Words of the Mad

I’m officially moving Les Misérables up to the 4th place with Chicago. I seem to remember more than what I thought I remembered about the musical, after listening to Susan Boyle, the latest sensation on the internet for her performance of “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Misérables on “Britain’s Got Talent”. It’s like everything that I saw came flowing back and seem very enjoyable on hindsight. I wonder why that is. Very weird.

Frankly, I miss the time I spent in London watching musicals a terrible lot. I want to go back there. I can’t imagine taking another 13-hour flight, but I really want to go back there. Sighh. Good times.

The dreams I had when I was young; they do come true, in all ways you can imagine, or not imagine actually. Everything just seems so surreal now, if not for some annoying upsets some idiot is causing.

It’s ok. It’s alright. I shall be zen about it. I shall be “ML” about it. She’s great inspiration, this (soon-to-be-ex-) colleague of mine. Gonna miss her.

May some good things happen soon.

February and March have come and gone. Time simply flew! I’ve spent my 2 weeks in San Remo (Italy) and 1 week in London. It was over so quickly! Too quickly, in fact.

I’ve had a lot of fun both in San Remo and London. Many friends made in the former, many musicals seen in the latter. Life was very fulfilling and I get to shop like some rich tai-tai in London because I was helping my sisters get their Guccis. Fun!

I didn’t mind the cold and very cold, but I hated the rain in London. There was a hailstorm in London on my last day there though. Good thing I was indoors, but it’s not everyday you get to see the sky raining ice.

Photos from San Remo can be found in my Facebook – Part 1 & Part 2.

Hardly took any pictures in London though. However, I do want to talk a little bit about the musicals I’ve seen there. Just to document some thoughts down, before I forget them.

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8 musicals in 7 days. Quite a feat, I must say, though I could have done another 1 or 2 if I researched a little bit more. Nevertheless, quite a feat. I’m a very happy boy.

21 Mar 09 – Avenue Q
22 Mar 09 – The Lion King
24 Mar 09 – Phantom of the Opera & Chicago
25 Mar 09 – Les Misérables & Hairspray
26 Mar 09 – Mamma Mia!
27 Mar 09 – Wicked

And to rank them in terms of my favourites:

1. Wicked

The story and plot were great! The music and singing were EXCELLENT! The Act (“Defying Gravity”) just before the interval was so overwhelming and powerful that I couldn’t stop feeling the emotions during the entire interval! AMAZING! Till now I still can’t shake off the feeling of “defying gravity”. It affected me a lot!

2. Hairspray

It was such a happy show! I was having a really lousy day (didn’t enjoy Les Misérables very much, and the weather was so cranky with the rain-sun-rain-sun getting drenched and all) but this musical just lifted my spirits ALL THE WAY UP!

3. Mamma Mia! & Avenue Q & Phantom of the Opera

I have to say I would have preferred Mamma Mia! over the other 2 if not for the fact that there were minor technical glitches (mic wasn’t turned on) and non-fantastic singing from the main cast (Donna & Sophie), AND the theatre allowing late-comers to enter disrupting the show a bit.

I love the songs still, and the Sam Carmichael’s singing here is definitely better than Pierce Brosnan’s Sam, but I expected more. Still, having the entire theatre to stand up and dance after the Final Act was a great experience.

Avenue Q was very funny and the talented cast and puppeteers were definitely a big plus-point. Very enjoyable, but less the memorable.

For Phantom of the Opera, I must say I went in with low expectations; Cara said it was hard to understand with the opera-singing and I thought the movie version was a little draggy. Was surprised that I actually appreciated the performance throughout and after. Again, I’m very impressed by their singing and music.

4. Chicago

I realise after the musical that I never actually liked the story of Chicago from its movie version. It was the songs I was attracted to. I enjoyed the live singing and dancing, and the performers were YUMMYYYYYYY (*slurps*). But that was about it.

5. The Lion King

Kudos to the set and props design. It was really an eye-opener for me with the “human-giraffes”. How did anyone even think of that? That said, I dozed off a little bit during the show. That explains why it’s ranked here.

6. Les Misérables

I dozed off a little longer than I did during The Lion King. Period.

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That was my overseas trip for the year. I don’t know if I’m going anywhere else again later this year, but 3 countries in 4 months (I just went to Taipei in Dec 08), I think that’s about enough for a while (long-haul flights suck! I hate flying now).

Would love to go back to London again in future for the musicals and maybe San Remo to get away from the hustle and bustle. I’m not a scenery-looking-appreciating person. I’ve no interest in photography either. My idea of a holiday is just to take a break from work and do the things I like, which is mostly eating, sleeping and shopping or walking around aimlessly. That’s mostly what I’ve been doing for the overseas trips I’ve had thus far.

And I enjoyed myself.

Back in Singapore this morning. Fell asleep after updating myself with several blogs which were blocked in China. Still feeling a little lost and disoriented. Also feeling a little disappointed with something which I don’t know if it should be considered to be trivial.

In any case, the cab ride home earlier was melancholic. I was thinking and feeling, unable to decide if it’s just me expecting a little too much. Generousity suddenly seems overrated. I’m as generous as I appreciate generousity, but somehow not all would think so. Maybe none see me to be so. I probably appear to them as someone who would jump at every opportunity to receive the tiniest gain and benefit I’m offered to.

I’m very confused right now. I typed and deleted many chunks of paragraphs. Can’t structure them properly. Can’t structure anything, ever.

Just not feeling very good, not good at all.

In about 8 hours, I will be on my way to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, ending my very first overseas holiday. I’m not really sad going back to Singapore because it’s home after all, but I just dread the inevitable idea of going back to work. The harsh realities of life, no work, no money.

I’m dreading work also because I will probably be grilled about the holiday; where I went, what I did, what I bought, is it good, blah blah blah. I’m not very much a conversationalist. I mean, basic questions should be fine, but I know some aunties (one the very least, and I think I know who it’ll be) are going to question till the cows come home. GO EXPERIENCE IT YOURSELF LAR!

Ok, that’s angsty. Truth is, I don’t like a particular auntie’s incessant questioning. The worst thing is she’s totally insincere, asking the same questions over and over again, not bothering to remember what has been told to her before, several times. Grrrrrrrr. Bother.

Anyway, I realise I didn’t buy much here. I wanna buy more clothes!! I haven’t got a single pair of shoes! I didn’t get a belt! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Nvm, I’ll return again, and will buy more things. Hurhurhur.

I SURVIVED A WEEK WITH VALIBOO!!! Hahaha. Don’t know how I did it lar. LOL! Nahh, she’s not all that bad. I mean, she isn’t bad. Yea, something like that. Muahahahhaa!

So, I promised myself that I will go for an overseas trip by the end of 2007. I did it. Very suddenly. Thought it was a lost cause when November came, but well, things happen. Which is good, if all are good things.

Lunch soon, and it’s back to packing. I hate packing. I don’t like to fly with Tiger Airways. Someone really should invent teleportation, if it’s invent-able. But as usual, some idiot will abuse the good things in life and everything will be so restrictive. Bahh.

Very soon. Home. Bed. Stable internet.