Singapore Arts Fest Opening Act: Complaint

As an econs tutor once said, "if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys", and if you pay zilch, you don't even get monkeys; instead what you get is a ridiculous crowd squeezed against the border of Boat Quay in the sweltering heat. grumblegrumblegrumble.

Sure, there were tricks with flaming rods and cyclists pedalled on the watery surface of the river, but still, it was not worth the heat, the unfriendly security or the monkeys (hanging off trees) that have come to watch a free show too. grumblegrumblegrumble.

The performance, as PY remarked, was untidy; one doesn't know where to look - the pretty fireworks spiralling dizzingly above our heads or the acrobatic act below us in the river... The indecision can be costly - in fact, I missed the end half of the closing scene. Humans. So easily distracted by pretty shiny things that make loud noises. grumblegrumblegrumble.

This is a street show. Whatever happened to the free and easy attitude that comes with open performances? I like where I was standing and I'm still a little annoyed that security kept nagging at people to not stand on the benches. I expect for the security, heat and stress led to bad tempers flaring up, but I fail to see the point in even trying to get people to behave in the appropriate way at what is supposedly a big spectacle. A street show is carnival, and as the word suggests, indicates that social customs are about to go topsy-turvy. Who cares if it's pure madness to climb a tree in the middle of the CBD? On a day like this, one can hang off the branches and no one (unless you're in danger of being hit by wobbling branches) is going to care.

Considering the maxim adopted year after year by the Arts Festival, the arts is supposed to be something everyone can enjoy, and I however, for one didn't feel quite so welcomed thanks to irritable staff lurking in the dark. As I've discovered, its nonsense to say that Singaporeans are straight laced (the people crouched in funny positions on trees and benches are definitely not), it's the staff. Still, the organizers should just live and let live - being oppressive at an Esplanade concert is one thing, but at a street performance?? Why?? It's the opening act! People should have been having picnics, laughing and smiling and wowed by the performance. I don't know about other people, but I left feeling distinctly unsatisfied by most aspects of the opening act.

Remind me to go for a ticketed performance next time.