CCA Events

Commentary, Sports 3 June 20158 May 2019

They won’t be kicked around: A Division Soccer Girls Finals 2015

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Monica Lee (16S06J)

Photos by Carla Mosqueda (16A03A) of the Raffles Photographic Society

The team huddling before the match begins.

“For our team, every match and victory was a hard-earned victory.”

On the 22nd of May, the Raffles Soccer (Girls) A Division team played their 3rd/4th placing match against Jurong Junior College at the Serangoon Stadium. In spite of the grey skies and humid weather, the team was pumped up and ready for the game. As the clock ticked down to 3 pm, the stands slowly filled with Rafflesian supporters cheering for the girls, and the commentators gave rundowns on JJC’s and RI’s teams. The two teams lined up along the stadium’s tunnel and together with the four referees, took the field to the announcement, “Without further ado, please welcome the teams of Jurong Junior College and Raffles Institution!”. As per usual, the teams engaged in the pre-match handshake in a show of sportsmanship. With a rousing cheer, the RI team broke from their last huddle and fanned out across the field, taking their positions. The stands quietened down, tense. The whistle marked the start of the match, and the fight for third place began.

Right from the kick-off, the team dominated the field, largely containing the game within JJC’s half of the pitch. RI’s attackers were strong and had many chances at the goal, but were unable to capitalise on their runs and passes – the opposing team was clustered in the penalty area, making manoeuvring – and scoring – difficult. Defensively speaking, the team was tight as well. On the occasions that the JJC attackers managed to kick the ball past the halfway line on the field, the team’s midfielders and defenders were almost always able to intercept the ball and send it flying straight back into JJC’s half.

The team displayed impressive footwork in their attempts to evade the JJC defenders. Side-stepping and feinting allowed the players to maintain possession of the ball and put pressure on the opposing team. They were handsomely rewarded for their efforts – RI drew first blood in the match 15 minutes into the first half through Beatrice Yip (#17, 15S03M), who scored the opener with a neat shot driving the ball into the back of the net. Simone Sim (#3, 15S03H) then scored the second goal of the match within a mere two minutes of the first, extending RI’s lead to 2-0.

JJC put up a valiant fight as well: for a few tense minutes, JJC’s players managed to press deep into our team’s half of the field and sought to score a goal, but good defending on RI’s part by Captain Victoria Goh (#10, 15S03S) sent the ball out of our half and back into JJC’s territory. The next few minutes saw the ball in a constant back-and-forth between JJC’s and RI’s territory. It ended with JJC claiming their first goal of the match, kicking in a well-positioned shot past the RI goalkeeper. The team quickly regained their momentum and went back on the offensive, showing skillful control over the ball and deft footwork. The team made multiple good runs, but were unfortunately unable to get past JJC’s defence; the game went into the halftime break with RI leading at 2-1.

Just a minute into the second half, Simone Sim (#3, 15S03H) scored her second goal with an assist from K Keerthana (#7, 15S06D). RI continued to dominate play, riding the momentum to a fourth goal by K Keerthana (#7, 15S06D). In response, JJC rallied, putting in a well-placed high ball that gained them their second goal of the match and forced RI to go on the defensive. The team soon regained their advantage – solid defence and sharp attack prevented JJC from penetrating too deeply into RI’s half, and gave the RI attackers chances to further widen the scoreline.

18015136539_6491caebf3_k — Goh Ming Wei (#9, 16S06F) taking a free kick.

25 minutes into the second half, the team managed to once again pull ahead of JJC, with Beatrice Yip (#17, 15S03M) propelling the ball past the JJC goalkeeper’s outstretched arms into the back of the net with a low shot. This brought the scoreline to 5-2 to Raffles. Tensions ran high as the game went into the last 10 minutes. Clashes and tumbles were not uncommon – at one point, a JJC player appeared to push one of our team’s players, prompting shouts of ‘Foul!’ from the stands. The team managed to contain JJC by constantly intercepting their passes, keeping gameplay in their half of the pitch. As the match progressed, JJC’s players appeared to willingly concede throw-ins, kicking the ball out of play whenever RI’s attackers got too close for comfort – most likely in a bid to halt the progression of the RI attackers.

