family entertainment Archives

The Great Moscow Circus – Simply Breathtaking!

One word describes The Great Moscow Circus: Breathtaking!

All of us who were there on Sunday night were kept on the edge of our seats throughout the entire 2 hours 20 minutes at The Red and White BIG TOP! It was totally breathtaking and heart-pounding! The stunts and death-defying acts were exceptional! No wonder the over 100 year old tradition Great Moscow Circus were hailed the best of the best circus!

One word describes The Great Moscow Circus: Breathtaking!

As we walked towards the Big Top Tent, we wondered how it would be like to be sitting in a million-dollar tent specially made for Singapore by leading Italian tent manufacturers Anceschi and Canobbio and which took several months to build! It was indeed impressive and it is fully air-conditioned! Everyone can have a good view because no audience would be more than 11 metres away from the action! The Big Top has a traditional European atmosphere to it and why not? It is made by a 5th generation Italian tent maker Paolo Anceschi and hoisted up by a team of 20 people! For a moment, I could picture us going to a circus as a family depicted in children’s story books! Sitting under The Big Top made me a kid again! I am totally in awe of the design of the tent right before the show started.

The show opened with the entertaining act of Trampoline performers who bounced back endless times and effortlessly to the height that they fell in such grace! There was a mix of more than 16 sensational acts that saw talented jugglers, aerial stunts, phenomenal rope-skippers, daredevil motorcyclists, contortionist, marvellous acrobatics, funny ringmaster, among many, many more!

There were so many of our favourites that I could not possibly name it here. But there were two performances that I think each and every member of the audience that night held their breaths while they prayed for the performers’ safety! I was certainly one of them! They were the Wheel of Death which the performers run and jump and skip in the moving and rotating wheels, and Motorbike Sphere of Fear where motorcyclists run their bikes inside the sphere. As dangerous as it looked, the Russian performers were really astounding in giving their best. Sometimes, it might seemed that they were going to fall, but then again, they were so well-trained that I could not differentiate if that was not done on purpose! And the motorcycle act requires such precision of timing, speed, teamwork and coordination, it is hard to imagine human beings are capable of displaying such traits!

In fact, if you were to ask me, I think no one can demonstrate the word T.R.U.S.T as well as all the Russian circus performers that night! They have to have complete trust in one another to not only bring to everyone the best of their performance, but to simply survive all shows! They have my full admiration of their commitment and spirit for the circus entertainment!

If you have not been to The Great Moscow Circus in Singapore, I think you should! It is the school holidays and it will be a good chance to bring the whole family to watch this world-renowned circus. The show will end on 2 December.

Here are some good to know things about going to the circus:

Good to know!

Transport – You can park your car at the Marina Bay Open Carpark and walk 3 minutes to The Great Moscow Circus. You may also take public transport to the nearest Bayfront MRT.

Admission – Infants and children below 3 can sit on parent’s lap and need no ticket. It is wheelchair friendly too.

Seats –

Booster seats are available for children. Just ask the friendly ushers and they will bring it to you.

Due to the design of the ring seats, all seats are able to get a good view. We were seated at Section C, 2nd last row and it was a terrific view.

Fully Air-conditioned – You may like to bring along a jacket or cardigan. On the evening that we went, it was raining for the whole day and hence it was pretty cold inside the tent.

Food – There are popcorns, mixed nuts, candy floss and drinks for sale just at the entrance to the Big Top. For the kids, there are also illuminated hairbands, wands, spinners for sale.

Toilets – There are mobile toilets outside and there may be a long queue during the 15 min interval. You may like to ensure the kids go before the show.

Duration of the show – around 2 hrs 20 min excluding a 15 min interval.

More Information

When: 25 October – 2 December

Showtimes:

Tuesday to Friday: 4pm, 7:30pm

Saturday: 12pm, 4pm, 7:30pm

Sunday: 11am, 3pm, 6:30pm

Public Holiday: 12pm, 4pm

Where: The Mighty Big Top, Bayfront Avenue, next to Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Ticket price: From $85 (Excludes the booking fee of SGD4 per ticket)

*25% off all A,B,C and D Reserve tickets for all shows, this promo expires midnight Tue 13th Nov!

There are Senior Citizens and Child Priced tickets. If you are Popular or Passion Card members, there are discounts too.

Standard: S$155, S$145, S$135, S$115, S$95, S$85, S$65

Child [3 to 12 years old]: S$135, S$125, S$105, S$85, S$75, S$55

Senior Citizen [60 years and above]: S$135, S$125, S$105, S$85, S$75, S$55

Booking: https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/cgmc1218

Disclaimer: All opinions are mine. Thanks to Sliding Doors Entertainment and The Great Moscow Circus for the kind media invite. Our family truly had a wonderful and highly entertaining evening!

