The story of Goldilocks and the three Bears is a familiar one. As a nursery tale, we read of how Goldilocks wondered into the wood one day and chanced upon the Bear’s home. Since the inhabitants were not around, Goldilocks made herself comfortable: she sat on the three chairs, tasted the three bowls of porridge and slept on three beds which were meant for Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear respectively. When Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears, she jumped up and ran ran away into the forest, never to return.
SRT’s The Little Company has taken this timeless classic, given it a new spin in Mandarin (no less!) to inspire a love for the Chinese language. It was such a brilliant and well-put-together production which even our ‘banana’ Daddy was full of praises. Here are some reasons why:
1. The sets and props are beautifully designed: The play started with the scene of the woods which transforms into the bear’s homes seamlessly (back and forth) as the story unfolds. The colorful props retain the story’s fairy-tale feel and instantly make the young audience feel at home with the setting.
2. The costumes, fluffy and bright, make the bears look so adorable and huggable! I’ve never seen ‘bears’ who can dance, sing and act so well (in Mandarin too!).
3. There are important messages on conservation to be shared in the play: kids saw how deforestation bring about the destruction of animal habitats. The bear family was almost rendered homeless because the humans wanted to build an expressway across the woods.
4. Children are reminded that every action carry a consequence. Goldilocks’ Daddy (Mr. Locks) has warned his daughter to stay close, not to speak to strangers, not wonder off but Goldilocks found her father naggy and chose to ignore all his warnings. Had she met more vicious animals, her life would be endangered.
5. The songs are catchy, upbeat and fun. The rhythms borrow heavily from the tap dance genre. Add to that rhyming lyrics and the play instantly comes alive.
6. The play sheds light on the misconceptions we humans sometimes have about the animal world. The plot carry revolves around the distrust (and disrespect) men have against animals and the fear of men which animals perpetuate among themselves. The happy ending at the end of the play throws these misconceptions out of the window.
7. The children especially love the interactive bits injected into the play: they were asked to repeat after the bears and join in the chant: 树倒地摇人快跑!
8. Inspiring, clever play of the Chinese language, emphasizing the importance of the right sounds in hanyu pinyin. For example: 凶巴巴 versus 熊爸爸 o children that if they are not careful, they may alter the meaning of the words entirely, resulting in hilarious misunderstandings.
9. Children saw how inaccurate use of the Chinese language might cause confusion: When Mama Bear was teaching Baby Bear how to cook porridge, he used the wrong classifiers (量词 一杯麦片 一袋麦片
10. The moral of the story educates children the importance of obedience. When kids disobey, they land themselves in trouble and cause their parents undue worries.
All in all, Goldilocks and The Three Bears! 金发姑娘和三只熊 is a highly entertaining and educational play which we strongly recommend to all families this March school holidays. It’s amazing how much SRT’s The Little Company have packed into this 50minute Mandarin production. Judging from the laughter and applause that rang throughout the theatre, this play has been a huge hit with parents and children. Miss it at your own expense!
All photos copyrighted to SRT
Show Times: Mon – Fri : 10am; Sat & Sun: 11am, 2pm
Venue: DBS Arts Centre – Home of SRT
Ticket Pricing: Standard: S$25, S$22.
Get your tickets online via Sistic website or call it’s ticketing hotline +65 6348 5555 today!
GIVEAWAY WINNERS:
Congratulations to the following readers for winning the Family Pack of 4 Category 1 tickets to watch the following plays by SRT’s The Little Company:
1. Ms Marcia Too – Goldilocks and The Three Bears (Mandarin) Show on 11am on Saturday 21 March 2015.
2. Ms Theresa Tay – Three Billy Goats Gruff Show on 2pm on Sunday 5 April 2015.
I’ll be in touch with you via your emails soon. Please reply within 24 hours to redeem your prizes.
Susan says
Thumbs up for a great and entertaining performance!