Wednesday.
Huddled cozily on the Black Box floor, the audience waited for the Houselights to dim, signaling the start of the show by the Finger Players,
Not Mousey Anymore.
This, I shall boldly declare, is The Finger Players at its best. It is What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get Theatre. Honest Theatre.
There are no dazzling lighting effects, no expensive set and slick set changes, no fancy costumes and hairdo, and no mind-boggling Avant Garde trickery or perfectly written script. There are no trappings that one might associate with theatrical blockbusters the likes of _______________. Do fill in the blank as you like. There are too many of those floating around.
I think I need to clarify at this juncture that this entry does not set out to be a critique of popular, slickly-produced shows. This is just a Drama teacher's and ardent theatre fan's reflection about a most simple yet engaging and subtly powerful performance. I found myself most satisfied and enriched by what I saw and was a part of.
In role as a rag and bone lady, Ms Tan Beng Tian, co-founder of The Finger Players skillfully breathed life into puppets meticulously made from found objects. There was a vacuum cleaner tube rattle snake and a rubber glove chicken. There was also detergent bottle Miss Mouse, her father and rattan basket Cat amongst a whole host of other puppet creatures. Every puppet was manipulated with ease and expertise. With just her voice and body, Beng Tian created personalities for each of the puppets she handled. What a great lesson it is for my dearest students who have been sold on lighting, sound and other special effects which at times can totally over-shadow the craft of the performer!
This brings me to my only gripe of the show. Its sound scape. Admittedly, it worked to create appropriate atmosphere at various points of the show but there are times when it BECAME the show. It is not always true but in this case, less is DEFINITELY more.
Call me an idealist but I think it takes an extremely brave performer or theatre group to attempt to engage an increasingly over-stimulated audience with just a good story, a simple stage and darn good acting skills.
Not Mousey Anymore might have been designed for a younger audience but judging from the audience reactions on Wednesday, it certainly managed to capture an older (teenaged-and-more-cynical) crowd with its magical lure.
Someone commented after the show that it was a bit of a disappointment but I stand unwavering in my opinion: That Not Mousey Anymore is the best of The Finger Players I have seen.
Firmly yours,
Nasyitah
N.B. Do take what I have said with a dollop of salt for I have only watched 3 other shows by The Finger Players. :P
