She Danced, She Wandered, She Wondered with a “friend” in I Dance I Wander I Wonder

I Dance I Wander I Wonder (7 February 2020)

by Messy Noodles Productions 
(A school production by Year 2 students of Republic Polytechnic)

Venue: The Republic Cultural Centre Black Box

How does it feel to watch your play restaged with a different interpretation? I first wrote a 30-minute version of I Dance I Wander I Wonder in 2003, and it was staged under The Esplanade’s Sparks programme. In 2004, it was developed into a 60-minute play which was staged at The Substation Black Box and Singapore Art Museum Auditorium. Subsequently, over the years, it was also staged in schools and libraries. 

I Dance I Wander I Wonder is an adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's renowned tale The Little Prince. Fiby encounters Little I, a visitor from Zero Mountain. Little I tells Fiby that she would like to seek advice on how to take care of her rose, the only flower that grows on her mountain; the only rose she believes exists in the world. Fiby is unable to give any advice, but agrees to travel with her in search for an answer. In their galactic travels and wanderings, they meet several characters, each a different and equally undesirable manifestation of adulthood.

Interestingly, director Gavin Low brought I Dance I Wander I Wonder to a deeper level which conveys a social message about expectations and depression with a twist in the storyline with his Year 2 students “Messy Noodles Productions” from Republic Polytechnic’s Diploma in Arts and Theatre Management programme.

The play was adapted to reflect a state of unease many young people are facing— pressure from parents, schools and society to attain academic excellency and achievements.

The play began at the lobby area where the audience encountered Fiby (played by Nur Elly Nawwarah Bte J) who fumbled through her bag for antidepressant drugs. At the same venue, Little I (played by Janette Audrey Chee Min) came to Fiby and offered Fiby a solution to get out of her current predicament— by bringing her around the world in search of a solution to protect her rose from being eaten up by her goat. 

Audience members were brought into the black box where a queen (played by Nur Jannah Bte Mohd Rafi) was seen to be ordering the audience to be seated at the intimate traverse setting swiftly. With that, Little I and Fiby were brought to the “Mountain of Order”. The Queen claimed to be in control of everything around her, including each move to be made by Little I and Fiby. In a split second, Fiby saw the daily demands from her mother manifested in the queen, shown through the effective use of video projections, which drove her to a state of desperation. Frustrated with the authoritative queen, both travelers left the queen.

Shortly after that, they met a drunkard who was too drunk to sustain a rational conversation with the two. Roberts Chanel Christine played the drunkard with high energy and appropriate use of high-pitch squeaky voice at times. However, it may not be appropriate for the drunkard to wear a rose in the hair, as Little I still believed that her rose was the only rose in the world in that scene. 

The duo later met a businesswoman (played by Nicole Tan Jean-E), a manifestation of Fiby’s teacher in reality who articulated her expectations coldly. Next, they encountered a “3 brains better than 1” agency (played by Siti Hajar Bte Mohd Hatta, Roberts Chanel Christine and Nur Jannah Bet Mohd Rafi) that charges one dollar per second for each question that their client poses, and five dollars per second for the answer to be provided by the agency. Little I and Fiby did not have any money with them, and thus decided to leave the agency without getting any answer. This scene was delivered with skillful choreography and effective use of gigantic masks.

Disheartened with the search, Little I was on the verge of giving up. However, Fiby cheered Little I up with her troupe of dancers that appeared with an energetic, sensual and entertaining dance called BollyMartial (a modification from TechnoMartial in the original play). The two were invigorated, and continued with their search for an answer, but it was only to Little I’s devastation when she saw roses which were displayed by the audience as they continued to travel.

The two finally learned from a wise fisherwoman (played b Nur Insyirah Bte Rosli) who related to them that the river she lives by is unique to her as she has established a bond with it, even though there are numerous rivers around the world. While the scene was delivered with a sense of simplicity and purity, the soundscape painted a picturesque of the sea with the sound of waves instead of a river. 

 

At the end of the play, Fiby returned the bag of drugs to Little I. The parting was difficult, but Fiby left her imaginary friend with courage and confidence.

A meaningful twist to the story, the play connects the audience with mental health problems many face— anxiety and depression.

The 7-member cast sustained the 30-minute play with their strong and convicted portrayal of the characters, effective engagement of body movements, varied rhythms in their actions and interesting interactions with the audience. The cast comprised students who have to take up other production roles as part of the module and acting was not even a gradable component for this project. One would never know that they are not trained in acting!