In the dying moments of the game, JJC’s players fought hard to make a comeback, but were ultimately unable to narrow the gap in the scoreline. 3 minutes of extra time were called; despite finding themselves trailing 5-2, JJC commendably pushed on, striving to equalise the score – but they could find no chink in the armour of our team’s unyielding defense. The match concluded with the girls securing a decisive victory.

In the words of Captain Victoria Goh (#10, 15S03S), “The team worked really, really hard for this whole season. We are glad that the months of training have really paid off.” Indeed, the RI Soccer Girls team played wonderfully, ending the game on a well-deserved win of 5-2, and emerging victorious to claim 3rd place in the 2015 A Division Girls’ Football Championships. Even more impressive is the fact that soccer is not traditionally regarded as a girls’ game and so girls are typically not given a chance to learn it – with no DSA admissions, most of the team started out as newcomers to the game just last year. That they managed to pick up the game in the short span of a year stands as testament to the long, grueling hours of training they put in: at least 3 sessions a week, with trainings increasing in frequency in the lead up to their season. As the captain said, “I would really like to thank my team for training so hard and putting in their all, and just simply running for every single ball and never giving up.” She credited the team’s coaches and teacher-in-charge for their “commendable dedication”, adding that their victories “would not have been possible without our coaches, especially Mr. Leong, Mr. Man, and Mr. Iqbal, and also our teacher, Mrs. Cheng.” It was evident that afternoon that the team played not just for school pride, or for glory, or for the win; they played for the love of this beautiful, beautiful game. Raffles Press would like to congratulate the team for their victory and wish them the best of luck in their future competitions!

Scoring by half

RI vs JJC:

1st half: 2-1

2nd half: 3-1 (5-2)

Scorers:

Simone Sim (#3, 15S03H) – 2 goals

Beatrice Yip Kai Wen (#17) – 2 goals

K Keerthana (#7, 15S06D) – 1 goal

RI Roster:

Abinaya Mahatma (#1, 15S06H)

Vanessa Chen Hui En (#2, 15S03O)

Simone Sim (#3, 15S03H)

Low Fay E Reis (#4, 15S07B)

Syahirah Humaira Bte Amrun (#5, 15S07A)

Filzah Hanis Binte Osman (#6, 15S03T)

K Keerthana (#7, 15S06D)

Varenya d/o Uthay Kumaran (#8, 15S03L)

Goh Ming Wei (#9, 16S06F)

Victoria Goh Sze Hui (#10, 15S03S)

Chong Yan Wen (#11, 15S03F)

Sisyena Anusha Gunaravi (#12, 15S03S)

Ong Pei Jie Janelle (#13, 15S06B)

Guo Shibei (#14, 15S06L)

Liu Chen Yu Jessica (#15, 15S06N)

Leong Kylie (#16, 15S06C)

Beatrice Yip Kai Wen (#17, 15S03M)

Valerie Lee Sze Jie (#20, 15S06E)

Victoria Tan Yee Ling (#21, 15A01D)

Zahirah Rosle (#23, 16A01C)

Arts, Commentary 2 June 20158 May 2019

An Intimate Night with the Chamber Ensemble

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Alex Tan (16S03B) and Qiu Kexin (16A13A)
Photos by Way Ng (15S03A) and Cheng Zimin (16S03B) of Raffles Photographic Society

As the lights dimmed, the performers of Raffles Chamber Ensemble, decked out in their chic tuxedos and dresses, made a dazzling entrance for their annual concert, Intime. Meanwhile, the eager audience prepared themselves for a night with much to enjoy in the way of sophistication.

The first emcees, Farah Wu (16A03A) and Bryan Tay (16S03B), made a quick introduction to the concert theme, through playful dialogue:

“Are we going to start in time?”
“Don’t you mean on time?”
“Intime, it’s French! It means … ‘intimate’.”

Playing Andante Cantabile as one ensemble.

The concert promptly commenced with II Andante Cantabile, by renowned Russian composer Tchaikovsky – a solemn piece characterised by underlying melancholic tunes. As dismal as that sounds, on the contrary the bittersweet wistfulness brought out by the orchestra’s passionate playing had made for an engaging listening experience.

