BanBan speaks to actress Magdalene, last seen in Theatre Practice's musical Lao Jiu and the television series House Mates. She will next act and sing in “If There’re Seasons”, the highly anticipated musical penned by Hong Kong playwright Raymond To, and inspired by local songwriter Liang Wern Fook.

The musical revolves around a group of young friends who learn that some things are worth holding on to, no matter what lies ahead.

Tell us about If There're Seasons.
It's a moving story that centers around the themes of love and dreams. I believe that everyone who comes to watch it will identify with at least one character or one moment in the musical because the emotional journey that each character goes through is similar to what all of us experience in the different situations life throws at us.

What is the best season which describes you?
It will definitely the warmest one. Summer! Winter is too cold, Autumn is too depressing and Spring is sweet but too romantic. Summer is warm, bustling with energy and full of joy!

What is the biggest pressure faced in acting in this musical?
Currently, the thing that stresses me out the most is singing. The songs written for my character (Xiao Jing) are pitched quite high. So it's a challenge to act, emote, move and sing while not going off-pitch.

How about being compared to an accomplished singer, say Kit Chan who originally sang the songs used in the musical?
I'll be singing Kit Chan songs like ‘Dan Xin’ (Worry) and ‘Xi Huan Ni’ (Like You). Well the thought of being compared to Kit has definitely crossed my mind more than once!

But I know I'm never going to sound like her so I'm not even going to try to imitate her. A musical is not a concert. The songs in a musical are the means by which a character expresses his/her thoughts and feelings. So this is the way I approach it: I sing it in the way my character would sing it and express her thoughts and emotions through the lyrics and song. And that takes off the stress of "do I sound as good as Kit Chan?"

The songs in the musical have become more than her songs, the songs now belong to the character.

What makes you swing back and forth TV and the stage?
Well, I have lots to learn in both areas and I learn different things in each. However, it's interesting that though the two different disciplines exert different requirements on the actor, I find that doing one helps me improve in the other. Also, the industry in Singapore is really small, so we can't really afford to be choosy. The truth is, doing a theatre production is my input channel where I learn and learn while TV is the output channel that raises my profile.

Do you prefer to be involved in a TV or Stage Production?
It's hard to say. There are things I love and dislike about each. I like the kick of acting in front of a live audience, with no NGs and hence continuity of emotions. But rehearsals are very tiring and demanding. I like the subtlety of TV and the magic of editing but I dislike the waiting and the fact that sometimes actors can get away with "empty" acting.

Full interview available at:
http://www.fifo.sg/post/show/64