1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,600 Hello! You there! Welcome to the first full episode of A Spoonful of Theatre! 2 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,000 I'm TJ, theatre practitioner, director and performer. 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:19,000 And I'm Sam Sam, a teacher of language, literature and self-proclaimed show business, luvvy! 4 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:25,000 This is our podcast where we spill the tea on all things Singapore theatre. 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,000 It's Tea Time! 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:32,000 And rather fittingly, today's episode is entitled Break a Leg! 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:33,000 Literally. 8 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,000 Uh oh, why like that TJ? 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:42,000 Well, because our guest is the one and only Andrew Marco, who quite literally broke his leg during Little Shop of Horrors, 10 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 and I had to learn the lead part in only three days and go on stage because... 11 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:50,000 Just a minute, just a minute! More on that later dear listeners. 12 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,000 But for now, pop the kettle on. 13 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:54,000 Grab a Bicky! 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,000 And let's add a spoonful of theatre to sweeten up your day. 15 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,000 Oh, we're here love! 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,000 We are here! It's our first full episode, Sam. 17 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,000 Our first full episode. Marvellous! 18 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,000 I am excited. I have loved the last few days looking at everybody. 19 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,000 We managed to get two episodes out already in our first month. 20 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:23,000 And it's been so lovely, hasn't it? Just all the responses and everyone engaging with it. It's been wonderful. 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,000 It's not just our mothers listening. It's quite a few of you. 22 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,000 It's great. Thank you for everyone who wants to listen to us ramble on. 23 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:37,000 Yes, I know the messages that we've been receiving on Instagram, on TocTik and all the... 24 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,000 Alright, uncle. 25 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:45,000 No, and a really big thank you to all. A lot of you have said you've wanted something like this. 26 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:51,000 You want the tea of Singapore theatre. So thank you so much for your support. 27 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:58,000 And of course, a big shout out to Zyrup Media as well, who is hosting us doing this podcast. 28 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:04,000 So a big thank you to you for helping us out with this. So yes, it's been fabulous. 29 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:11,000 It's been great. And you want the tea and we have got the kettle on and it is boiling and we are ready to spill it for you. 30 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,000 So we'll be going to all the shows, just like our Dear Evan Hansen Spill the Tea episode. 31 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,000 We'll be seeing lots of shows over the next few months. 32 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:22,000 So if you would like us to review a show, drop us a message and we will try and go view it. 33 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,000 And also we are going to be interviewing all the guests from Singapore Theatre. 34 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,000 So we'd like to know who you want us to have a conversation with. 35 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,000 Yes. 36 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,000 And speaking of, today is our first conversation. 37 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,000 It is our first guest. 38 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 And our first guest is on the way. He's stuck in traffic. 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:43,000 We've been receiving very, very interesting, very interesting voice messages from him on the way. 40 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Oh, in different accents, which I'm going to ask him about. It's a big question of mine about his accents. 41 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,000 But it's going to be a very entertaining one. And I think for us, why are we doing these interviews? 42 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:59,000 We don't just want those kind of very typical corporate interviews where, you know, we're saying all the right things. 43 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,000 We want you guys to get to know the people. So I'm very lucky. 44 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000 I've met most of the people we're going to be interviewing and work with them. 45 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:10,000 And you know, when you work with people, you talk in the changing rooms and in the rehearsal room and, you know, you get to know people on that level. 46 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:20,000 And I think it's fine time that we got to know all of our fantastic Singapore professionals, actors, directors, costume designers, backstage a little bit more personally. 47 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,000 And that's our aim for these interviews, isn't it, Sam Sam? 48 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Yes, I completely agree. And for audience members, what we hope is that it makes them more accessible. 49 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:40,000 It's not like Hollywood or where they're up on a pedestal and you can't touch them or speak to them or anything like that. 50 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:51,000 As I've sort of been in your shadow meeting all these people, they're such wonderful, humble human beings and they have stories to tell. 51 00:03:51,000 --> 00:04:01,000 And our hope is, is that you want to hear those stories as well. And we cannot wait for us and our guests to share those stories. 52 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Absolutely. And our first guest, I think I just looked, he's pulling up now. So we are going to get ready. 53 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:15,000 And in a moment, dear listeners, we are coming back with our wonderful interview with the one and only Andrew Marko. 54 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:16,000 Stay tuned. 55 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:25,000 So, ladies and gentlemen, what a great introduction because our guest is in the room with us. 56 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,000 Sam, who is with us today? Two guests. 57 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:33,000 My sides have been splitting from the moment he's walked in the door. Ladies and gentlemen. 58 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:39,000 And he's discovered the sound effects button. It is chaos, ladies and gentlemen, already. 59 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:44,000 Oh dear Lord. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Andrew Marko. 60 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,000 Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. How are you, dear? 61 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,000 I'm doing very well indeed. How are the both of you? 62 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,000 All right. Yes. 63 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,000 We are good. We are good. But you know, I've got a bone to pick with you. 64 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,000 Oh dear. 65 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,000 Breaking, breaking bones. 66 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:08,000 I just want to say it's not my fault that it happened. OK, it's because too many people tell me to break a leg. And when it actually happens, it manifested. 67 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:16,000 Why, it wasn't your fault to jump on a platform and do a split leap onto the ground. Oh, she's not bitter, are you? I really are not bitter. 68 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:24,000 You were so happy to do it. You were happy to do it. It's your dream role. And you kept saying that was your dream role. And look, it manifests, right? 69 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:32,000 You know what? I genuinely, I do thank you. It was one of the best experiences. But at the same time, that was hell for three days to try and work out how to learn. 70 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:48,000 And anytime that you have to deal with hell, I think the best thing to do is have a drink. And today we've got ginca, Peruvian distilled gin, very small batch, handcrafted and distilled by Peru's first urban distillery, Berry's edition. 71 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,000 I'm going to have to put a sponsored link to this thing. 72 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,000 I know we are. 73 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,000 Oh, yes, there we are. 74 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,000 Oh, that sounded wonderful. 75 00:05:55,000 --> 00:06:02,000 Okay, so when we say it's a tea, today is a slightly stronger tea than usual. 