Gerald Chew- Actor, Psychiatrist?

Gerald Chew, 43, is no stranger to the local theatre scene.

The UrbanWire had a chance to interview him on the set of What the Butler Saw, an upcoming stage comedy written by English playwright Joe Orton about an eccentric psychiatrist attempting to seduce his prospective secretary.In the play Gerald stars as the above -mentioned character Dr Prentice Ang, a promiscuous psychiatrist with the habit of lying compulsively.

Smartly dressed in a striking pink t-shirt, the seasoned thespian looked like anything but a crazed-out doctor. In fact, Gerald’s personality is a sharp contrast from his on-stage persona. In reality, he exudes an air of calmness and humility – a far cry from the neurotic and loud character he plays on stage.

Being a veteran of more than 20 plays, Gerald is best known for his portrayal of Jai Ming in Yellow Fever. Having already done a myriad of colourful roles in the past ranging from Sun Yat Sen in Adrian Tan’s A 100 Years in Making to Lt Colin Heng in Michael Chiang’s Army Daze, and more recently, Claus Thon, a project scientist in Das Experiment: Black Box, we wonder, what was it that drew him to play his current character?

“I think he (Dr Prentice) is very fun to play as he has a very unique perspective of life. It is certainly rewarding to play someone with such a wicked sense for humour! That, together with a very great cast makes it very interesting for me to do!”

When asked how he prepared himself for such a challenging role, Gerald shared, “I prepared myself by entertaining all possibilities, because he is a psychiatrist therefore he is able to be as freaky and as mental as possible.”

So how does one prepare oneself to become a freaky and mental psychiatrist?

Gerald answers good-humouredly, “Keep a straight face when saying the funniest things! This character is able to come up with the most ridiculous answers, but says them with the straightest face; to the extent that people will often have to do a double-take before they register what he really said!”

We were curious to know too, in case there were aspiring thespians out there, if an experienced actor like Gerald had any difficulty working with a younger, less experienced cast.

Gerald was quick to answer.

“Absolutely not! I think it is always refreshing working with younger actors! Also, they have a high level of commitment and energy to make up for what they lack in experience.”

All in all, no matter the challenge, it is all in a day’s work for this versatile star. We wish him all the best in his upcoming endeavours.

Performance Details of What the Butler Saw

When: Feb 7 – Feb 22, 2009
Where: Drama Centre Theatre @ Level 3, National Library Building, Singapore(Map)
Preview Performance (Feb 7, 3pm) – $29, $39, $49, $55
Performance times: 8pm – Tuesdays to Saturdays, 3pm – Saturday and Sunday only