MILE-HIGH MERRIMENT
After several successful runs, Wild Rice is bringing the French comedy classic Boeing Boeing to the stage again next month. The play centres on Bernard – a frequentflying playboy who’s dating three stewardesses at once. His perfect life gets a bit turbule
What can audiences expect from the upcoming production?
Laughter, laughter and more laughter! This is a play designed to tickle audiences from beginning to end. And, sexy girls – very sexy girls.
The show was previously staged by Wild Rice in 2002, 2005 and 2010. What’s different in the 2017 version?
It’s a brand new cast, and we have stewardesses from different airlines. While the Singapore Airlines girl remains (how can we not have the SQ girl with a hilarious comedy set in Singapore?), we have the new additions of a stewardess from Air India (Sangeetha Dorai) and one from Air China (Judee Tan).
The original version of the play is set in Paris in the swinging 60s. How has this new version been adapted?
It has been updated to 2017, as we want the audience to relate to it immediately. It has a Singapore setting with immediately recognisable characters, as opposed to the original American, German and Italian air stewardesses. When something is familiar, it definitely serves as fodder for good comedy.
What do you love most about this story?
The story is simple – a cheating polygamist juggles three women at the same time, and none of them knows about the others. The joy of telling this story is listening to the audience panic together with Bernard as his carefully orchestrated harem falls apart. It’s pure joy to see and hear the audience’s reaction.
You played a stewardess in Wild Rice’s 2002 and 2005 productions. How does it feel to be back, this time in the director’s chair?
I had so much fun playing Miss Cathay Pacific! I wish I could reprise this role over and over but, alas, I am 45 and cannot. So, I’m delighted and honoured to still be part of this amazing play as the director (directors can be 45 and above, phew!). I’m ready to fly!