MAD FOREST

As part of Republic Polytechnic’s community arts festival, Reflections 2007, a division of W!LD RICE, young & W!LD presented their second production, MAD FOREST.

Bringing you back to the Romanian times of late 1989, where a turbulent revolution rampaged through the city of Timisoara, the play successfully displayed the importance of freedom and the tragic price it comes at.
They also brought the experience closer to the audience. Literally. As the performers work their magic on the stage-less floor inches away, they pull you into the drama, inviting you to share in the raw emotions that overcome them as the story unfolds.

Telling the tale of the violent uprising against the corrupt communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena, it was stirring just to witness the re-enactment of the revolt. The play centers on the lives of two families of vastly different backgrounds, the poor Vladus and the well-off Antonescus. As disturbing as it was to watch star-crossed lovers and families be torn apart by the conflicts of politics, it was remarkable to see the suppressed rise up when they’re pushed to their limits and start to demand their rights back for survival. Provoking questions like “Is freedom worth losing 1000 lives?” and “What does it really mean to be free?” start to surface, and for a young Singaporean who has long been used to the stability of her nation, MAD FOREST was a brutally stark contrast of a country in chaos and quite an eye-opener indeed.

More enjoyable than the drama itself was watching 13 young versatile actors and actresses step seamlessly into more than 40 different roles right in front of your eyes, completing their transformations with Romanian accents, ranging from talking dogs to vampires to angels.

Under the guidance of director Jonathan Lim (Jack & the Bean-Sprout!), the cast of young & W!LD shone bright and showcased their talents well. From the music to the lightings, MAD FOREST had it all pinned and will keep you enraptured throughout the journey. Compliments to all of MAD FOREST’s cast and crew.

If you missed this amazing performance, click here for a peek into their production and cast.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Production Details
Running Time: 160 mins
Cast: young & W!LD
Director: Jonathan Lim
Playwright: Caryl Churchill

MAD FOREST was staged in Republic Polytechnic, The Republic Cultural Centre, from Dec 12 to Dec 16 2007.