Karen Lim Sun, Aug 08, 2010 http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20100805- 230683.html December Rains - a musical with memorable ballads A MUSICAL proudly made and staged in Singapore, December Rains is a Mandarin production that boasts a stellar cast with a beautiful score and moving ballads. Staging its first performance at the Esplanade Theatre on Friday night, December Rains proved to its audience that its plot transcends all language and cultural barriers. Attending the gala night was my Indian colleague, who for the first time, was watching a Chinese play. Thank goodness for English surtitles. Almost moved to tears at the end of the musical, she quipped: "I actually enjoyed it." December Rains, directed by Toy Factory's Goh Boon Teck, tells of a love story which is set in Singapore's turbulent 1950s and 80s. The protagonist, Li Qing, who is played by Singapore's veteran singer Kit Chan, falls in love with politically-conscious student Ying Xiong, played by veteran performer George Chan. The love story is delivered clearly throughout the two and a half hours - the pain of losing someone, of unrequited love, the dilemma between chasing one's dream and one's love - is delivered strongly by the various ballads, penned by the talented lyricist and composer Liang Wern Fook. Set against a beautiful backdrop with clever usage of lighting to deliver the mood, Goh's display of creative talent and minimalistic approach is evident. After a six-year hiatus, Kit's acting is moderate but her fantastic vocals make up for it and definitely wowed the audience, while George took to the stage with Broadway finesse and musical-like singing. The ballads and score are also probably one of strongest aspects of the entire production - Liang and Jimmy Ye's combined work in this musical dubbed as "Singapore's first home-grown musical" is not to be underestimated. But what really left an impression on us both was Jeffery Low's performance, who plays Ming Li, a third party who waits in vain for Li Qing. He managed to deliver an impressing performance, evident in his role as the aged Ming Li in the second half of the performance after the 20-minute interval. As for the rest of the cast, it was a tad bit of a hit and miss, with awkward pauses spotted twice throughout the production, leaving the audience wandering what was amiss. December Rain's plot also falls a bit flat - if you're looking for unexpected twists and surprises, this musical is definitely not it - in fact, its love story is predictable and very much like the mainstream Chinese, Korean and even Indian (that's what my colleague said) love stories. However, the restaging of December Rains and the way it has been modernised with new songs and score is once again proof that a local production should not be undermined. Catering to the mainstream audience and encompassing many facets of a successful musical - from memorable ballads to a touching storyline, December Rains will be remembered by many as the play that left them reminiscing about the "what ifs" and "what-could-have-beens" of life. --

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