the Phantom than with Raoul.And Raoul is not bad looking!

Carlotta was not bad.Her voice is good.Also glad to say that she is from St.George's.My alma mater.HEHE.
She was also expressive and believable.Very diva...Haan Ming and I would like to play her very much! (Grins)

OH,I HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS!
Throughout the show,the blocking was SO SO SO BAD!I was asking myself...
What Whould Aunty Sally Say???
No no...she won't say anything.
SHE WILL SCREAM YOU OFF THE STAGE!

I kept on seeing the behinds of almost all the actors (except Benedict).

Yes,I was VERY AGITATED!

But OH,how I LOVE THE PROPS AND THE LIGHTING!
And I like the Masquerade scene!
Just the part when it came to the stairs...the coordination was a little 'kelam kabut'.

The other parts,not really stuff I can remember.It was okay.

OH YES,Madam Giry.
I could not hear her at all.I mean,I didn't understand a word she spoke.THer articulation was quite bad.I don't know if it was her microphone problem or was it just the accent...but I could hardly pick up anything that she said!

Another prop I loved was the BOAT!I thought it was GENIUS!
Too bad I didn't have any pictures.My camera has gone crazy and Haan Ming's camera didn't have flash.So we were reduced to photos of....
OURSELVES!

Urm..silly faces?

And look who we met!


Haan Ming,Yvonne and I.

This was taken during the 15 minutes break between Act 1 and Act 2.
Oh did I tell you that Benedict's voice was SO clear during the Masquerade?

In the picture...
From left:Danny,Kah Heng,Haan Ming,Rachel Yeoh (me) and Sarah Yeoh (stuperstar).


OOOOOOO...look who we have here!
Benedict in a bloody shirt.
The first thing he asked us after the show was...
'SO WAS MY DYING NICE????'
Yes Ben.
You see,ben was one of the first people to be killed off by the Phantom!


So yes...all it all...I hope people still like Hope-The Musical more.Although I absolutely love the band,props and lighting.
And Scott's dancing.
And Raoul's stage presence.

Not bad.

For a school play.

To all the people who put it together,a thumbs up for you.Whether it comes out good or not,your efforts sould still be appreciated.