The chamber piece, Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major.

Following that, the ensemble progressed with several other classical pieces from the Romantic period, notably four movements from Carl Reinecke’s massive Serenade for Strings in G Minor, Op. 242. One might criticize the inaccessibility and esoteric nature of these songs to the average JC student, but these sufficiently encompassed a spectrum of moods, from introspective to intense, displaying the musicians’ versatility as well as mastery. Among other pieces, Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major was enjoyable for its sprightliness; the high-pitched violin soaring above the other string instruments, echoing and engaging in pleasant harmony with the piano.

The stage layout during Hansel and Gretel.

The best moments of the night, surely, came after the intermission, which marked a transformation in atmosphere. Garbed casually in bright, striking colours that contrasted with the earlier minimalist attire, the orchestra first embarked on Hansel and Gretel, a musical arranged by their very own musician Yee Yang En (16S06B).

Hansel stands between Gretel (right) and the Prince (left).

A narratorial voiceover and backgrounds on the projector supported the storyline based on the well-known fairytale of the same name (the musical was a sequel, picking up from after Hansel and Gretel found their way out of the witch’s house). Hansel and Gretel, charmingly portrayed by Wong Jia Yi (16S03A) and Yee Yang En, skipped out in tartan outfits, while cellist Heidi Ngo (15S06K), was convincingly decked out as a witch.

A medley narrated the brother-and-sister pair’s growth into wiser adolescents, which consisted of recognisable songs from pop culture and musicals. These included the likes of All I Ask Of You (from The Phantom of the Opera), For Good (from Wicked), Bruno Mars’s Marry You and Maroon 5’s Maps. Though relying on a clichéd trope of romance, it was nonetheless refreshingly light-hearted, a welcome counterpoint to the hitherto sombre mood of the concert.

To the audience’s surprise, the musicians had more tricks up their sleeves afterwards; the full orchestra reemerged in formal wear to conclude the evening with Vivaldi’s Spring. One last surprise was unfurled there and then: Wu Chin Ying (15S03R) “paused” the whole orchestra with a point of a remote control as she walked in from the side – and then revealed that the ensemble was entirely under the influence of her remote control. The audience was thereafter taken through a supremely entertaining and surreal showcase of the remote control’s various functions (Play, Pause, Mute, and Volume Control, among others).

Chin Ying fit into her part as Remote Controller remarkably, delivering her lines with the right amount of panache and hilarious verve. “Just enjoy that clarity of sound!” she exhorted as she clicked on Play. “Now you know why we can’t live life backwards – it sounds terrible,” she said while pressing on Rewind. “Come guys, wallow in self pity!” she urged as the orchestra broke into the main theme of Schindler’s List. This delightful mélange of theatre and chamber music was ended with their very sporting conductor, Ms Marietta Ku, wobbling off stage in a mechanical fashion.

Initially, some of the humour and fun in the production had seemed incongruous with the general tone of the concert. A behind-the-scenes video of bloopers and amusing captions like “very intense swordfighting” (rendered lovingly in Comic Sans) cracked the audience up – but as the concert progressed one realised that the comedy had been part of the plan all along. In fact, the Ensemble had successfully produced a refined yet relatable performance because of it, by marrying contemporary tunes with stereotypically ‘high-brow’ chamber music. Safe to say, it was a school production at heart, and a great one at that.

Bryan Tay, the newly-elected Chairperson, said about the preparation: “It was a really tough journey because we had to frequently meet up on non-CCA days for extra practice. I’m really really thankful for Ms Judy Tay and Ms Marietta Ku’s dedication – coming on these extra days and coaching us till 8 or 9.”

Beyond the final production seen by the public, Farah Wu, incoming Vice-Chairperson, also shared that Intime had been meaningful for the Ensemble: “Intime had brought everyone together as one family – especially through the fun and laughter we shared when we played as one remote-controlled orchestra! The late night rehearsals are memories we’ll cherish forever.” No wonder then, seeing the effort they had put in, that the orchestra had thoroughly impressed us with their fresh performance and shown us another side to classical music! Raffles Press would like to thank Raffles Chamber Ensemble for holding this delightful and well-executed concert.