76 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:10,000 Okay, so Marco has brought us a lovely gin to have and he's pouring it now. So as you're doing that, Marco, why don't you tell us what possessed you to jump off a platform and break your leg? 77 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:22,000 Well, to be honest, I was born and then I was given this impression that I was cool and that I could be cool. And to be fair, the whole week I had been doing it perfectly fine. 78 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:35,000 You know, nothing ever went wrong. The final button of the song, I get up and go, boom, boom, da da da, boom. It was fine. It's fine. And then that one Saturday night, just, everything just gave way. 79 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,000 But just to clarify, no one asked you to do that. 80 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:39,000 No one asked me to do it, yes. 81 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,000 That was something added in. 82 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:48,000 Yes. And that's why the insurance just wasn't in my favor. 83 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:55,000 Otherwise, I would have single handedly bankrupted Sing’theatre. I'm still very sorry for almost doing that. 84 00:06:55,000 --> 00:07:00,000 When it happened, did your life flash before your eyes? 85 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:06,000 To be honest, it was one of those moments where when I think back about it, I think that the trauma was just wild. 86 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:19,000 Because the moment I landed, I felt a crack on my knee. I felt something go off and I knew, I knew something bad had happened because then I couldn't feel my toes. I couldn't move my toes. I couldn't move my ankle. 87 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:24,000 And I thought, oh my God, I'm dead. I'm dead for life. I'm never going to walk again. 88 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:33,000 And then I hobbled off. And I remember when I hobbled off stage, everyone who was watching just went, oh, what a funny guy. Comedy, classic, Andrew. 89 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,000 Well, it's true. Show must go on. 90 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:42,000 Show must go on, yes. But then as I hobbled off stage, I tapped TJ on the shoulder and I went, TJ, TJ, no, no, no. 91 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:50,000 What I remember hearing was, oh, oh, oh, as we were hobbling off stage and I'm behind you going, oh, he's done something. 92 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:57,000 And then what I remember is I was right next to you and you got into the wing and you just collapsed in front of me right at my feet. 93 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:06,000 And all I did, I looked down and I went, I'm Seymour. That was literally, and I just, I stood there frozen for about three minutes as everyone else came to do first aid. 94 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:12,000 I was not helping you. I was stood absolutely paralysed in shock. Just looking down going, I'm Seymour. 95 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,000 I've got to memorize my lines now. 96 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:19,000 I'm Seymour. I was like, I'm Seymour. And then I remember telling, I was still in shock and Natalie came over and Natalie was like, he'll be fine. 97 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:26,000 He just needs to stretch out as you're laid there in utter pain. And I was like, no, Natalie, he's not coming back. 98 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,000 As we're calling an ambulance, I'm like, yeah, you're not coming back. 99 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:37,000 And then, yeah, the realization for us came in that we had to redo the show for Tuesday. 100 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:42,000 Bless you. You got yourself sorted, well, to a degree, you got yourself sorted. And then you came and watched the show. 101 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,000 And then I came and watched the show. 102 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:44,000 How did that feel? 103 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:54,000 It was, it was, I felt like I just wanted to jump on stage. And it was the first time in my life ever watching a show that I'm actually in. 104 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,000 Oh, yes. What is a real experience? 105 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:01,000 Yes. It's a strange feeling. I've never done that. I've never had an understudy. Go on. 106 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,000 Oh, that was a flex. Could you feel that? That was a flex then. 107 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,000 To be fair, there's not usually understudies. We were very lucky. We were very lucky. 108 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:16,000 So it was an incredible feeling. And I went, I remember I went with Eugenia and her mom and her two sisters. 109 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:23,000 And it was my first time meeting them. And it was supposed to be me performing on stage and going up to them going, oh, yeah, hi, I'm Andrew. 110 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:31,000 But no, it was just me sat in the audience with them going, that should have been me. I could have been doing that. But I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot. 111 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,000 And are you all healed now? 112 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:41,000 It's about 85 percent of the way healed. I'm still not allowed to run or jump, but I'm allowed to walk fast. 113 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:46,000 I'm allowed to do small tiny pivots, but I can't spin yet. 114 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,000 I'm sure your choreographers love you. 115 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:56,000 Oh, yeah. Gabby's having a wild time having to dumb everything down just for my leg. 116 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,000 Now then, Marco, darling, where did it? Oh, cheers, by the way. 117 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:04,000 Oh, cheers. Yes, yes. Cheers. We've got our drinks. Marco, thank you so much. Here we go. 118 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:12,000 Oh, that's lovely botanicals. Beautiful tea. Beautiful tea. 119 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,000 Well done, Peru. 120 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,000 Oh, wow. Oh, there we go. 121 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,000 Goodness. What am I in the middle of? 122 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:25,000 Marco, my darling, Marco, where did it all begin? 123 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:34,000 I think I was four years old and I played a cow in Milky Way. 124 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:39,000 No, I missed it by just that much. 125 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:46,000 No, it was a little school recital for Old MacDonald Had A Farm and I was the cow. 126 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000 Oh, wow. 127 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:54,000 But then, of course, when I was in primary school and everything, I was in a lot of performance based stuff. 128 00:10:54,000 --> 00:11:02,000 I was in a band. I played the tuba. I was also in the choir, which I hated because you had to sing like this all the time. 129 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,000 Very sound of music. 130 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:15,000 It was a nightmare. And then when I went to secondary school, I remember I joined the rugby team and the drama club at the same time. 131 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:23,000 And I went for a week's worth of rugby training and I thought, no, I'm not doing that. I'm not running out in the sun. 132 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:29,000 Drama clubs got aircon. I turned the other way and I went, I'm going to join the drama club. 133 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:34,000 But of course, I had terrible stage fright when I was a little kid because I've always been big. 134 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,000 I've always been really, really big since I was very young. 135 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:41,000 So the crippling anxiety of going on stage and having everyone laugh at me was just too much for me. 136 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:46,000 So I said, no, I am not going to perform. I am just going to be the backstage crew. 137 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,000 So that's why I started out. I started moving props, moving stuff around on stage. 138 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:56,000 And already that was like, I would get nervous. I would start sweating, you know, moving a chair on stage. 139 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,000 And I was like, oh, no, everyone's going to laugh at me. I can't do this. 140 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:04,000 And then I had this teacher. She passed away a couple of years ago. 141 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,000 Bless her soul. Her name's Sheila, Sheila Gregory. 142 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,000 And she was my lit teacher and also the head of the drama club. 143 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:15,000 And in lit class, for some reason, I was always a very strange kid. 144 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,000 So we were doing a reading of Animal Farm. 145 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,000 Oh, really? 146 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,000 And she was asking us to read out the book one by one. 147 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:25,000 And when it came to me, I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I started reading it like this. 148 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:31,000 And all the animals chorused all together. Four legs good, two legs bad. 149 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:36,000 I started reading it like that. And she went, what? Why? Why? OK. 150 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,000 And so she said, you can act. You can you can try acting. I think you'd be good at it. 151 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,000 And I went, oh, I'm not going to do that. 152 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:48,000 But still, she forced me on to stage. She said, I'm going to give you a small role. Just try it out. 153 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,000 And I did. I loved it. I just fell in love with the kind of applause that I got. 154 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,000 And I went, oh, I can do this. And then that rest is history. 