La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua

La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
http://www.feveravenue.com/la-cage-aux-folles-kheng-hua/
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La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
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by Guo Wei Ho on July 19, 2012
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19/7/12 12:21 PM
La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
http://www.feveravenue.com/la-cage-aux-folles-kheng-hua/
Tan Kheng Hua is probably the jock of the cast; even she admits it herself. But this jock cannot
wait to don on some feathers and sequins to prance on stage as Jacqueline in Wild Rice‘s
upcoming production of La Cage aux Folles, opening this week.
‘I am only in one dance – in ‘The Best of Times’ and I wish there was more! I love it!’ Kheng Hua
discloses. ‘But I am also glad that it is just one dance because it emphasizes on ballroom dancing
and it is really quite tough on the knees, you know!’ So if you want to see Kheng Hua dancing
ballroom, you know that you will be able to find her on the Esplanade Theatre stage.
Fresh off swinging herself on the pole, Kheng Hua steps into a more zesty role as Jaqueline in La
Cage aux Folles. Here in this Tony-award musical now adapted to Singapore by our very own
Glen Goei, Kheng Hua plays the role of the fabulous Jaqueline who is the resident fag-hag of her
neighbours, George and Albin, the gay couple who own La Cage.
She is a good friend and a part of George and Albin’s world (played by Malaysian lead Tony
Eusoff and our homegrown talent Ivan Heng). Yet other than being their best friend who loves her
to bits, Jaqueline also owns a restuarant next to La Cage so you can expect her to pop in at the
most convenient of times throughout the musical. And together, Kheng Hua backs up her friends
in the main story-line: where George and Albin gets to meet the prospective parents of their
daughter-in-law who is the ultraconservative politician who hates the infamous club.
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La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
http://www.feveravenue.com/la-cage-aux-folles-kheng-hua/
But Kheng Hua never knew what she was in for when she first said yes to Glen Goei, the director
of the musical. ‘In the middle of Malaysia somewhere (back in 2011), I got this long-distance call
from Glen asking me if I was free in June the following year to do La Cage aux Folles’ she laughs.
‘Sure, I said. Any phone call from Glen or Ivan grants me a yes. Don’t need to give me the script,
don’t need anything, as long as I am free. I didn’t even know what role I was playing, I could have
been one of the Cagelles (the enthusiastic dancing chorus) for all I knew!’
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19/7/12 12:21 PM
La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
http://www.feveravenue.com/la-cage-aux-folles-kheng-hua/
La Cage aux Folles, Kheng Hua admits, is quintessential Glen Goei style. To bring the story closer
to home, Glen has plucked the original story and adapted it to our life. The club La Cage aux
Folles is now situated in the heart of Tanjong Pagar and their neighbours include the local
coffeeshop owners, Ah Beng and Ah Lian – played by Andrew Lua and Judee Tan respectively.
Yet as all these ‘local’ characters take their place on stage, the story of La Cage aux Folles is a
universal story about acceptance. ‘Jaqueline is a part of their (George and Albin’s) world. And we
see them right through the feathers, and they are just people after all, and they are our friends. And
that is what makes La Cage such a beautiful story.’ Kheng Hua shares.
We asked Kheng Hua if she was more like the toned-down Albin or the fabulous Zaza and she
professes, ‘I think neither! I think i am more George!’
La Cage Aux Folles will run from 20 July to 4 August at the Esplanade Theatre. Tickets start at
$35 (excluding SISTIC charge) and can be purchased from all SISTIC Authorized Agents, SISTIC
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La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
http://www.feveravenue.com/la-cage-aux-folles-kheng-hua/
Hotline (65) 6348 5555 or the SISTIC Website www.sistic.com.sg Early Bird specials start now
till 13 June: 10% Discount for OCBC Credit & Debit Cards, 15% Discount for Senior Citizens
aged 55 years and above / Students / NSF. For more information and discounts, visit W!ld Rice at
their website here.
Image Credits: Harris Sim
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You might also like to check out our other posts:
La Cage Aux Folles: The Glitter, The Drama and All That Jazz
La Cage aux Folles: Andrew Lua
More Than Just Sequins and Feathers
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La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua
http://www.feveravenue.com/la-cage-aux-folles-kheng-hua/
BOOM: Benjamin Kheng Takes To The Script of Boom
Contact the author
Article by Guo Wei Ho
Entertainment Sub-editor. Content to be a hermit surrounded by novels, Guo Wei strongly
believes in having cold cereal in bed watching endless reruns of Grey's Anatomy. He constantly
finds himself singing ballads tunelessly in the shower, complete with embarrassing dance moves.
Oh and he thinks that he will be eaten by his cat, go figure. He tweets useless nuggets of
information at @guoweiho
Guo Wei has written 226 articles for Fever Avenue.
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