Concert Setlist

String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Opus 11 (Andante Cantabile) composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Serenade for Strings in G Minor, Opus 242, composed by Carl Reinecke
Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 (Allegro Vivace), composed by Franz Schubert
String Sextet No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Opus 18 (Allegro non Troppo), composed by Johannes Brahms
Hansel and Gretel, arranged by Yee Yang En (16S06B)
Concerto No.1 in E Major, “La Primavera”, Opus 8 (Allegro), composed by Antonio Vivaldi

Arts 1 June 20151 June 2015

On Fifty

Reading Time: 3 minutes

by Adelyn Tan (16A01E)

“With this special season of The Studios, we honour and celebrate all practitioners, past and present, for making what is Singapore English Theatre today. We would also like to thank all the directors, actors and designers involved in fifty, for lending their fresh interpretations and insights to these 50 plays. We hope the plays will continue to inspire a new generation of audiences and practitioners alike, and contribute to our collective memories.” – Co-curator Chong Tze Chien and The Studios team

Esplanade: Studios Fifty was held in conjunction with SG50. Over five weeks, plays and dramatized readings were written, read, and performed by Singaporeans at the Esplanade. Speaking as someone who attended a grand total of one full-length performance, one dramatized reading and one open rehearsal, to say that Fifty was good would be a grievous understatement.

Fifty would be better described as a melting pot of overwhelming emotion and breathtaking artistry, showcased by an entire range of actors – from household names like Adrian Pang and Ebi Shankara, to lesser-known but equally talented ensemble members, vis-a-vis Ellison Tan and Amanda Tee, to name a few. A highlight of Fifty was the chilling, and profoundly moving performance of Haresh Sharma’s ‘Off Centre’. It shone a chilling spotlight on the struggles of the mentally ill, right here in Singapore. Also noteworthy was Singapore english theatre’s breakthrough production ‘Emily of Emerald Hill’, helmed by Karen Tan as the morally ambiguous Peranakan matriarch struggling with the trials and traumas of life. Of the numerous dramatized readings presented during Fifty, one standout read was Tan Tarn How’s ‘Fear of Writing’ and ‘Machine’, which gave the audience excerpts of two same-same-yet-different plays, skillfully blended together to create an eerie depiction of romance and relationships in our consumerist, manipulative modern society.

Cast of ‘Fear of Writing’ and ‘Machine’: Andrew Lua, Zee Wong, Amanda Tee, Terence Tay.

Cast of ‘Off Centre’: Siti Khalijah, Ebi Shankara, Neo Swee Lin, Myra Loke, Ellison Tan, Joshua Lim, Neo Hai Bin, Erwin Shah Ismail.

Some performances depicted a time now immortalized in sepia recollections, giving us an avenue to better understand the evolution of our country’s political consciousness and national identity. Some gave us a glimpse behind the curtain, into what we might see in the future we are building. Some showed us a terrifyingly unsentimental painting of our present. And all of them, together, weave the tapestry that is a history of Singapore theatre (and in extension, of Singapore). Fifty plays were not and will never be enough to truly represent the growth and development of our nation and its theatre scene. But these fifty did reflect wonderfully on the richness of the literary works that have been produced over this half of a century that we have called Singapore home, and more importantly they gave new directors and actors a chance to breathe new life and interpretations into these works- and at heart, isn’t that what we, as a country, are trying to do with our nation at this point in time?

In essence, Studios Fifty is and was meta-theatre- a series of plays within the elaborate drama that is our Singapore Story; a microcosm of the country we live, work and play in. Theatre can hardly be seen as the most uniquely Singaporean icon we have, and yet these fifty performances have shown how theatre is a perfect avenue to illustrate the journey our country has undertaken so far, and where we can go next, how we can continue the series of successes that have given us the concrete-jungle-garden-city that we have today.

There is much to celebrate about SG50. And while we as the next generation of Singaporeans sit in the audience, reflect on and give thanks for what has been, what is most important is that we learn, we build, we adapt. We are youths. We are the future of this country we call home. And it would do us well to remember that we have much work to do, on stage, and off it.