155 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,000 I just started performing since then. 156 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:02,000 There's many a story where the literature teacher is involved. 157 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:05,000 Absolutely. I'm thinking of Patrick Stewart now. 158 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:09,000 No, you are. I need a Patrick Stewart button. 159 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,000 Have you read it? It's the best book I've read this year, Patrick Stewart's memoir. 160 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:19,000 And he had a mentor in his school that basically set him. 161 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,000 And they had with Brian Blessed, no less. 162 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:28,000 They had a little club. And yet it was it's the rest is history with that. 163 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,000 It's I mean, we're teachers. 164 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:35,000 It's nice to know that there's that they can be an inspiration. 165 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,000 Yeah, like that. Absolutely. 166 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,000 And I think, you know, I was exactly the same. 167 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,000 My drama teacher was was my absolute inspiration. 168 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:47,000 And I think, you know, when you have a good drama teacher or someone just that believes in you at that age, 169 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:51,000 it completely changes you in that one spark and just make a huge difference going forward. 170 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,000 So shout out to all the teachers. 171 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,000 Cheers to all the teachers. 172 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,000 Because you're teaching now as well. 173 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,000 How's that going? 174 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,000 I will say you're inspiring the next Marco. 175 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,000 That's what you're doing. That's what I'm doing. 176 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:12,000 And I've got I've got some one on one classes, which I love because it's just one on one. 177 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:16,000 And the kids are sometimes pretty enthusiastic. 178 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:22,000 But the group classes, I've got to deal with about 12, eight year olds. 179 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,000 That's one class and another class of 12, nine year olds. 180 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:32,000 And then on one class, my group classes, I've got two 14 year olds who, in contrast to the other two classes, are quiet. 181 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,000 They're just like getting them to speak is like trying to squeeze blood out of stones. 182 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:38,000 They just don't speak at all. 183 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:42,000 And the first two classes, they're just absolute chaos. 184 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:46,000 It takes me about 15 minutes to get them to sit in a circle and stay seated. 185 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:49,000 So that can be a bit terrifying. 186 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,000 But it's fun. It's fun. Honestly, I mean, I used to teach a few years ago. 187 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,000 And then I stopped because I said, I've had enough of children. 188 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:05,000 I can't do it. And then this year, my bank account said, well, maybe give that another shot because you hate it. 189 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,000 But look around you. Everyone hates their jobs. 190 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,000 But you know what? Those people have money. 191 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,000 So I said, oh, I've got to do that. 192 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:21,000 That does raise a very interesting question for the performers world in Singapore. 193 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:29,000 How hard can it get in terms of maintaining a living and as well as doing what you love? 194 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,000 Yeah, it can be really, really tough. 195 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,000 I think a lot of us struggle with that on a daily basis. 196 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:43,000 And a lot of us have to do all kinds of weird, random things to survive. 197 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:48,000 I know people who drive grab and people who do Lala move, stuff like that. 198 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:57,000 Oh, excuse me. The botanicals, the botanicals, the botanicals, lovely tea, the ghosts of the flowers just popping up to say hello. 199 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,000 So it can be it can be really tough. 200 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:04,000 I think what is always evident is that everyone always has a lot of passion about it. 201 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,000 And they carry on even though it's just so difficult. 202 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:13,000 And you go for like seven auditions and get one show, you know, or sometimes you don't even get any show. 203 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:18,000 And you have to settle for all these little tiny gigs that pay really, really little. 204 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,000 But you know, you always kind of do it with with the hope that someone's going to pick this up. 205 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:28,000 Someone's going to snowball my luck will snowball and everything will come true in the end. 206 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,000 But it's a tough it's a tough world out there. 207 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:36,000 Now, you see, that's very interesting as well, because I feel like most people that are listening to this probably have heard your name and see you in quite big shows. 208 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,000 Because I mean, you'd be very fortunate to have some amazing shows. 209 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,000 But yet we still talk like that even after all of those shows. 210 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,000 Absolutely. Because it's not guaranteed, right? 211 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:48,000 It's not no matter what you've achieved, the next job isn't guaranteed. 212 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:52,000 That's one thing that I would tell anyone listening out there who's who's like starting out. 213 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:58,000 And if you're if you're looking at me and going, oh, I know he must be he must be rolling in a lot of money. 214 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,000 It's not true. I'm still barely surviving. 215 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:05,000 And this will be next year will be my tenth year in this industry. 216 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,000 And even then, I'm uncle. I've reached that age. 217 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,000 I'm just old now. My back is hurting a little bit. 218 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,000 Everything's hurting. My knee is gone. 219 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,000 It's just as far as that. 220 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,000 All right. You are you are never going to let it go. 221 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:24,000 Maybe after this podcast. This is this is like therapy. 222 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,000 This is therapy. This is getting it out. 223 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,000 Sorry. Yeah, no. Yeah. 224 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:35,000 Yeah. But honestly, just keep doing what you're doing, I guess, I think. 225 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:41,000 So tell anyone. And it doesn't get any better or easier. 226 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:46,000 No matter how long that you've been doing this, it's still a struggle. 227 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,000 And it will always be one. I think that's just part and parcel of doing theatre in Singapore. 228 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:55,000 Has there been a moment where you thought I'm going to give it all up? I'm done. 229 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:59,000 Yeah. I mean, plenty. I mean, about twice a day. 230 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:04,000 And very often, like it usually happens around this time of year when when you realize, 231 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:08,000 oh, I don't have a lot of work for next year. Maybe I should just quit. 232 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,000 But everything always kind of sort of sorts itself out in the end. 233 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,000 I think COVID was a really tough time for a lot of us. 234 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:18,000 During COVID, I definitely wanted to just switch careers. 235 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:23,000 I wanted to move to Phuket, open up a bar or something, you know, 236 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:29,000 like just do a complete career switch or move to Tasmania, be a wildlife caretaker. 237 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,000 Because I love animals and I've always wanted to do that. 238 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,000 So I thought, I'll just do that. 239 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,000 Why am I stressing out about being a performer here and nobody really wants to watch anything? 