Chloe Low“I don’t consider myself an experienced actor at all, in that most of the time I don’t really know what I’m doing. The funny thing is, in those moments is often when some kind of magic happens.” – Timothy Nga
Singapore based actor Timothy Nga, best known for his latest role as Iskandar in ‘Swordfish, Then the Concubine’ , gives us a run down of British humour in Singapore.
Upcoming play, ‘What the Butler Saw’ attempts to tie and blend Singapore and British humour. Based on the play by Joe Orton about an eccentric psychiatrist who attempts to seduce a prospective secretary, it was adapted to suit the taste of the Singaporean audience. Infusing Singapore iconic monuments like Sir Stamford Raffles to the Institute of Mental Health, this play provides a subtle introduction to British humour for Singaporeans.
Having being cast in typically Singaporean roles in television dramas such as Life Line and Table for Three, 37 year-old actor/model Timothy Nga decided to try his hand at something completely different this time.
British humour has always been familiar to Timothy.
“I grew up on British comedies like Mind Your Language and Allo Allo,” he shared. Though not as well received as their America counterparts in Singapore, the dry and yet articulately ridiculous plot of British comedies have always attracted Timothy.
Due to his liking for British humour, Timothy was very keen on his role in What the Butler Saw due to its crazy and irrelevant nature. Another key aspect of the play that attracted Timothy was its radically fast pace that encapsulated and captured sheer madness with sheer sophistication.
He explained, “There is a very strange and wonderful logic to the madness. It’s like making the audience watch a train wreck but ensuring they have a good time while doing so. Not an easy task, but very satisfying if successfully done.”
As intimidating as acting in a British comedy for the first time can be, Timothy is confident.
Timothy explains, “It is ultimately the level of experience that matters most, as much as how brave an actor is willing to be when tackling a particular role.”
And if that does not work?
“I don’t consider myself an experienced actor at all, in that most of the time I don’t really know what I’m doing. The funny thing is, in those moments is often when some kind of magic happens.”
Performance details
Considered Joe Orton’s finest work and regarded as a contemporary classic, What the Butler Saw is guaranteed to tickle your funny bone all the way home. The title of the play is taken from an Edwardian peepshow where people viewed images through a tiny lens.
This voyeuristic pleasure together with a madhouse of side-splittingly funny characters and even more ridiculous circumstances is what makes What the Butler Saw such a refreshing hit.
Performance Dates: Feb 7-22, 2009
Performance Times: 8pm – Tuesdays to Saturdays, 3pm – Saturday and Sunday only
Ticket Prices: 8pm Performances – $34, $44, $54, $60; 3pm Performances – $39, $49, $50, $65
Tickets are available through SISTIC Hotline 6348 5555, SISTIC Website www.sistic.com.sg or any SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide.
**Advisory: Mature Themes (16 years & above)**