The writer would like to thank Aberdeen Seet, Steph Dogfoot and Andrew Lua for the help they provided in the writing of this article.

Commentary, Sports 30 May 20158 May 2019

Holding the Court: Badminton Finals 2015

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Adelyn Tan (16A01E), Choo Shuen Ming (16A01E) and Huang Jiawen (16S06G)
Photos by Hee Xin Wei (15S03I) and Chang Po Chun (16S03K)

20th May saw our Badminton Girls playing their finals against NYJC for a shot at 2nd runners’ up, and our Badminton Boys going toe-to-toe against AC in a bid to earn the championship title for this season. With four matches going on at once, the atmosphere in Toa Payoh Sports Hall was tense, with a strong show of support from spectators looking forward to intense performances from both the Girls and Boys’ teams.

Badminton is a deceptively simple sport, requiring players to win rallies so as to score points; when a player wins a rally and scores a point, they then serve again from the alternate service court. The side that first scores 21 points, or 2 more points than their opponent in the event of a deuce, wins a game and wins the match once they win three games.

Wei Yee (16S03K) represented the RI Badminton Girls in their first match of the day. One would expect the very first player of the day stepping up to the court to suffer from bouts of nervousness, but Wei Yee was confident in her strokes, maintaining a comfortable lead throughout the game. Not long after the match had started, she managed to secure a win for RI, boosting the morale of the team and their supporters, setting the mood for the next game.

In the doubles, we had Kelly Tan (15S07B) and Charissa Wong (15S03G) in the first doubles, and Charis Chan (16S07A) and Elizabeth Yaw (16S06C) in the second. The coordination within each pair was seamless, enabling the RI girls to maintain strong lines of defense while directing their attacks at the blind spots in their opponents’ line of defense. Keeping up a steady momentum, both pairs sailed smoothly to victory with scores of 21 – 09, 21 -11 for the last games of the 1st and 2nd doubles matches respectively.

Particularly intense was the RI badminton girls’ 2nd singles match of the day, the follow-up game to two winning streaks, played by Chung Shiqi (16S06O). A seasoned and experienced badminton player, Shiqi had a powerful smash that she often used to her advantage. After dashing to the front of the net for the shuttlecock and sending it flying to the end of the court opposite to where her opponent was positioned, she won the first game with a clean score of 21-13. At the beginning of the second game, while Shiqi initially had a lead, her adversary soon began to catch up. The crowd watched with bated breath as the match turned into a battle of wits, skill and strength with many impressive moves made on the part of both players. Despite facing intense pressure, Shiqi kept up the pace, edging her opponent out point by point. Finally pulling away from her opponent towards the 20-point mark, she ended the game with a decisive hard slam, securing the 3rd match for RI girls’ team with a score of 22-20. All the players held their own with impressive footwork and technique, never faltering under pressure and showing remarkable teamwork when playing doubles, clinching their well-deserved third place title for RI.

Likewise, the Badminton Boys fought the good fight, keeping their opponents on their toes at every turn. Their first two games were closely matched — with supporters cheering them on all the way, the players put in all their effort and never once gave up or allowed frustration to get the better of them. Our boys fought hard till the very end, leaving the court with their heads held high despite their losses in the first two games.

RI proceeded to turn up the heat in the next two games, beginning with the 2nd Singles game played by Chin An (15S07A) who kept the game all over the court, consistently keeping the pressure up. He made several drop shots, clearly outmatched his opponent with his skilful net play, and won the RI Boys’ team its first game of the afternoon with impressive scores of 21-8 and 21-3.