240 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,000 But of course, that was COVID mindset. 241 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:45,000 And it's thankfully kind of eased off on my troubles. 242 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,000 You are not necessarily you've been in so many musicals, 243 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:55,000 but your training wasn't musical theatre and you just ended up in all of these musicals. 244 00:18:55,000 --> 00:19:00,000 So actually going on to that, so like what was your background for training? 245 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:08,000 Those of you who don't know, how did you go from being a cow to the professional actor that we see today? 246 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:14,000 Well, it was in junior college. It was in JC that I took drama as a subject. 247 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:19,000 And I got some training for two years there. I learned ballet. 248 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,000 I was training ballet. 249 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,000 You've got very good splits, I'll tell you. 250 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,000 I do, yes. 251 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,000 Well, maybe before. 252 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:30,000 I'm not as stable now, but I'm training to get back in it. 253 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:35,000 So I did ballet there. We had like really good vocal coaches and acting teachers, 254 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,000 all of whom were teaching at Lasalle as well. 255 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,000 So I remember receiving all that and I thought, 256 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:45,000 well, this is basically like a condensed two-year version of Lasalle. 257 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,000 And that was it. 258 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,000 And then when I went to university, I did sociology and psychology. 259 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:52,000 Oh. 260 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,000 So nothing related to that. 261 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,000 Is that the proper job? 262 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,000 Yeah, exactly. That was the proper job. 263 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:04,000 And then I realised I'm just really bad at school. 264 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:08,000 I remember the first day of psychology lecture, there's a huge cohort. 265 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,000 I can't remember, at least a thousand of us. 266 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,000 My goodness. 267 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:12,000 Huge, huge cohort. 268 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:13,000 Which uni? 269 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,000 NUS. 270 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Right, old. 271 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,000 Yeah, so in NUS, the guy walks in and he said, 272 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:22,000 OK, out of all of you here, only about four or five percent will become psychologists. 273 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:26,000 I was like, OK, should I go now? Should I walk out? 274 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:31,000 And it's true because you have to be the top, the top, top one, two percent of the cohort 275 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,000 in order to get anywhere. 276 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:38,000 And most of the time, the rest of us just go on to doing social policy making 277 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:43,000 or guidance counsellors and stuff, or therapists, you know. 278 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,000 Only a small handful become actual doctors of psychology. 279 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:50,000 So it's a tough field. And so I realised I'm not really good at it. 280 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,000 I did terribly throughout university. 281 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,000 What made you choose it in the first place? 282 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,000 Because I was always very fascinated with the human mind. 283 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:06,000 I've always, from a very young age, like philosophy and all these sort of thinkers of the great time. 284 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,000 I studied a lot of that even before going to uni. 285 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,000 I was very interested in Freud, Freud and Carl Jung. 286 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,000 That's about it, really, Freud and Freud. 287 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,000 I obsessed over those two for a long time. 288 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,000 I read a lot of their books and I thought, I can do this. 289 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,000 I'm smart enough. 290 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,000 Turns out I'm not that smart. 291 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,000 But let's face it, once we get into the rehearsal room, 292 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,000 that's a lot of an actor's job, is understanding the psychology of the character. 293 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:37,000 So I think it's maybe just a realigning of that interest to characters. 294 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:41,000 Exactly. And I think it carries on to the work that I do now, 295 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,000 because I'm really still very fascinated with the mind. 296 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,000 I'm very fascinated by different characters, different stories, different perspectives, 297 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,000 and how they can all be melded into one mind. 298 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:56,000 And how it's every time we are a certain thing, we are genuine about it, 299 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,000 even though sometimes we feel like we are acting. 300 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,000 But then acting is becoming because it's who we are. 301 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:05,000 So therefore, even if we're always acting, we're always true. 302 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,000 Therefore, is it acting at all? 303 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,000 Or is it just constantly different versions of truth? 304 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,000 Oh, how very philosophical. 305 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,000 It's the fucking gin talking. 306 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,000 I need some more Britannicals. 307 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:24,000 So how do you use that to inform your process? 308 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:31,000 I think it's one thing that I've always taken very seriously, 309 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,000 is the fact that your character can be anything. 310 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:41,000 It can have many different facets, many different shades, and they're all colorful. 311 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:46,000 I think all different perspectives and different shades of personality are very colorful. 312 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:50,000 It's so important to have that because there is no one who is just one-dimensional. 313 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,000 Nobody is just a boring one shade of something. 314 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,000 We're always a mix of everything. 315 00:22:55,000 --> 00:23:00,000 And each mix has its own sort of color that relates to that mix, 316 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,000 and then they're all just intertwined. 317 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:07,000 So I love filling out details when I do characters. 318 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,000 I love creating very complex characters in my head. 319 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:14,000 And every little tiny little thing has so much motivation behind it, 320 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:19,000 so much sort of story and backstory and all the little quirks that a character has. 321 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,000 I just love filling them out and creating too much sometimes. 322 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,000 Do you take enough risks with it? 323 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:30,000 I do. I always... I mean, you can ask TJ as a director. 324 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,000 As a director of Marco several times, I can tell you. 325 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,000 This boy is always creating. 326 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,000 Exactly. I'm always playing around because I get bored very easily. 327 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:42,000 I hate doing the same thing over and over again, ironically. 328 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,000 So I love keeping things fresh. 329 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,000 I love throwing random new things into the mix, 330 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,000 speaking in a different way, delivering a line in a different way, 331 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,000 just for fun sometimes. 332 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,000 And my brain is constantly making stuff up. 333 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:59,000 It's constantly creating stuff as I'm performing different characters. 