Legally Blonde The Musical In Singapore

We have not watched the movie Legally Blonde before. But the hub highly recommended it for Missy because he knew she would enjoy the light-hearted entertaining romantic comedy. With a stroke of luck, we were invited to the opening night for Legally Blonde The Musical. It was our first time attending a premiere! The opening night was in the middle of Missy’s examinations but we went ahead nevertheless after a quick wiki of the story and decided it was worth a short break from the revision. We were glad we went, because Missy really loves it and so do we!

If you do not know the story about Elle Woods, the blonde girl who loves pink. In short, it is about a girl who persisted through entry into Harvard Law School to get her beau back. There were lots of hilarious acts, funny dialogues with lots of positive messages sent through Elle’s never-take-no-for-an-answer attitude. I, personally, love Elle’s confidence especially the way she carried herself through the misinformed “Costume Party” where she was donned in a bunny suit while it was really just a casual gathering. Her show of integrity and sticking to her true self in the face of ruining her potential career is what I wish for my girl to be inspired too. The songs are catchy. The entire performance is highly entertaining. Missy gave it 2 thumbs-up! The only thing we regretted was not watching the movie prior to The Musical because it would have helped the kids to understand the story better. So, if you wish to catch Legally Blonde The Musical, do try to watch the famous movie first.

I would say that this musical is very suitable for teens and adults but may be a little hard to comprehend for children 7 and below. So, you may like to consider to leave your younger kids at home for this Musical. Having said that, older kids will find the jovial characters funny! My 2 elder kids like Paulette, the hairdresser (who had a cute, high pitched voice), the delivery hunk (who was totally sexy and attractive) and the gay couple (who made everyone laughed with their gestures and catwalk). As we could not leave our 6-year-old home due to lack of childcare arrangement, he came with us. I was surprised that he was moving along to the catchy songs and fascinated by the dogs that appeared on stage! He clapped when everyone applauded and seemed to be able to catch the flow. Well, we are certainly happy and honoured to be one of the first to watch Legally Blonde The Musical and I hope my review can help you in the decision to get the tickets!

MORE INFORMATION

For more information, check out the information here:

WHEN: From 10 May – 20 May 2018

PERFORMANCE TIMES:
Thursday and Friday: 8:00pm
Saturday: 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm and 6:00pm

BOOKINGS:
INTERNET: www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing or www.sistic.com.sg
PHONE: +65 6688 8826
IN PERSON AT:
Marina Bay Sands Box Offices (Museum, Theatres, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1
Lobby). For more information please log onto – www.MarinaBaySands.com

One GOOD NEWS that comes with each ticket:

Enjoy complimentary entry to CÉ LA VI Lounge with a glass of bubbles with ticket printout! (For patrons 18 years old and above.)
Do plan your visit to the lounge before or after the show on the same day!

SYNOPSIS

Here is a short synopsis of Legally Blonde The Musical for some teaser:

Based on the popular Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie starring Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde was a box office success when it opened in 2001, grossing a worldwide box office sales of US$141.70 million. Later that year, it was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy.

Like the film, Legally Blonde, The Musical is going to be an all-singing, all-dancing romantic comedy about a southern California co-ed cutie, Elle, who never takes no for an answer. So when her boyfriend, Warner, dumps her for not being serious about her future, Elle turns her attention from fashion to books and enrols in Harvard Law School to win him back. Far from her comfort zone, Elle is suddenly a misfit. But with the help of new friends; Emmett – a teaching assistant with a working class background, Paulette – a down-on-her-luck hairdresser and Greek chorus made up of UCLA sorority sisters, who only she can see, Elle finds her true calling in life – and hint, it’s not Warner.

After the original Broadway production was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Leading Actress in a Musical, this sparkling new pink production has been put together by the creative team that brought you Big League’s My Fair Lady, one of New York’s leading directors Jeffery Moss and Tony nominated choreographer Bob Richard. The highly catchy songs and lyrics are by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. With a cast of over 25 performers and two dogs from New York coupled with three new inventively designed, dynamic LED video screens by Daniel Brodie (Disney’s Aladdin, MOTOWN, Troika’s JOSEPH and Wizard of Oz tours), and snazzy modern scenery, costumes, lights and sound, the show is perfect for lightening everyone’s mood and bringing joy.

“Audiences are going to be tickled pink by Legally Blonde”, said Jeffery B. Moss. “This is a feel-good musical with a valuable message: Be true to yourself.”

