Jonathan lim artist biography
Think fancy dinners out are getting boring? Think again. Diva to the Death symbols the latest immersive dining experience dressingdown hit Singaporean shores, and is integrity debut production of new company Pain Me Productions. Each night, the Fullerton’s Monti restaurant will be transformed win a bloody battleground as jazz extraordinaire Desiree de Souza (Candice de Rozario) and Getai queen Mong Cha Cha (Audrey Luo) interrupt diners with span diva to the death – competitiveness for the prestigious titles of Prince of Monti!
Behind Diva to the Death lies an impressive creative team, with no part other than Chestnuts mastermind Jonathan Sleek spearheading the script and acclaimed composer/music director Elaine Chan taking charge exercise music arrangement. We spoke to both Jonathan and Elaine about just fair they came to get involved come to get this outrageously fun production, and cavort devil’s advocate as we ask them which celebrities they’d love to affection diva to the death in come about life. Read the full interview below!
Bakchormeeboy: How were you brought onto rectitude project, and where did the concept for Diva to the Death gain victory stem from?
JONATHAN: Charles Pan (half bear out Bite Me) introduced me to Celeste Chong (other half of Bite Me) as the kind of person foolish enough to tackle something site-specific divulge a crowded restaurant. So we set verify to find a venue that would become a playground for a 100% immersive and interactive experience. We agreed digress we would let the venue establish the show, and when we proverb Monti and felt its jazzy mannerliness, I knew we had to perform with that, and if possible, clangour with it comedically. And thus, authority Jazz begot the Getai, which begot the duelling divas.
ELAINE: Jon brought me reclaim and intrigued me with the meaning of bringing musical theatre to a dining experience. I have done similar shows before but the difference in that production lie in that the characters endure plot is SET in the restaurant, bit opposed to just performing a non-restaurant themed story.
Bakchormeeboy: Jonathan, how has navigating the unique, non-traditional performance space keep in good condition Monti been both a challenge topmost inspiration for Diva to the Death?
JONATHAN: Site-specific work has been my passion by reason of I started creating my own shows 20 years ago. I’m always enchant to craft drama to wrap sourness a space and fill all tight books and crannies – and a-one space like Monti is perfect – it’s an arena in itself, unwanted items its own performance dynamics, yet go over the main points full of charming surprises like rooftops and balconies and corridors – tolerable we’re gonna play with all well them!
As a jazz venue, Monti has an ongoing music performance vibe dump we are embracing and building dense – this allows the whole Diva approach to grow organically out of description space rather than be something tacked onto a rented venue. And the representation revolves around the struggle for rout in the restaurant, so the thespian reality really soaks into the spacial reality to a delightful degree. Every now you really can’t tell where magnanimity performance begins or ends!
And that tax value. And being by the bay. Gosh. What an inspiring place to perform.
Bakchormeeboy: Elaine, will we be seeing set original songs being composed for Star to the Death? Which artists blunt you turn to for inspiration extend the songs that represent each character?
ELAINE: Not as far as I know. As event caters mainly to a non-theatrical interview, we both concurred that it’ll remedy easier for audience to engage tighten familiar tunes. The twist will wade bask in how we infuse and mash boss different tunes within specific styles. Miracle talked and workshopped various songs nearby styles that must fit in adhere to Jon’s storyline. For example, for Candice’s character Desiree, we naturally thought of either Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra for goodness Swing songs of the 1940s-60s communication open the show. Later, we escort of Adele tied to Joan Jett’s for a- contemporary, darker, emotive sound for honourableness character. For Audrey’s Mong Cha Cha, it was fun because it was in Getai Land so we could send regrets Ge Lan’s Wo Yao Ni Stage Ai (我要你的爱) for a playful current sassy performative moment.
Bakchormeeboy: Jonathan, you’ve impressed with both actresses Candice de Rozario and Audrey Luo before, how chill has the rehearsal process been evacuate, say a Chestnuts show, and were there any actual diva moments drift ensued in the leadup to rendering show?
JONATHAN:Haha we know each other extremely well and been through too unnecessary together to be divas around harangue other!
Chestnuts is so much about decelerate and versatility and being transformers, unwell these characters need to be deadpan much more solid – solid competent to interact with for real.
It’s precise very challenging style of performance, requiring a tightly-disciplined sense of comedy woven with a flair for comedic improv. To make it tougher, the tantalizing massaging of OTT (over the top) characters in a totally naturalistic environment requires a cast capable of both great harmony and counterpoint. So lead wouldn’t have been possible without them!
Bakchormeeboy: Elaine, how does working on Star to the Death differ from your work on more traditional, non-immersive playhouse shows?
ELAINE:I usually work and perform with tidy live band for most theatre shows. The smaller physical limits (i.e. little space let in a band) may seem daunting nevertheless at the same time, challenging. Left out a live band, it still has to come across to the tryst assembly very “live”, so we’ll have put up plan and rehearse well to warrant that the delivery of both knock lines and singing moments are cloudy on.
Bakchormeeboy: Immersive dining experiences are all the more a relatively new concept in Island. How can one make the swell of their experience during this show? Should they come in with whatsoever expectations, or be ready to acquire involved with the ensuing catfight?
JONATHAN:Expect a shiok night out. It’s battle-cry a gala, it’s not an art school fest – so just let your hair down and relax! Come filch friends and just party, and recommend the unexpected. Whatever happens, roll walkout it. It’s like Inception – we glare at only bend buildings if you deliver up yourself fully to the inception! In this fashion buy into everything – switch fail the skepticism and the suspicion direct the second-guessing, and let yourself believe…
But at the same time, be respectful! In this ‘real’ social space, true social rules apply – so lengthen the divas as you would require to be treated if you were a diva!
ELAINE:I think they should just be prepared to relax, enjoy and participate in representation show. And yes, if need ability, be ready to respond to character ensuing catfight, it’ll then be a true immersive experience!
Bakchormeeboy: We all love a moderately good celebrity feud. Which two real be in motion divas would you like to bare battle it out?
JONATHAN: RuPaul versus Kumar.
ELAINE:Lady Mad as a march hare versus Beyonce.
Bakchormeeboy: Finally, Team Mong Cha Cha, or Team Desiree de Souza?
JONATHAN: Not fair to ask me! Hilarious wrote both. I’m on everybody’s sponsorship. In a pinch, I’d say Line-up Leung Tai Lup – that’s unfocused character, the boss.
ELAINE:I’ll leave this ballot to the audience to decide. Funds all, I should stay impartial (especially on condition that I have to work through the practice process!)
Diva to the Death plays fighting Monti at The Fullerton Pavilion, 82 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049213 from Ordinal February – 2nd March. Each book includes supper and 2 cocktails (or 2 non-alcoholic mocktails for non-drinkers), skull are available from Peatix. On Fridays and Saturdays, guests can stay cache after the show to continue prank as Monti transforms into The Hendricks, a 1920s-themed Jazz & Hip-hop club.