334 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,000 And yeah, I just love to do that in a rehearsal room. 335 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,000 That's why I need a director who will have the patience. 336 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,000 Thank you, TJ. 337 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,000 Patience to allow me to play and to do all these things, 338 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,000 and then will tell me, OK, read it back here, read it back there. 339 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,000 Has that always been successful, TJ? 340 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,000 No, so I tell you, OK, so I tell you with Marco, 341 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,000 I've been on a journey with you, and I think I've told you this already to your face, 342 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:29,000 but what I love about you in a rehearsal room is that you do play and you constantly play. 343 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,000 And that's really fun as a director. 344 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:36,000 Having options is really important, and I really value actors that come in and offer things. 345 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,000 And you also open to conversations afterwards and will say, no, that's not working, 346 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,000 and here's why, and we have a conversation. 347 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:46,000 But I do remember the very first show I worked on with you, it was Urinetown. 348 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:47,000 Oh, yeah. 349 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,000 And I remember coming into Urinetown as the vocal coach that was over at Pandemonium. 350 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:55,000 And after that show, I remembered going, I'm never working with this boy again. 351 00:24:55,000 --> 00:25:01,000 And the reason was because on that show, I just felt like you were the Joker. 352 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,000 Yeah. 353 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,000 But you had also a character that was very playful. 354 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,000 And you were very playful in that rehearsal room. 355 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,000 And it was only by the time we got to Rainbow, 356 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,000 was I think the next time we worked together. 357 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,000 Actually, no, maybe just, no, it was Rainbow. 358 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:15,000 It was Rainbow. 359 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,000 It was Rainbow. 360 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,000 And then I just grew up with completely different appreciations. 361 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,000 We were also fellow actors on that stage. 362 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,000 I mean, you had like three scenes. 363 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,000 He had his feet up the entire show. 364 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,000 I love that show so much. 365 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,000 Rainbow was when I first saw you. 366 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:37,000 And that I was really impressed because, and again, I've said this to you before, 367 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:41,000 your ability to turn an accent is incredible. 368 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:42,000 Well, thanks. 369 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:48,000 It was proper British, like that sort of Cockney accent. 370 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,000 There was a Cockney twinge to it. 371 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:54,000 And your accents, how are? 372 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,000 I don't know, really. 373 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,000 It's just one of those things that when I was very young, 374 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,000 I was very obsessed with accents, of course. 375 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,000 And I realized I could do that. 376 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,000 I could watch a TV show or a movie and sort of just take what I hear 377 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:08,000 and replicate it with my mouth. 378 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,000 And I thought, oh, that's pretty simple. 379 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:14,000 So when I was really young, I spoke with a really thick American accent. 380 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,000 And that was because it was like a defense mechanism. 381 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,000 I was made fun of a lot. 382 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:21,000 People bullied me a lot. 383 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:22,000 And so I was othered. 384 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,000 I was alienated. 385 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:27,000 And so I said, all right, how can I further alienate myself? 386 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,000 And it was speaking with an American accent. 387 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,000 And I started lying to people because I thought I had this kid in my class. 388 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,000 I remember his name was Keegan, right, when I was in primary four. 389 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:37,000 His name was Keegan. 390 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,000 Keegan was from Canada. 391 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,000 And he came in and everybody loved Keegan because he spoke like this. 392 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,000 And everyone was like, oh, he's so cool. 393 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,000 He's like from America. 394 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:50,000 So I started speaking like that and telling people that I was from America, 395 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,000 which is obviously a lie. 396 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,000 And then when the Harry Potter series came out, 397 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,000 I was obsessed with the British accent. 398 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,000 Every single British accent that was in that film, I was like, 399 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,000 oh, why does that British accent sound different from that one? 400 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,000 And what does she mean when she talks like this? 401 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:06,000 I need to know. 402 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,000 I need to understand this. 403 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,000 I need to know it. 404 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,000 I need to have it. 405 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:15,000 And so I did one by one, just slowly collecting accents through my life. 406 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:19,000 I must admit, I completely empathize with you with the othering. 407 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:24,000 I did the same thing at school because I was othered. 408 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,000 I am half Scottish. 409 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:31,000 But when I was at school, my Scottish pride suddenly came through 410 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,000 and I practically acted like a full Scot. 411 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,000 And my mom actually sold me out. 412 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,000 It was my mom who was the Scottish side of my family. 413 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,000 It was my mom that sold me out in front of my friends. 414 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,000 But it's interesting how that sort of othering and that want for acceptance 415 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:53,000 can influence your personality and your socialization in that respect. 416 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,000 I'm going very deep in academic here. 417 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:59,000 I think also, I think it's obvious, I was exactly the same. 418 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:04,000 But I think theater especially is a home for people that feel like that 419 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,000 because it gives you a chance to explore something else in a safe space. 420 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:13,000 And I think theater often does attract those that are maybe feeling a little bit left out 421 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:18,000 or needing to work through things, especially early in those kind of formative years. 422 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,000 Theatre was my favorite time of the week. 423 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,000 By the time I was 15, I was doing theater every night of the week. 424 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:27,000 I was working on different theater companies by the time I was 15. 425 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,000 So that to me was my escape. 426 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,000 And that's where I found my friends and my people and my family 427 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:35,000 and people that accepted you for everything that you are and who you are. 428 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,000 That's one of my biggest life regrets that I did not have that opportunity. 429 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaking of that, so opportunity in Singapore, 430 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:46,000 I actually get quite frustrated when people say there's not the opportunity to do arts in Singapore 431 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,000 because there absolutely is. It's there. 