Fried Rice is a Paradise

I watched Fried Rice Paradise on 20th Aug at the Esplanade. It was the inaugural performance and I am glad that I enjoyed the musical very much.

This Singaporean musical was set in vibrant Jalan Calamansi in the 1970s, inhabited by colourful characters. There is Bee Lian whose father owns a coffeeshop selling fishball noodles. Together with her friends Girly Danker and Johan, she has great plans to transform her shop and attract more customers with her mother's famous fried rice recipe. Unfortunately, their plans are foiled by an evil father and son tag-team that have even greater plans to transform Jalan Calamansi into a thriving entertainment hub.

I like this muscial because:

1. It was free. My fiancee received a pair of tickets from her friend. A check with the website shows that it would have costed a PAssion /OCBC Card holder $54 per ticket. [$51 for a discounted CAT 5 ticket + $3 SISTIC fee]

2. It brought back elements of early Singapore nostalgia, as the stage equipment includes shophouses, brightly-coloured discothèque and an old Community Centre.

3. It was my first time entering the Esplanade. The exterior facade of the Esplanade has always impressed me. That evening, I was further impressed with the interior architecture of the musical hall.

4. The musical is easy to understand, as it has been 'cooked' with a tinge of Singaporean spice.

5. The transition between each stage setting is smoothly executed, leaving no time for the audience to sit and ponder into the empty spaces.

6. The door gift came as surprise. It was a free Fried Rice gravy packet with instructions on how to make the best fried rice.

'Fried Rice Paradise, Nasi Goreng Very Nice'