went to watch Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress last nite with one of my best friend, her SO and my SO... i feel blessed for being able to watch it with my own eyes... a lady being happy, sad, pain, misunderstood, betrayed... a lady of the country, the dragon lady (Empress Dowager Ci Xi starring Kit Chan)...
at some part, i was close to tears... i can feel for her, being misunderstood from the whole country, people whom she love and work her whole life for... she put in everything she has for the country but no one appreciates...
after much hesitation, Empress Dowager Ci Xi decided to take Kate Carl's advise (an American painter who is commissioned to paint the Empress's portrait) to relieve herself more in order for Kate to present a portrait which will bring out the trueself of Empress Dowager Ci Xi and be understood by her people... and Kate was being betray by a man, (George, i think) a journalise, whom she met on a train by "accident", he twisted the fact which Kate shared and the article is being written in the way which public wants to hear but not the fact...

Rachelle's afterthoughts
Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress's Website

"There has surely never been a more handsome musical seen in Singapore. - The Arts Magazine

Singapore's most successful musical returns after three years - bigger and better!

Originally co-produced by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay and Singapore Repertory Theatre for Esplanade's Opening Festival in October 2002, Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress has been seen by over 60,000 people - making it the most successful Singaporean musical ever produced.

It has all the right ingredients of an epic tale - a young concubine in love, a dying Emperor, a heartless traitor, an idealistic artist and an empire that stands to fall. Told through the eyes of American artist Kate Carl, commissioned to paint the empress' portrait, the musical recounts Ci Xi's development from ingenious concubine to ruthless ruler, and unmasks the woman known as the Dragon Lady.

Featuring the music of Cultural Medallion winner Dick Lee, the lyrics of Laurence Olivier Award-winner Stephen Clark, and direction from the West End's Steven Dexter, and starring Asian singing sensation Kit Chan.

Performed in English, with Chinese surtitles

Labels: Theatre Play