432 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:53,000 I do believe that we can do better for different income levels 433 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,000 because I think it still can be quite expensive to train in the arts, 434 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,000 but I think that's the same around the world. That's a worldwide problem. 435 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:04,000 But how was your experience in gaining all of that kind of experience and training 436 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,000 after you finding me becoming a character helps me, 437 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,000 and then that goes to drama club and blah, blah, blah? 438 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:13,000 How did that part of your life kind of develop? 439 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:23,000 So I remember after I got out of school, I wasn't going to pursue acting, of course. 440 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,000 And I was like, in my head, I was like, oh, that's a hobby. 441 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,000 And I've been trained very well by Asian parents to think, 442 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:31,000 oh, this is not something that you should do as a main job. 443 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:34,000 And so I thought, yeah, I'm just going to have fun with it. 444 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:42,000 And the first show that I did outside of school was Lord of the Flies with SRT’s Young Co. 445 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:48,000 Now, I wasn't in Young Co, but my senior from school had given me a call and said, 446 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,000 look, I can't do this play. I'm dropping out. 447 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,000 But do you want to try it out? Do you want to audition? 448 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,000 So I went and Dan Jenkins was directing that show. 449 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,000 That was my first time working with and meeting Dan Jenkins. 450 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:04,000 Then doing that, I realized, oh, I really love this. 451 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,000 I'm just going to do this as a hobby. And so I kept doing that as a hobby. 452 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,000 I kept working. I worked with a lot of amateur theater companies 453 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,000 and stuff that just paid in experience. 454 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:19,000 This was like in 2012, 2013, so it was still very acceptable to do shows for free. 455 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:24,000 And so I did. Then I realized, oh, I kind of like this. 456 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:29,000 I think I can kind of sustain myself if I do this regularly enough. 457 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:34,000 And then in my final year of university, I did my first panto with Wild Race. 458 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,000 Oh. 459 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,000 And that was by complete chance too, because a very close friend of mine, Ben Kheng, 460 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:43,000 was in the show and he was like, oh, hey, Pam, the director, 461 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,000 is looking for actors who can play instruments and act. 462 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,000 Do you want to audition? So I said, OK, sure. I'll give it a shot. 463 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:52,000 And then Pam accepted me into the show and I was so happy. 464 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:56,000 I was like, yes, oh, it's cool. It's my first Wild Race panto. Whoa. 465 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:01,000 And then from there, I think Tracie and Adrian saw me 466 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:05,000 and then I was asked to audition for Rent. 467 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:08,000 And then after audition for Rent, they were like, hey, by the way, 468 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:13,000 we've got another show as well. It's about a kid with severe autism. 469 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,000 You want to try it out? And I went, oh, that's terrifying. 470 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,000 I'll give it a go. So I auditioned for that. 471 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:23,000 And I got Falling. And I remember getting Falling was my last year of uni. 472 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,000 And I was just about to graduate, you know, trying to get an internship somewhere. 473 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:31,000 And then after I'd closed Falling, I thought, oh, my, I think I can do this. 474 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:34,000 I think I can actually do this as a living. I can do this properly. 475 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,000 And if I get enough traction now, I can probably just keep doing shows. 476 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,000 I can sustain myself. And so I did. 477 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:44,000 And so I made the executive decision to say, well, screw this, screw school. 478 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:50,000 I'm going to just make it just the bare minimum to pass and to get my certificate. 479 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,000 And then I'm going to just throw myself into the industry. 480 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,000 And that's what I did. And I just never looked back since. 481 00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:01,000 So you were in your final year of university when you did your first performance of Falling. 482 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,000 Yeah. My God. Yeah. 483 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:14,000 Because I, TJ very kindly took me to see Falling this year, your second round of Falling. 484 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:21,000 And I have to say, Andrew, what a performance. Thank you very much. 485 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:25,000 I was in your eyeline and you saw me sobbing like a girl. Yeah. 486 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:36,000 It was such a powerful play. And not just you to Karen and to Dwayne as well. 487 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,000 It was such a powerful story. 488 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:43,000 I think it's so lovely that we do have these sort of stories being shown in theatre. 489 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:47,000 I think Pangdemonium especially do always kind of champion that. 490 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:51,000 Yeah, absolutely. It's always nice to do shows that are rooted in that kind of realness. 491 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:58,000 Every time I get to do a show like that, I'm just so happy because mostly most things are like sunshine and rainbows. 492 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,000 And then you get stuff that's just hard hitting and it's like, ah, yes. 493 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,000 Because as an actor, there's this duality there. 494 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,000 This is light and dark that is always constantly fighting. 495 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,000 And I love to do comedy. I love to do the light stuff. 496 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:13,000 But I also love to do the dark stuff. And I love it when those two mix. 497 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,000 That's just my favorite kind of thing. That is very interesting. 498 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,000 I think most people see you as a comic actor. Yeah. 499 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,000 But I do know that for you, actually, that depth. 500 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:28,000 And even with comedy, I think one of the reasons you're such a good comedy actor is because you put that depth to that character. 501 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,000 It's not just bare bones. 502 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:35,000 Because I think good comedy is just as intense as a serious role. 503 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,000 Because you can't play that comedy just on surface level. 504 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,000 So I think that's really interesting. 505 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,000 I'm going to admit something here. 506 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:50,000 And I kind of alluded to this in the Dear Evan Hansen review is that I am the sunshine and rainbows kind of audience. 507 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,000 I prefer those kind of performances. 508 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:59,000 But TJ has dragged me out to and a lot of them happen, Pangdemonium, in fact. 509 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:02,000 Falling One Tango. That was Pangamonium, wasn't it? 510 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,000 Yes. 511 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:08,000 And I would go in with a wall and think, oh, God, this is going to be too serious. 512 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,000 You know, I like a laugh. I like a bit of frivolity and everything like that. 513 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:22,000 And they've actually all been very, I mean, as I say, I was sobbing like a girl, boy during Falling Tango as well, 514 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,000 which was one of my first serious plays in Singapore. 