The Rise & Fall of Little Voice tells the story of LV (Mina Kaye), a painfully shy girl with an extraordinary talent for singing. (Un)cared for by her self-centered, alcoholic mother (Denise Tan), she shuts herself in her room all day and practises impersonations of divas like Shirley Bassey and Judy Garland. She’s discovered by oily, smarmy talent scout Ray Say (Adrian Pang) and is thrust into the limelight against her will, and this gives rise to (quite literally) explosive consequences.
Pangdemonium productions are always extremely enjoyable, and Rise & Fall didn’t disappoint. We liked that the comedy (originally a British production) was set in 1970s Singapore—a local touch is always nice, and makes the production a lot more accessible. We also liked the fact that the show had a participatory element, in the sense that audience members could purchase cabaret seats and be at the fringe of the action. And, like every Pangdemonium production, Rise & Fall provides some food for thought—this time, it’s about standing up for yourself and finding your own voice, and that’s especially pertinent in this day and age.
None of the characters were truly likeable (even LV, who came across as rather mentally challenged), but that’s probably intended—and each actor was just so good at being awful. Denise Tan, in particular, did an outstanding job of playing LV’s super crude, obnoxious and selfish mother—her potty-mouthed tirades often elicited peals of laughter from the audience. And of course, we especially loved Mina Kaye’s stellar solo—that girl has got some seriously impressive vocal chops. Shane Mardjuki’s performance as the socially awkward Billy felt a tad insipid, but then again, the character is such a wallflower that it’s difficult to expect much else.
We thoroughly enjoyed Rise & Fall, as did the rest of the audience, so do yourself a favor and get tickets to the show before they’re all snapped up.
The Rise & Fall of Little Voice is showing at the Drama Centre Theatre till May 18. Read our interview with Mina Kaye here.
