(Note: This is an old post about a very good play that was performed in March so you can’t get tickets for it right now but if and when it does come back, you should grab tickets.)
The Story: Normal is a play about students from the Normal (Academic) Stream and the challenges that they have to deal with: growing up, O-Levels and most prominently, the stigma of being an NA Student. We see the story of a rebellious troublemaker and her hardworking (but sadly, not as bright) best friend unfold through the eyes of an idealistic new teacher.
The Verdict: When I first read about Normal in the papers, I was intrigued (and also very glad that my friend managed to snag tickets early on because they were all sold out at that point). There was talk that a lot of important people went to watch this, even a minister at some point – which was honestly surprising because this wasn’t one of those big-budget extravaganzas that I would associate with the ministerial crowd. After the play, however, it wasn’t hard to see why Normal got that attention.
Normal provides a realistic portrayal of life in a convent school that triggers fond memories (or PTSD) of teen years.As soon as the play began and the girls in their crisp grey pinafores stepped out singing hymns, I got instant flashbacks to the war zone that plagued my childhood and left me traumatised for years after. (ugh.) The very intimate and no-frills play space (this play was held in a relatively small black box theatre) helps to contribute to the emotional connection. It’s just you and the story.
The world is lovingly fleshed out and painfully accurate, peppered with dialogue that is so adorably authentic. A tidbit that stuck with me was a part where this girl talked about how her parents made her hide her school books during Chinese New Year so that her relatives would not know that she was an NA student. From the serial mugger who worked non-stop on a project that never seemed good no matter how hard she worked to the A-star student who is truly devastated after receiving 98 marks for an exam instead of 99, the range of familiar characters is sure to tug on your heartstrings.
Whether you were an elite school student or an ultra-hood NSK – Normal brings up some ugly truths about our local education system but also provides a heavy dose of nostalgia (ESPECIALLY IF YOU WERE/ARE <once an ij girl, always an ij girl, there is no escape lbr> A CONVENT SCHOOL GIRL.) that makes it very enjoyable for any Singaporean who has been through the system (which basically means, everyone.)
Rating: 5/5 Stars