TANGO is Pangdemonium's first staging of a Singaporean play (and an original one at that). TANGO revolves around a public feud that takes the internet by storm. Elderly waitress, Poh Lin (Lok Meng Chue), is shocked to find out that gay couple, Kenneth (Koh Boon Pin) and Liam (Emil Marwa) have adopted a child, Jayden (Dylan Jenkins), and refuses to serve them. When the scene is uploaded onto the internet, both conservative and progressive camps are on full force with repercussions for the very characters at the heart of the conflict.
This pertinent discussion about the camps for and against the rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders and other queers along the spectrum (LGBT) was presented beautifully with the extravagant three-tiered set designed by Wai Yin Kwok; Divides and parallels could be spotlighted and juxtapositioned across different levels. Genevive Peck's projections also complimented Wai's set especially well during the cacophonous trial by media.
Not only was the performance a spectacle, the script left much for one to ponder about. In particular, two elements of the script stood out:
First, the script's attempt to use Mandarin to accentuate the divide. Poh Lin and her closeted nephew, Benmin (Benjamin Chow), speak in Mandarin while Kenneth, Liam and Jayden converse in accented English from their time in the UK. Even their close lesbian friend, Elaine (Karen Tan), is a Peranakan who can't speak Mandarin. Although the language structure and delivery of the Mandarin lines still came off a little awkward, it remains a bold attempt worthy of praise. How much does language act as a barrier to understanding? What is the common language between people and acceptance?
Second, the way the plot that unravelled showed neither side winning. Elderly waitress, Poh Lin, gets laid off her job due to the increasing boycotting by pro-LGBT supporters and media. And yet, Kenneth and Liam straddle the dissonance of standing up for their equal rights and the safety of their son, Jayden, placed under the scrutiny of anti-LGBT, conservative citizens. It really pushes into the forefront a more important consideration when we are riled up in arms, tackling contentious issues that face our republic, who really wins?
In the end, TANGO should be applauded for bringing the contentious and pertinent LGBT issue into the spotlight in such a comprehensive way. TANGO takes the audiences through the utterly frustrating moments of not wanting to be gay to avoid dealing with all the tension but yet not being able to "turn it off". It captures the relentless eagerness to fight for freedom but also, one's craving for the safety in the shadows. But perhaps Karen Tan summarises TANGO most succinctly as a play that reminds us that "before anything else, to always be kinder".
PANGDEMONIUM's three-tiered stage for TANGO (2017)
Not only was the performance a spectacle, the script left much for one to ponder about. In particular, two elements of the script stood out:
First, the script's attempt to use Mandarin to accentuate the divide. Poh Lin and her closeted nephew, Benmin (Benjamin Chow), speak in Mandarin while Kenneth, Liam and Jayden converse in accented English from their time in the UK. Even their close lesbian friend, Elaine (Karen Tan), is a Peranakan who can't speak Mandarin. Although the language structure and delivery of the Mandarin lines still came off a little awkward, it remains a bold attempt worthy of praise. How much does language act as a barrier to understanding? What is the common language between people and acceptance?
Second, the way the plot that unravelled showed neither side winning. Elderly waitress, Poh Lin, gets laid off her job due to the increasing boycotting by pro-LGBT supporters and media. And yet, Kenneth and Liam straddle the dissonance of standing up for their equal rights and the safety of their son, Jayden, placed under the scrutiny of anti-LGBT, conservative citizens. It really pushes into the forefront a more important consideration when we are riled up in arms, tackling contentious issues that face our republic, who really wins?
The cast of TANGO sharing final thoughts post-show.
In the end, TANGO should be applauded for bringing the contentious and pertinent LGBT issue into the spotlight in such a comprehensive way. TANGO takes the audiences through the utterly frustrating moments of not wanting to be gay to avoid dealing with all the tension but yet not being able to "turn it off". It captures the relentless eagerness to fight for freedom but also, one's craving for the safety in the shadows. But perhaps Karen Tan summarises TANGO most succinctly as a play that reminds us that "before anything else, to always be kinder".