For our very first post of this academic year, we interviewed Chew Zichun, the producer of Hall Play 2008. He has some very interesting stories to share with us on his adventure so far in what is one of the hall’s major cultural activities. So let’s hear him out, shan’t we?
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Guest Profile
Name: Chew Zichun
Faculty/Year: Not available
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- First of all, can you tell us about the purpose of Hall play?
Hall play started out as an initiative to raise funds for the poor students in KE Hall 34 years ago, and slowly became refined and polished through the years into the impeccably organized showcase of artistic talent. More importantly, Hall play has also, through the years, been the outlet for KEVIIans who were bursting with passion and energy to make many firm friends and lasting legacies in the annual event of the year that involves close to a hundred residents of KEVII Hall!
- How did you become hall play producer?
It was a multi-stage process and a totally unexpected ‘arrow’. Having been in charge of the lights last year, I thought I was only going to be ‘promoted’ to be the tech crew head. For a long time after the end of Letters from the Frontline*, apart from hearing that Yi Feng was going to be the Production Manager (PM), Pooja the set décor head, and Vincent the set builder head, I did not know anything else. There was a chilly radio silence with regards to news about next year’s hall play. Meanwhile, I was convinced by a certain block’s head to be the Stage Manager (SM) instead of tech-crew head.
All of a sudden, one fateful evening I was summoned via sms by Trixie (last year’s Hall play Producer) to Leon’s (last year’s Hall play director) room, where an emergency meeting was going on. Yi Feng was present too. It turned out that the reason why nothing has been going on since May was because there was no Producer for Hall Play 2008! After a small battle of wills (which included emotional blackmail lines like “or we could just cancel Hall play next year and end a 33 year old tradition”), it became obvious to me that all arrows were directed at me. I survived the meeting without making any promises, but badly shaken.
Then when Terence (last year’s JCRC President) told me:-
“Zichun, if you know you’re going to have to do it anyways, you might as well accept reality and start early, instead of delaying the inevitable, and end up suffering more like Lincoln (last year’s DnD ‘eventual’ Head)”.
I made up my mind the next day to embrace the task that was laid at my feet.
* Letters from the Frontline was the title of last year’s Hall Production.
- What challenges are you facing this year?
We were faced with massive challenges every step of the way. From the lack of people who were willing to be involved as department heads (we ended up with many Year 1 department heads), to the copyright saga (we ended up meeting Mr. Douglas Gresham, step-son of CS Lewis, author of the novel our play is based on), to last minute changes of schedules. Our main challenge this year is the lack of experienced members and heads, especially in the Operations departments; many of the heads have never even been in hall before, much less in Hall play. And my experience in lightings last year is not especially helpful in my current job as Producer.
- On the Set and Décor side, how is the progress so far?
The sets have all been completed by the set builders as of last week; however the set décor is behind schedule and lacking manpower.
- What can you tell us about the cast and the rehearsals?
We have very good actors this year! However due to adjustment issues and clashes, we have not been able to hold many rehearsals, and only had one combined rehearsal at the communal hall so far for the first half of the play. We will be having a ‘cast camp’ as well as more combined rehearsals in the comm hall in the last two weeks of holidays.
- What can we expect from hall play this year?
With little more than an inspiration and the faith of a mustard seed… a cripplingly incomplete steering committee, no script, no experience, no copyright contact, nobody who’s ever heard of ‘Till We Have Faces’… this year’s production has come to where it is today. Those of us who has been around from the very beginning will know how difficult and in fact, seemingly impossible this whole adventure has been. So, expect a miraculously good performance, because every progress and success in our Hall play this year thus far has been miracles!
- Can you tell us the story of Hall Play 2008?
Here’s a brief synopsis written by the cast director, Yarong:
Adapted from C.S. Lewis’ powerful re-telling of the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, the play begins as the complaint of an old woman against the Gods. The woman, Orual, is bitter at the injustice of the gods, who she accuses of having stolen her sister, the beautiful Psyche.
The play then takes a retrospective glance back at the events which lead to this complaint: from her turbulent childhood with an abusive father, her teenage years spent with her sisters, and the troubled situation in her kingdom, Glome, which culminated in Psyche’s sacrifice.
When Orual later discovers that Psyche is still alive, she tries to bring her back but is rebuffed– Psyche says that she is now married to a god. Furious and disbelieving, Orual convinces herself that Psyche must be insane, and sets out on a desperate and ineffectual course of action that leads back to her complaint. Will the gods answer? Will Orual ever see Psyche again? Why should the gods meet us face to face…Till We Have Faces?
- Any final words for the residents staying in hall this vacation for Hall play and other CCAs?
It’s cold these days, what with all the rain. Let’s burn with some KE passion and energy in our trainings and activities to warm up the place!
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Next up: Watch out for our interview with Koh Yueting, 10th XQRJ head this coming Wednesday!
