Do you want to live Forever Young?
Picture this: It’s 2067. A group of retired actors and actresses still cling onto big hopes and dreams as they “settle” themselves into a nursing home. It’s a congregation of zany personalities and wild ambition. They are being taken care by their strict and unforgiving caregiver– Sister Sara. What could possibly go wrong?Let the hilarity ensue in Sing’theatre’s most-recent production of the jukebox musical Forever Young. The wonderfully-executed musical drew audiences in with its heartfelt humour and poignant scenes, ultimately making you question who you’d become when you near the end of your life.Directed by Hossan Leong (performing as veteran actor Adrian Heng), the show dives deep into the topic of old age. Leong did an amazing job with the direction of the play-- five minutes into the show, audiences were left tearing up with a heartbreaking number performed by Tan Kheng Hua’s character Margaret Lim, and her on-stage husband, Ramesh Chandran, played by Ebi Shankara. The duo broke out into songs that included a slow and tear-jerking rendition of We Are Young. There were moments we caught ourselves dancing in our seats to the seamless delivery of the music, scenes that broke our heart and songs covered in such a way, they transport you to a different dimension altogether!
Forever Young is skillfully crafted to suit a range of audience, reminding people that despite our vast differences as individuals, there are anecdotes from everyone’s lives that we can connect with, such as the idea of romantic love and the power of dreams and ambition: the drive to pursue your dreams even if it seems impossible to reach. The cast embodied the brazen spirit of youth while addressing the liabilities in ageing, as they seek to find joy and remain “forever young” even in the darkest moments in old age when they might not wake up to a “tomorrow”. We can’t help but wonder what we want to bring with us to our deathbeds and what we want left of our legacy.
Although on a surface level, Forever Young comes across as an upbeat, feel-good comedy, it’s much more than that. It pushes you to reflect on your life and character. It makes the audience wonder if they are living a fulfilling life that worth reminiscing when they grow old, the same way the cast held onto their previous shining moments of their careers. I can’t help but ponder the value of a memory in the last moments in one’s life and the importance of one’s perception of their identity when their glorious days are over.
This musical promises to change how you'd see death and what it truly means to be "alive"--- it definitely puts the whole journey of one’s life into perspective.
Thank you Sing'Theatre for this wonderful opportunity to witness the beauty of growing old.
Written by: Karisha, Wee San and Victoria