Full-circle! Full-circle!

I've just come back from Drama Night! (And I could count the number of sec 4s who attended WITH HALF MY LEFT HAND ALONE :O, not counting the drama seniors.) To put it somewhat briefly, they did a play about some toys in a shop that were preparing for their annual mid-year sale parade, only to discover the ritual dashed when piece by piece, they unravel the mysteries surrounding the box that lands into the store, and soon after, their eventual fates. I think there's an element of the macabre in it that underpins the whimsy that is created by the toy store setting, in that the damning hints that the more "informed", as it were, group of toys uncover give some of them a chance to peer into their grisly fates, which is that of their own condemnation and discard. Also of interest is the leitmotif of the toys swinging their arms and giving a cheesy grin whenever they mention the toy store. This becomes and indicator of their pride in the toy store when dissent and ideological differences split them up.

There's a strong sense of moralism on the surface, since the toys split regularly on opposing viewpoints, some choosing to lead a carefree, vain and ignorant existence, living only to celebrate their looks and fame, while others choose to go against the laws and draconian rule of "the minister" of Toysville society, intent on finding out the truth for themselves than to be content with the explanations that The Minister has to offer. (Or rather, imposes on them.) A range of characters is sketched, such as those that worry excessively about the Unknown, and those that are strongly non-conformist and individualistic, almost to the point of being anarchist.

Yet, the underlying theme that emerges is that of Truth, and also, the entire notion of the suppression of truth to maintain social order — sort of a political allusion to terrorism issues of the status quo.

OKAY THIS IS NO LONGER BRIEF SO I SHALL STOP HERE.

Oh but the ending was good. There was plenty of tension and pathos thrown in, and when the soundtrack playing out the destruction of the toy store played out and the lights faded to black, the ones who escaped questioned their futures, and those who returned and perished with stubborn loved ones gave rise to the question of whether fate is fair and just, and whether it was worth the escape. (Ya know, that sort of thing.)

I remember the first time I went for a performance in secondary school. It was Romeo and Juliet, and I was sec 1 then. It was staged in the hall. As I was looking back, I realised that things had indeed come full-circle again for me. I have just watched my last performance as a secondary school student, and I am back in the hall once again, taking photos, laughing with friends, complaining about the person in front blocking my view, walking back in the night, coughing due to the smoke. It feels strange to be graduating so soon!

And I will be deliberately vague, and say that I do not understand the youth of today and their strange social norms. (!)