Secondary: The Musical

Checkpoint Theatre
Victoria Theatre
April 19, 7.30pm

Following secondary school teacher Zhao Lilin and 15-year-old students Ming (Tricia Tan), Omar (Shahid Nasheer) and Reyansh (Krish Natarajan) at the fictional Huxley Secondary School, the musical unpacks the stress of examinations and its effects on teachers and students.

Playwright and composer weish, whose vocal range is emotive and well-sustained, replaces Genevieve Tan as Lilin, due to Tan sustaining a vocal injury. It is currently unknown if Tan will take the stage during the show’s run, though weish’s singing is a treat.

An effortless script captures the casual nature of how students talk without sounding cringey.

Being set in 2015 allows room for slightly outdated slang – yo mama jokes, dabbing and the phrase “hos before bros” – that would otherwise sound like an adult trying too hard to be relatable. With a mix of English, Malay, Mandarin and the occasional Hokkien phrase, the script makes it feel as if one is listening to a regular Singlish conversation in school.

Matched with a solid cast and their natural banter, the play is highly engaging and memorable.

A standout scene for its humour and personality is performed by Charlie (Teoh Jun Vinh), in which he sings about mathematics while dancing (Because Why), drawing laughter from the crowd as he struts around the stage and pops his hips to the rhythm.

Costume designer Max Tan does an excellent job of creating outfits that allow for quick changes, some taking place in less than 20 seconds.

Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai shines in her role as Mandy Thomas, the strict head of the literature department, taking on the persona of someone so long in the job that her attitude appears callous despite caring deeply for the students.

In a solo (My Own Life), she reveals how much thought she puts into using white literary canon to give students distance from the problems they may face, while striving for a seat at the table as an Indian woman in education.

Dorai is one of three female vocal powerhouses in the show, with Tricia Tan and ensemble cast member Nadya Zaheer as the other two whose voices stand out.

Among the male characters, Omar and Charlie are ones to watch, as the former easily raps in English and Malay in Drip, while the latter’s vocals lend themselves to a powerful ballad in the second act.

A number (Buang Aku) in the second half of the show demonstrates what less-fortunate students go through, written in a blend of English and Malay as Omar begs for his father to acknowledge him as a son.

The emotional rendition brings tears to this reviewer’s eyes, and audience members can be seen dabbing at theirs as well.

Students are likely to feel seen as the play depicts the stresses and challenges of studying for exams while dealing with personal problems. Some educators may relate to how Lilin struggles to find a balance between work and her personal life, but it is parents who should watch the show to understand perspectives different from their own.

Having brought her six years of experience as a literature teacher into her writing, weish weaves together the stories of teachers and students in a manner that feels natural, albeit a little idealistic. While the relationships are sweet, those in the education field will recognise that it is a starry-eyed view of how things are within a school.

Even so, it is with a standing ovation that the musical ends, fitting for a show that packs a massive amount into two hours and 45 minutes. Between the immensely talented cast and powerful story, Secondary: The Musical is one to catch.

Book It/Secondary: The Musical

Where: Victoria Theatre, 11 Empress Place
When: Till April 28; Tuesday to Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 3 and 8pm; Sunday, 3pm
Admission: $45 to $115
Info: str.sg/GoKc