A hilarious musical that shines the spotlight on ageing and eldercare.

 

Sing’theatre’s hilarious jukebox musical called ‘Forever Young’ is guaranteed to knock you off your chair! Originally written by Swiss playwright Erik Gedeon and adapted by Benjamin “Mr Miyagi” Lee, the Singaporean twist of this European cult hit features a star-studded cast of renowned local thespians. Forever Young is the culmination of Sing’theatre’s 10th anniversary celebrations and runs from October 11 to 21, 2017 at the SOTA Drama Theatre.

Set half a century later in year 2067, Forever Young chronicles the life of a group of retired actors living in a nursing home. These zany nonagenarians – formerly the pillars of Singapore’s art scene – are determined to prove that it is not all behind them. The residents do as they are told, but, once their no-nonsense caregiver Sister Sara leaves the room, the pensionable performers belt out musical theatre canons, rock classics and more!

Directed by Hossan Leong, Forever Young features prominent actors Karen Tan, Julian Wong, Tan Kheng Hua, Candice De Rozario, Suhaimi Yusof, Ebi Shankara and Leong himself. Through the cast’s arthritic dance moves and renditions of familiar songs that include Jay-Z’s ‘Forever Young’, Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’, The Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’ and One Direction’s ‘Story of My Life’, the eponymous musical revue will shine the spotlight on eldercare in Singapore. Topics addressed in Forever Young include dementia and other illnesses and physical deterioration associated with ageing, as well as the mental and psychological wellness dealing with seniors that goes largely disregarded.

“The issues surrounding ageing and eldercare discussed in Forever Young are part and parcel of life – they are universal. It is especially pertinent in Singapore’s context, where the country is increasingly pressured to tackle problems surrounding a quickly ageing population,” said Nathalie Ribette, artistic director of Forever Young and founder of Sing’theatre. She explained, “Studies have proven that music can play a vital role in helping dementia, something we will underline particularly during a post-talk show. We are delighted to be able to look at these issues and present them in a light-hearted and ultimately heartwarming manner!”

Hossan Leong added, “I directed this play with the idea of ‘hope’ permeating throughout the play – growing old should not diminish one’s optimism and zest for living! I hope that through Forever Young, audiences will develop more empathy and a better understanding of growing old.”

Tickets are available from Sistic HERE. For more information, follow Sing’theatre on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Singtheatre.

 

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