515 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:30,000 That was very empowering and very real. 516 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:35,000 And I don't expect to watch reality when I go to the theatre. 517 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,000 But when it's done so beautifully, it sticks in your memory. 518 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,000 Yes, sticks in your memory forever and ever. 519 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:47,000 OK, so for me, Marco, what is your what's next for you? 520 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:51,000 Like what's the next 10 years of Andrew Marco? 521 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:58,000 The next 10 years, well, hopefully, hopefully with more money in my bank account. 522 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:05,000 No, but I honestly, I'm at the point in my life now where next year will be my 10th year in the industry as an actor. 523 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:09,000 And I think I'm thinking I can't just be acting forever. 524 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:13,000 I can't just be, you know, a puppet forever. 525 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,000 I've got to surely I've got to do other things. I want to do other things. 526 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,000 I want to try directing. And I've always been a writer as well. 527 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:23,000 I've written a whole bunch of stupid stuff that I'd never really show anyone. 528 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,000 But I've got so much material somewhere. 529 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,000 Why sorry for interrupting. Why won't you show it? 530 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:33,000 You're willing to put yourself vulnerably as a person on the theatre. 531 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,000 But you won't show people your writing. 532 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:39,000 No, because my writing is so I'm so precious about it. 533 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:43,000 It's the I'm so precious about it because I think I'm the best writer in the world in my head. 534 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:48,000 So I if I show anyone my writing, I don't want you to tell me that this doesn't work. 535 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:53,000 It's mine. It's my therapy. I shall continue writing this scene. 536 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:59,000 That's what I used to do. I used to if I get frustrated or if I'm if I'm feeling frustrated with a friend, I would write a scene 537 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:04,000 with two of us and us resolving the conflict. I've done that on chat GPT. 538 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:09,000 It's fun. It's fun. Yeah, because you get you read it through and you go like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. 539 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:15,000 They wouldn't say that. But yeah, it's yeah, it's therapy. 540 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:19,000 So hopefully more writing, more directing in the next couple of years for me, 541 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:25,000 probably more teaching as well, because that's that's where the money is. 542 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:29,000 Is there a dream role that you've never played that you hope to play one day? 543 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:33,000 Elder Cunningham Book of Mormon. That's my number one. 544 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,000 I would love to. I'd love to. 100 percent. 545 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:39,000 See you in that one. Yeah, that would be amazing if I could do that. 546 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,000 Hello. You know, that's just my favorite musical. 547 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:46,000 Again, I've not seen it. I know it's popularity, but I've not seen it. 548 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,000 Maybe we'll do that in London. We're going to London. Yes, please. 549 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,000 Maybe we can watch that. Yes. We'll have a look. Yeah, we have two nights, don't we? 550 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,000 Yeah. Yeah. OK. Anyway, do that. Yeah. 551 00:36:55,000 --> 00:37:02,000 So I think for me, like everything you just said, and I also want to. 552 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:06,000 We've got a little bit of gossip just for this, just for this podcast, 553 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:10,000 because I don't I have a fact that most people don't know. 554 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:18,000 Andrew Marco found his name in a very interesting way, because it's not actually Andrew Marco. 555 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,000 And I've had permission to reveal this to the world. Yes. 556 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:25,000 OK, so Marco, please tell us the story. So my real name is Mabel Lee. 557 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:30,000 I'm kidding. No, I'm so so my and most people don't know this. 558 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,000 And that's fine. I don't I don't really explain this to many people all the time. 559 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:39,000 If you ask, I will tell. My full name is Andrew Mark Ong. 560 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:42,000 Andrew Mark Ong, that's my full name. I grew up Catholic. 561 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:47,000 So Mark is my middle name. And one of the first few shows that I did, 562 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:53,000 I don't remember what it was. It was just some some silly company. 563 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:59,000 I mean, not silly company. I love it. But I was doing a show and in the program booklet, 564 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,000 I put my name as Andrew Mark Ong, but it was really long. 565 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,000 And I didn't check the thing before it got sent to the printers. 566 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:09,000 And I didn't realize that the NG had gotten cut, not cut off. 567 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,000 And it just became Andrew Mark Ong. 568 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:16,000 And then the reviewers after that called me Marco. 569 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,000 So I thought, well, that's all right. 570 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:23,000 I guess I'll just be Marko. And the next show that I did, silly me. 571 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,000 I was thinking to myself, I don't want to put my name as Andrew Mark Ong, 572 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,000 because what if they they recognize me from the last play? 573 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,000 And you think, who the hell is this? Doesn't he look like Andrew Marko? 574 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:33,000 So I went, I'm just going to keep Andrew Marko. 575 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:41,000 And that was in 2013, 14. And it's been it's been ten years of a lie. 576 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:45,000 Now we know, ladies and gentlemen, it is revealed. 577 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,000 That's a lovely story. I absolutely love that. 578 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,000 That's fun. You heard? 579 00:38:50,000 --> 00:39:00,000 There's many an actor or performer whose stage name came from from weird situations. 580 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:04,000 So, yeah, that's at least it's my name is rooted in something real. 581 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:08,000 It's reality. It's not 50 cent or something, you know. 582 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:11,000 But I just love the story. It's great. It's wonderful. 583 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:15,000 And you heard it here first, folks, on a Spoonful of Theatre podcast. 584 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:23,000 Well, our drinks are empty. And I think I think we have we have gotten everything out of you, Mr. Marko, 585 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,000 that we can get out of you in 40 minutes. But what's next for you? 586 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:30,000 What are you up to? It has been 40 minutes. So what is not what's next for you? 587 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:34,000 What can we see you in? Well, you can catch me in The Princess and the Pea. 588 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:39,000 Obviously, I'm playing the Pea. But not running, not running. 589 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:42,000 No, not running. It's a slow rolling. 590 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:53,000 That's pee. It's about the entire play is a lovely little children's play about the unary track infection. 591 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:57,000 I'm sure SRT will love that you said that. 592 00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:05,000 No, it's the classic tale of the princess and the Pea told through the eyes of the Pea and a prince and a princess. 593 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:12,000 And I'm the prince. And that happens next week. We open Wednesday, which is the 23rd. 594 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:18,000 And we run all the way till the end of November. 595 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:21,000 We might be extending till the 1st of December. Oh, nice. 596 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:25,000 Fantastic. Good. Well, as always, it's always a pleasure, Marko. 597 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:31,000 And I can't wait to see you in the next thing and also work together again many times in the future, I'm sure. 598 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:37,000 And for Sam, I'm sure. Oh, thank you for coming, darling. This has been absolutely my I'm a massive fan of yours. 