The strong play was sustained through the 2nd Doubles, with Li Zhengxi (15S06B) and Jackie Tan (15S03C) showing commendable coordination, keeping it point for point with AC from the very beginning. With three points scored by AC within the span of a minute early in the game, the tension in the hall was palpable, only heightened by AC equalizing with RI at the 14th point. A neck-and-neck game right from the very start, both pairs made many comebacks, keeping the scoreline extremely tight. With capable players on both sides, there was a great deal of skill on display, with the point gap steadily narrowing and culminating in an intense last bout. Despite the pressure, both players kept their cool, worked together, and pushed through to win their second game. (21-19, 21-19)

With the score at 2-2, it all came down to the final game between Daryl Ng (15S06S) and Ronald Yeo of AC. Arguably the most breathtaking game of the afternoon, the final Boys’ singles saw a huge variety of lobs, smashes and drop shots traded all over the court, with Daryl containing Ronald impressively well in the first set (21-11). The second set followed with both players keeping each other on their toes, the point gap closing rapidly as the minutes passed, equalizing at the 14th point. A series of deuces ensued with scores keeping both sides on knife-edge as an epic exchange ended the set, only ending when AC took a victory 24-22.

It was down to the final set to determine if RI would win the championship title. It was one which saw RI not get off to a good start, with a 1-4 scoreline in AC’s favour during the first few minutes. At this point, Daryl put down his racquet, took a bit of a walk on the court, took a drink, and then came back in every sense of the phrase. Within moments, it was evident that his form was much more on point, with a series of smashes that led to a 6-6 equalizing comeback. A few more rallies brought us to a scoreline of 8-9, and a realization that this RI-AC match was the only match in the entirety of the hall which was still on. A long rally between the players saw total silence from all within the four walls of the sports hall. A kind of magic hung in the air, as everyone watched a stunning display of agility and grace, spellbound, and the only sounds were those of the skids and hits as they played – a stark contrast to the how the RI supporters erupted in thunderous cheers when Daryl scored to equalize after that particularly intense rally. The spectators held their breath when the scoreline reached 20-14, and a final quick smash brought RI to a score of 21-14 and the championship title for the Badminton Boys

“We really wanted this. We wanted to make it count,” as quoted by Kelly, the Girls’ captain. The afternoon truly was a triumphant battle of wits, endurance and strength from both the Boys and Girls’ teams. Perhaps best summed up by Vice Captain Zhengxi: “We came here. We did our job. Job well done.” Indeed it was. From us here at Raffles Press, well done, Badminton teams! Our sincere well – wishes for all future competitions following an incredible season this year.

“Raffles is golden, witness the moment.” – Daryl Ng, Boys’ Captain (15S06S)

Raffles Badminton 2015:
Boys: Daryl Ng (15S06S), Li Zhengxi (15S06B), Eng Chin An (15S07A), Jackie Tan (15S03C), Nigel Siew (15S97B), Ong Xing Xiang (16S06N), Zhu Bolin (16S03F), Neo Wei Ren (16S03M), Qi Xueqian (16S06F), Deo Teo (16S03S)

Girls: Kelly Tan (15S07B), Lee Shu Zhen (15A03A), Charissa Wong (15S03G0, Chin Wei Yee (16S03K), Charis Chan (16S07A), Elisabeth Yaw (16S06C), Goh Jia Ling (16S06S), Agnes Tan (16S06N), Zuo Hao Lin (16S03N)

Finals Lineup:
Boys:
1st singles: Zhu Bolin
1st doubles: Deo Teo & Qi Xueqian
2nd singles: Eng Chin An
2nd doubles: Li Zhengxi & Jackie Tan
3rd singles: Daryl Ng

Girls:
1st singles: Chin Wei Yee
1st doubles: Kelly Tan & Charissa Wong
2nd singles: Chung Shiqi
2nd doubles: Charis Chan & Elizabeth Yaw
3rd singles: Lee Shu Zhen

Arts, Commentary 29 May 20158 May 2019

CLDCS Annual Production — 翠谷回响: 雾中人

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Stella Soon (16A01C)

Photographs by Yany Chan (15S06E) and Sharmaine Toh (15S07C) Raffles Institution’s Chinese Language Drama and Cultural Society (CLDCS)’ annual production, 翠谷回响: 雾中人 (meaning ‘Man in the Mist’) was held on 15 May this year to a resounding turnout. The production showcased 3 member groups of their CCA: drama, songwriting, and calligraphy; drama and songwriting members performed their works during the concert, and calligraphy members displayed their works outside the PAC.

