One on One with The Composer's Tan Kheng Hua

Tan Kheng Hua is best known for starring in sitcoms like Phua Chu Kang and Sayang Sayang, and movies Cages and the Blue Mansion.

But here's the real deal: Kheng's real passion is the theatre. The Composer is a dark fable about love and debuts this Dec 16 - 20 at the Esplanade. It's the kind of experience you're not going to get on the web or TV. The play features an intriguing (and nice looking) cast with Classical Cellist Leslie Tan in his first starring role and an eclectic cast of women.

Watch the trailer below.

Hmmm, we wonder just what's going to happen...

Klik.TV caught up with the uber talented and busy Kheng Hua to find out more.

Klik.TV: You're known primarily for your entertainment work in tv. But people don't realise that you started in theatre, and you're pretty serious about exploring the human side?

Kheng Hua: I'm not serious about exploring the human side...I’'m OBSESSED with it!

Klik.TV: We gather THE COMPOSER is not your typical boy meets girl storyline ?

Kheng Hua: Nope. Nothing typical about The Composer at all. It’s a boy meets girl, then meets another girl, and then three more girls after that.

Klik.TV: How did the idea come about with co-director/writer Ken Kwek?

I had a vision about a man talking to his wife and all his lovers in the same room. Every lover’s nightmare, so to speak. And that it would be a dialogue about loving if one were to be true to oneself. I floated this to Ken who wrote for me in Do Not Disturb, Late Checkout, Please, and another production I directed and the idiot actually said "Yes!" He'’d write it! It’'s been a marvelous collaboration and I am thankful everyday to have someone so diligent and committed to work with while creating this piece.

Klik.TV: Your Composer looks very suave and sexy. Was the tortured artist something you had in mind?

Kheng Hua: I would say, more like a tortured MAN as opposed to just a tortured ARTIST.

Klik.TV: Tell us about the cast of the Composer. They all look great and easy on the eye.

Kheng Hua: I did have a look I was going for, that cannot be denied. But ultimately, if you had the looks, but not the courage or the commitment to this subject matter and production, you wouldn'’t have been cast.

It was one of Esplanade’'s conditions in curating this piece that we bring in people from different fields into the theatre. So Leslie Tan is a classical musician from the renowned T’ang Quartet, Tammy L Wong – choreographer and dancer; Andrea Fonseka from TV; Sol Foo an editor, and Marilyn Tan, a TV director. Chio Su-Ping and Lezanne are both actors, just like me.

Klik.TV: You've casted a musician who's never acted - how will that turn out?

Kheng Hua: We’'ve won. I don'’t care how things will turn out. Though I believe people will be pleasantly surprised. His attitude, determination, commitment and love is amazing. And it'’s better than loads of other full time actors out there. I daresay, he’'s also better than many of them because he is intelligent, is constantly learning, and tries so damn hard!

Klik.TV: Directing vs. acting. Give us a phrase to describe the difference.

Kheng Hua: Acting is one. Directing is all.

Klik.TV: Is directing better than sex?

Kheng Hua: Nothing is better than sex.

Klik.TV: Should Singapore audiences be expecting an easy time at this one?

Kheng Hua: I'’ll be honest with you...if you’'re looking for something to please... you'’ve come to the wrong place. However, if you’'re as interested in human beings and the mysteries of the human heart, then I think you'’ll thoroughly enjoy the ride.

Klik.TV: Are audiences going to laugh, cry, or go huh?

Kheng Hua: I hope they will snigger out of identification, cry out of compassion and for every “huh” moment, they’ll go home and give it a think!

Klik.TV: Any other comments on the state of theatre in Singapore?

Kheng Hua: Ivan Heng, Artistic Director of W!ld Rice once told me, “Theatre is the last bastion of free speech in Singapore”. I agree. And that’'s every reason to support it. Wholeheartedly and for a long long time.

(Top photo credit: Tan Ngiap Heng)