Fridae

Written by Jonathan Harvey, Beautiful Thing is filled with edgy, knockout teenage dialogue and the language of people whose first reaction to feelings is suspicion and self-defence. Deliciously upbeat, Harvey crafts the play with astonishing maturity and grounds the drama in a tangible sense of reality.

Last Year, Beautiful Thing was Toy Factory's first bilingual production to be performed in English (directed by Beatrice Chia) and Mandarin version (directed by Goh Boon Teck), back to back. When Toy Factory premiered Beautiful Thing in our theatrette, Smith Street. It stormed the tickets box-office and received rave reviews. All shows were immensely sold out! Dubious concerns were raised from public and censorship upon rating of the performance should it be R(A) or not? The play was eventually rated RA for a particular snogging scene between two boys.

Recapturing Beautiful Thing, the awakening love between two teenage boys growing up in a working-class estate. It is a story about the power of love and is rooted in a belief of the human spirit. The play affirms what a Beautiful Thing the love between two people can be, no matter what their sex is.

Beautiful Thing is far more concerned about love, compassion and respect than sex. Much of its charm comes from treating potentially controversial material in a casual manner, instead of viewing it as a dirty secret or guilty pleasure. It is also a genuine effort to ponder such things, that prejudice exists not in laws, but in people's hearts.

The play was translated by Mediacorp's Channel 8 award-winning screenwriter Tang Yeow and directed by Toy Factory's award-winning Chief Artistic Director, Goh Boon Teck. Together with leading stellar cast Scott Lei (Mediacorp Star Search Finalists 2003), Charmaine Ang (Nominee for Best Supporting Actress, Life! Theatre Awards 2000), Ben Xiao, Darius Tan and Alicia Kim, Toy Factory celebrates Beautiful Thing this October!

Beautiful Thing (RA)
Origin: United Kingdom
Playwright: Jonathan Harvey
Translation: Tang Yeow
Direction &
Set Design:Goh Boon Teck
Actors:
Scott Lei as Ming Quan
Ben Xiao as Wei Bin
Chermaine Ang as Aunty Mary
Darius Tan as Tony
Alicia Kim as Chanel

Date: 1st to 26th OCtober 2003
* No shows on Mondays
Time: 8pm
Duration: 105 mins (with intermission)
Ticket Price: $21 (excluding $1 SISTIC fee) Free Seating
Ticketing: 6348-5555/SISTIC
Venue: Toy Factory at The Attic,
21 Tanjong Pagar Rd
Level 4 Singapore 088444