Armed with her charm and Chihuahua Bruiser, watch Elle strut from the sorority house to the halls of justice, tackling stereotypes, snobbery and scandal to realise, and Singapore will too, that brain power is as potent as being a blonde in a pink dress.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Base Entertainment Asia for the kind invite to the opening night for Legally Blonde The Musical. We had an entertaining night. Now, my youngest’s favourite catch phrase is “Omigod!”

The Sound of Music Musical in Singapore

The Hills Are Alive, With The Sound of Music…. what a genius piece of work from Richard Rogers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein (lyrics) which captures the hearts of young and old for decades! In fact, all the songs are amazingly touching! Remember Do-Re-Me, Edelweiss, Sixteen Going On Seventeen, So Long- Farewell? Now, to introduce your kids to Musicals, perhaps SOUND OF MUSIC is a good first step because the songs are catchy, cheerful and the 7 children of the von Trapp family are so endearing!

The Hills Are Alive, With The Sound of Music…. what a genius piece of work from Richard Rogers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein (lyrics) which captures the hearts of young and old for decades! In fact, all the songs are amazingly touching! Remember Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss, Sixteen Going On Seventeen, So Long- Farewell? Now, to introduce your kids to Musicals, perhaps THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a good first step because the songs are catchy, cheerful and the 7 children of the von Trapp family are so endearing!

We watched the movie some months ago and I must say it helps a lot with the understanding of the musical for the kids. The movie is a much longer version (about 3 hours) compared to the musical which played for 2.5 hours including intermission. Rest assured the kids will not get restless because every scene holds onto the attention of the audience as they anticipate the next familiar song to sing along.

WHAT IS THE STORY ABOUT?

If you do not already know the story of the von Trapp family and Maria, the main character, as the governess, I shall briefly introduce here (extraction from wiki and official press release):

The story is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, a true story with altered details for the musical and movie. Maria takes a job as governess to a large family while she decides whether to become a nun. She falls in love with the 7 children, and eventually their widowed father, Captain von Trapp. He is ordered to accept a commission in the German navy, but he opposes the Nazis. He and Maria decide on a plan to flee Austria with the children as tensions rise before the outbreak of World War II.

With its unforgettable score, THE SOUND OF MUSIC touches the hearts of all ages and contains some of the most memorable songs ever performed on the musical theatre stage including My Favourite Things, Do-Re- Mi, Climb Ev’ry Mountain, Edelweiss, The Lonely Goatherd, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, and of course the glorious title song The Sound of Music.

The original 1959 Broadway production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and was

Rogers and Hammerstein’s biggest success. The 1965 movie starring Julie Andrews as Maria won five Oscars, including Best Picture, and remains one of the most popular movies of all time.

SINGAPORE YOUNG ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

It is interesting to know that 6 out of 7 von Trapp children are young actors and actresses from Singapore, with 3 children to alternate each character. These 18 children come from all corners of Singapore and will perform in rotation throughout the season as the small and cute Gretl, the brothers Friedrich and Kurt, as well as their sisters Marta, Brigitta, and Louisa.

We enjoyed the beautiful stage props which my kids were in awe at the automatic appearance of the tables and chairs which stopped in precise locations. The voices of Maria, the nuns, the children, Captain von Trapp are powerful and an enjoyment to close your eyes for a moment to let the notes sink into your eardrums. While I was watching, I love to pay attention to the standing positions of the actors and actresses. I pointed out to the older kids on the details of the stage performance, including the synchronised steps, looks, speeches with precised timing. It is often with such attention to details that make a performance beautiful and flowing.

We totally love the musical and encourage to let your kids watch the movie before heading to the musical. It is a good start for appreciation of the performing arts for the whole family with such a timeless classic musical.

Sound of Music is currently showing at Mastercards Theatres at Marina Bay Sands till 3 December 2017. It will be a good holiday family activity to look forward to.

More information as follows:

When: 7 November to 3 December

Performance Times: Tues – Fri 730pm; Sat 2pm & 730pm; Sun 1pm & 6pm

Ticket Price: From $65 (Excludes the booking fee of SGD$4 per ticket)

Bookings:

INTERNET: www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing or www.sistic.com.sg

PHONE: +65 6688 8826

IN PERSON AT:

Marina Bay Sands Box Offices (Museum, Theatres, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1

Lobby).

For more information please log onto – www.MarinaBaySands.com

Disclaimer: We were invited to the musical for the purpose of this review. Thank you Base Entertainment Asia and Sliding Doors Entertainment for the kind invitation. It was certainly 2 thumbs-up for this wonderful musical. I am sure the story will leave a good lasting impression on the kids 🙂