Should you watch this? Yes.
Duration: About 2 hours 15 minutes with a 20 minute intermission
Dates: 11 Dec (Thurs) – 23 Dec (Tues), 2014
Showtimes: Tue – Sun 8pm, Sat – Sun 3pm, and on Mon 22 Dec, 8pm
“Dim Sum Dollies: The History of Singapore Part 2” is a musical comedy that features the ever popular Dim Sum Dollies (remember “Train is coming?”) as they re-enact the history of Singapore with laughs and musical numbers. It features Selena Tan, Pam Oei, Denise Tan, Hossan Leong, and the Loh Mai Guys (Ash Ali, Farhan Hassan, Ferris Yao, Gino Babagay, Hafeez Hassan, and Sherman Foo).
Having never watched the Dim Sum Dollies on stage before (the blasphemy!), this first foray revealed to me their song and dance prowess, as well as surprising me with the sheer number of comic situations created. The Dollies are strong performers individually, but when they come together, sparks fly.
Highlights
Different jokes for different folks
The hallmark of good comedy is that it contains visual gags, verbal wit, as well as blink and you’ll miss it references. Not every sly joke is caught by everyone, as evidenced by the occasional solo laugh in the audience, and not every coy quip is done with the sensational aplomb of other humourous lines. This variety in content and presentation makes you sit up and take more notice, especially once you’ve caught a subtle joke or two that precious few have.
Disco Balls To You and Flying High segments
The best Singaporean jokes are the ones that deal with shared suffering and accents, and these two segments bring out those elements. The twist on well recognised Singaporean songs (not the ones you’d expect), and the acknowledgement of the wide variety of cultures we have here brings out peals of laughter as it celebrates the unique dichotomy of our nation.
Patriotic humour
Not that the jokes make fun of patriotism, but that they are, in their own way, a proud shout out to Singapore. SG50 being just around the corner, the entire performance feels like a big, loving hug to our country as it showcases our foibles and quirks – the reason why Singapore is so awkwardly charming in its own way.
The Dim Sum Dollies are an amazing ensemble
The Dollies shine the best when they perform together, rather than as solo acts or with other characters. Every time the three ladies are on stage alone, they exhibit a magnetic charisma that leaves you wanting more and wishing their ensemble numbers lasted longer.
Letdowns
Audio is inconsistent
While the musical numbers were a treat, they were marred by less skillful control of the audio systems – some mikes are turned on too late, resulting in an absent lyric or two. Also, the audio levels aren’t optimised for the vocals at times, resulting in inaudible lyrics during the song and dance routines.
Ending is abrupt
The effort at developing a storyline through the performance is appreciated, but the ending comes out of the blue – there’s no indication or set up that the final segment is meant to tie up the entire show as a whole. While the very last song is a beautiful reminder of the ensemble prowess of the Dim Sum Dollies, it didn’t feel like a properly closed show.
“Dim Sum Dollies: History of Singapore Part 2” is an excellent musical comedy that provides much range and variety in jokes and talent. It’s a pity that there weren’t more Dim Sum Dollies in the actual performance, but that’s a testament to the charm and appeal created by their performance. It’s not a long run, so catch the performance before Christmas!
This post was also published on Yahoo Singapore.
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