The production opened with a play, 雕像 (Sculpture), which was told from the perspective of an unnamed Greek statue in a museum. One day, to the statue’s utter confusion, he found himself alive and possessing the qualities of a normal human being. Desperate, alone, and with no one to seek help from, he wandered the streets countless times to seek answers to his existential distress, including the reasons why he came alive, how he should live, and who exactly he was.

The play evidently struck a chord with audience members, who gave a resounding round of applause for all the actors once it had concluded. While the action initially moved rather slowly, and relied heavily on short scenes to drive it, it gradually built up towards the centre of the play, when the plot twist was revealed: the other two statues in the museum were, too, alive. There were several scenes which required the three statues to stand still on wooden display blocks, and one can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the actors. This sentiment was echoed by Chairperson Jia Zhuo Jian (15S06H), who played one of the statues. He shared that standing still for such a prolonged period had been a “challenge”, as it was “not easy to maintain one posture for long”.

Next up was the song segment, which saw Zhu Deng (16S07D) as the opening act. His original song, titled 感动不是爱情 (Feeling Touched Is Not Love), was poignantly delivered to convey the message that feeling touched by someone’s actions is not equivalent to loving them. One just needed to listen to the music to feel the emotions he compellingly brought out through the soulful music and impressive vocals. Later, he shared that he “took some of his personal experience to recreate a scenario that fits the song” — which was done to great success.

Six more original songs were performed throughout the concert, but several were unfortunately marred by out-of-tune vocals. Yet the hard work and effort put in by all the CLDCS song-writing members was clear, especially since some of them did not have prior music background — Zhu Deng commented that his “limited” music background made his song-writing journey “fun, but quite challenging”.

A 15-minute intermission was followed by a unique performance, 五句话 (Five Sentences), which required the five actors to come up with a short play within 30 minutes, based on 5 audience-contributed sentences which had been collected before the intermission. The five sentences were random and at a glance unconnected, including sentences like “I want to drink milk tea” and “I killed him!”, leaving audience members anticipant to see how the actors would weave them into the play.

The actors skillfully made use of actions and facial expressions to drive the plot, with minimal reliance on lines. With wit and humour, the actors successfully weaved in the 5 sentences such that they flowed effortlessly with the plot, drawing loud chuckles from the audience every time a sentence was mentioned. One of the five actors, Yin YiRan (16S06S), candidly shared that “五句话 is definitely not something for the faint-hearted”, given the “high pressure” on the actors! She noted that “something so impromptu as 五句话 is really a test on the actors’ teamwork, creativity, and ability to think fast”, and that she “enjoyed it a lot even though it was very challenging”.

Following that was the last play of the night, entitled “红芝麻”, or “Bloody Sesame” in English. It explored the tension between pursuing wanton materialism and interpersonal relationship satisfaction from the perspective of a teenage schoolboy. Influenced by his peers, he developed an intense yearning for the latest iPhone model, which his family was regrettably unable to afford. His doting father, not wishing to let his son down, toiled day and night to earn sufficient money for the iPhone — but eventually, died from overexertion.

Unfortunately, the writer of this article felt that her proficiency in Chinese (or rather, the lack of it) significantly impeded her ability to fully comprehend the goings-on of the play, which was a true pity as many audience members seemed extremely tickled by it, roaring with laughter at the many humorous parts. Audience member Li Jia Xin (16S07D) reflected that the most memorable part of the play to her was when the schoolboy realised that “the most important thing in life is not to prove yourself to other people, nor to fulfill your material desires, but rather to appreciate what you have, and live your own life well”, as it was a moment that “deeply inspired and touched” her. Another audience member, who wished to remain anonymous, commented that the play should have a “more Singaporean context, as its China-based context resulted in some audience members not understanding the jokes told”.

Post-production, CLDCS’ Chairperson Jia Zhuo Jian (15S06H) reflected that he was “very proud of CLDCS’ members”. He shared that although “most of the J1 members did not have past experience of stage performance”, they still managed to put up a “really remarkable job”. Overall, CLDCS put up a commendable production, which captivated and enthralled the audience with the various art forms put up. Raffles Press would like to commend CLDCS for a production well-done, and wishes them all the best for their upcoming endeavours!

Find us on