Lilypie

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Boeing Boeing

Finally I got a chance to watch this play after missing it the last two times it was playing. The first time it played was in 2002 or 2003 and I found out too late to watch it. The second time it played was in 2005, and that period of time, I was having intensive rehearsals for the "Madame Butterfly" performance, so missed that again.

This time round when it was running, I told myself I had to watch it. Just as well, because the tickets were almost all sold out! As it was, we could not make the evening show anymore, and could only watch the matinee. So we went to the Drama Centre to watch the play.

It was hilarious! I almost could not stop laughing! The actors, humour and the way the characters were portrayed were so funny! "Boeing Boeing" was actually adapted from a London play and subsequently a movie, except with an Asian twist in this adaptation.

The story goes that the central character, Bernard, was living every bachelor's dream - he had his own apartment, a high-paying job, a full-time housekeeper, and three girlfriends who did not know each other existed. Not just any girl, but all three are air stewardesses, from different airlines. He managed in such a way that all three have different schedules so they would not be around at the same time. In this way, he could see one off, then fetch another one, and so on.

In comes his friend from England, Robert, whom he invited to stay with him and shared about his girlfriends. When Robert arrived, the Singapore Airlines stewardess was just about to go off and would not be back until three days later. Then the Cathay Pacific stewardess arrived and was supposed to leave in a few hours' time . The Japan Airlines stewardess would be arriving later on in the night when the Cathay Pacific stewardess had gone off.

This had been Bernard's style all along, until all three stewardesses requested for a transfer to the new Boeing flight which would allow them to travel faster and return home faster and spend more time with him. But he did not take into account strikes, cancellations, delays and natural disasters.

The Cathay Pacific stewardess arrived. Due to a flight delay, she would not be due back to work until the next morning. Just then, the Japan Airlines stewardess called and said her flight would be delayed, hence she could only arrive the next morning. Bernard thought his life was so perfect - that he could spend a night with one girlfriend and then pick another one up the next day.

He went out with Miss Cathay Pacific. Robert stayed in the apartment, and then Miss Japan Airlines arrived. Apparently she took an earlier flight, but because she wanted to surprise Bernard, she called and told him she would be late! She was surprised to see Robert and he told her Bernard was away for a business meeting.

Bernard and Miss Cathay Pacific returned. Robert spent all his effort preventing Miss Cathay Pacific into entering the room. She had no choice but to use the other bedroom. Bernard was annoyed and wanted to confront Robert, until Robert told him Miss Japan Airlines was in the main bedroom.

Bernard then panicked and he asked Robert to keep Miss Japan Airlines company while he brought Miss Cathay Pacific out to Sentosa island to spend the night. Initially she was reluctant as she just wanted to rest at home, but after much persuading from the two men, she agreed to go.

However, Bernard and Miss Japan Airlines started having a growing attraction to each other. To clear her mind, she decided to go out for a walk. Just then, Bernard came back without Miss Cathay Pacific, having quarrelled with her. He started asking Robert how to solve the problem. To make things worse, Miss Singapore Airlines returned, as her flight was delayed due to some volcanic eruption somewhere. The two men were starting to really panic.

After much persuasion, they convinced Miss Singapore Airlines to take the housekeeper's room and the housekeeper to take the study. Then Miss Cathay Pacific returned in a fury. She told Bernard that she just stepped out for a while and he disappeared. The two men then soothed her and asked her to rest and shower. While Miss Cathay Pacific was in the shower, and Miss Singapore Airlines in one of the rooms, Miss Japan Airlines returned.

Now all his three girlfriends are in the same house! Miss Japan Airlines then confessed that she liked Robert better, which caused both men to feel relieved. Bernard then said, okay, in that case, both of them should get together. Miss Japan Airlines was so surprised at Bernard's magnanimity, but only the two men knew the truth behind that.

Just then, Miss Cathay Pacific came out and saw Miss Japan Airlines. The two men panicked at the two women meeting each other, but Bernard quickly said Miss Japan Airlines was Robert's girlfriend. Miss Cathay Pacific then said she was Bernard's girlfriend, to which Miss Japan Airlines was confused and angry, but Bernard soothed the situation by saying since she and Robert were now together, did it matter? He then told Miss Cathay Pacific that Miss Japan Airlines was his girlfriend before he met her, and she is now Robert's girlfriend.

They then decided to let things be. When the two women retired to their rooms, Miss Singapore Airlines came out. She had received a letter from a suitor in United States, who is richer and more established than Bernard. So she told him she is leaving him and marrying that suitor from the United States.

In the end, Bernard lost his Singapore girl and his Japan girl, and only the Hong Kong girl remained. He decided that he would never want to go through another day like that again, and decided to just settle down once and for all. Robert got his Japan girl and decided to be with her once and for all too.

I can see why this play is so popular that it was in its third run! It is really funny and everyone was laughing so hard! I hope this play will rerun again, as I will definitely watch it again!


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