599 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:42,000 I've enjoyed every performance I've seen of yours. So thank you very much for coming. Loving your work. 600 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:46,000 Thank you very much for having me. Hope you guys enjoyed the. 601 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:54,000 Gin Cup, Peruvian distilled gin, very small batch, handcrafted and distilled by Peru's first urban distillery, Berry's edition. 602 00:40:54,000 --> 00:41:01,000 And on that, we will see you later. Get out of our studio. Bye. 603 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:10,000 Marko has left the building. Oh, my God, my sides are split. 604 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:15,000 I love that man. I absolutely love that man. 605 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:21,000 He he's so humble. He's so personable. 606 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:27,000 And he oh, I just enjoy enjoy being in his company both on and off stage. 607 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:32,000 And I'm so grateful for him coming to to join us today. 608 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:37,000 Absolutely. What a great first episode. And I hope listeners, you enjoyed that just as much as we did. 609 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:42,000 And for me, because I've directed him, I've worked alongside him, I've acted with him as well. 610 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,000 Covered for him, understudied for him many times. Did I mention that? 611 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:51,000 Now, did the therapy work, dear? It did. I feel I feel very settled. I feel like we've settled. 612 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:54,000 Are you going to let it go now? Do you know what? 613 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:57,000 Genuinely, I'm joking about it, but I got to do my dream role. 614 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:01,000 Nobody should ever do their dream role with only three days practice and having to go on. 615 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:03,000 But it was a really great experience. 616 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:09,000 I hope it does go into the annals of Singapore theatre history that a director covered, 617 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:15,000 did the direction, vocal coaching and covered two, three of the main roles. 618 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:18,000 And I go on for two of them. Yes. Yes. 619 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:20,000 No, that was that was an experience. But enough about me. 620 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:26,000 But what I'm really happy about with that interview was I think we really got to see who Marco is. 621 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:29,000 And like you say, you know, he's a very genuine chap. 622 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:33,000 And I think he really cares about his craft. Yes. 623 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:35,000 You know, because I think he does. 624 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:39,000 You know, I think quite a lot of people see him as the Joker and they see that funny side of him. 625 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:46,000 But he's somebody who takes his craft very seriously and does put a lot of detail and a lot of work into his work. 626 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:49,000 And he he does that through play. 627 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:56,000 And, you know, actually, I talk about that all the time when I'm teaching and when I'm directing play is so important in theatre 628 00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:59,000 because that's how we find things out and that's how we get all of these things. 629 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:03,000 So that came across, I think, into really well. I'm going to go one step further. 630 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:09,000 Play is important in anything. Absolutely. In mental health. I agree. 631 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:20,000 I think there's a lot of people out there that that haven't played for a long time and and maybe a bit down in the dumps. 632 00:43:20,000 --> 00:43:27,000 And oh, go and be frivolous. Go and be silly. 633 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:31,000 And as you might find, you might find that you have a talent for it. 634 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:34,000 Absolutely. I'm working in industry for 10 years. 635 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:42,000 I'm still flabbergasted that he was in his final year of university when he did the first round of falling. 636 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:45,000 I'm still absolutely flabbergasted by that. Absolutely. 637 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:49,000 It's very lovely and I hope you enjoyed that listeners. 638 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:59,000 So to wrap up our episode every month, we are going to finish off with our hot sips, our show recommendations. 639 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:03,000 So here we go. Oh, there's a few things out there, TJ, isn't there? 640 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:10,000 So what do we have first? First of all, we have Checkpoint Theatre with their brand new show called Hard Mode. 641 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:19,000 This is a show, a brand new original show written by Faith Ng, which explores the in-between between teenage and adulthood. 642 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:25,000 That's playing at the Sota Drama Theatre from the 18th to the 26th of October. Tickets are on Sistic. 643 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:32,000 Now, we also have, as the lovely Marco told us, is The Princess and the Pea with SRT Little Company. 644 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:36,000 And it's for Three Years Old and Above, directed by the wonderful Daniel Jenkins. 645 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,000 And among the cast is Andrew Marco. 646 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:49,000 It is on from the 23rd of October to the 30th of November with hopefully an extension as Marco divulges to us at the KC Arts Centre. 647 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:51,000 And tickets are available on Sistic. 648 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:59,000 Absolutely. And our friends over at Gateway Arts are also putting out a brand new show called 12 going on 13. 649 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:05,000 Another Journey of Adolescence written by Michelle Tan with an amazing local cast as well. 650 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:12,000 That's on from the 27th of October to the 3rd of November over at Gateway Arts Black Box Theatre. Tickets are also on Sistic. 651 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:20,000 And of course, we have to give it a mention. Pangdemonium's Dear Evan Hansen. The reviews are out. Rave reviews. 652 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:25,000 And it's going on now till the 10th of November at the Victoria Theatre with Sistic. 653 00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:31,000 Of course, if you want to know what we felt about it, you can go see it in our review. 654 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:38,000 But it is wonderful. We wish the cast and the production team a wonderful show with that one. 655 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:39,000 What else have we got on TJ? 656 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:44,000 Absolutely. So all of those four. Actually, there's a lot of teenage and child stories going on this month. 657 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:48,000 So if you want something a little bit different, Sightlines have got just the thing for you. 658 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:54,000 This is called Red, an artful murder. And Sightlines have been doing a lot of murder mysteries. 659 00:45:54,000 --> 00:46:01,000 And you kind of watch the show, get involved. If you get certain ticket prices, you get a drink as well, which is really good. 660 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:05,000 So you actually get to solve the murder, interact with the cast. It's really interesting. 661 00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:13,000 This is on from the 30th of October to the 1st of December. And the location is secret. It's to be revealed, which is very exciting. 662 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:18,000 It's a mystery before you even go. Hopefully it's not out in Malaysia and you have to take 20 cabs. 663 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:23,000 So we'll see when that location is revealed. But the location is, the tickets are over on Sistic. 664 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:30,000 So go catch Red, an artful murder now. And that is our hot sips for the month. 665 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:36,000 Now, dear, my Peruvian gin flavoured tea has gone cold. So I think we'll leave it there, shall we? 666 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:41,000 I think we should. And if you have made it this far in the podcast, thank you so much for supporting us. 667 00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:45,000 And that means that you probably enjoyed yourself. So please do shout about it. 668 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:51,000 Follow us on whatever podcast streaming service you've listened to this on and also share a lovely story and tell your friends. 669 00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:56,000 Because we want to make this podcast for everyone and support the local Singapore theatre scene. 670 00:46:56,000 --> 00:47:00,000 But for that, it's for us to say cheerio. We'll be back soon. 671 00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:01,000 And a ta-ra from me. 672 00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:06,000 And to anybody and everybody working in Singapore theatre for the next month. 673 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:11,000 Break a leg.