Last night I went, with my girlfriends, to watch the Mad Musicals 7 show at The Kuwait Little Theatre, Ahmadi and it was FANTASTIC!
We, and all the audience, had a great time. I am in awe of these talented volunteers who worked so hard to entertain us. Most definitely the best KD 5 I've ever spent. Some extraordinary voices singing well-chosen songs from favourite popular musicals. Some hilariously funny sketches that had us all in stitches.
Tim Waddell, you are a genius! To all the wonderful dedicated cast and crew - thank you all very much for a superb night.
Advice to readers out there - If you can beg, borrow or steal a ticket..do it!
wanted to go...they were sold out... *SOB!!!*
ReplyDeleteHi R.M, They were sold out last night but I saw a few seats available it's possible that a few people may no-show. Might be worth driving down for and trying? It's soooooo worth it. You can always got to Lulu's Hypermarket on the way home, if you don't get a ticket, and buy some Ben & Jerry's.
ReplyDeleteI attended MM7 earlier this week and largely enjoyed the evening.
ReplyDeleteBUT.
2 songs ruined it for me.
1.The hilarious but totally un-necessary offensive take on Arab ladies in their abayas and the skit on voting in Saudi Arabia. GRATUITOUSLY OFFENSIVE to our kind hosts here in Kuwait.
2. The second act Italian song with the tambourines. OVERTLY SEXUAL - and again offensive to our surroundings/hosts. If I want to spend time in a bordello I'll spend an evening on the Reeperbahn. The young actress / singer appears to be hugely talented but why do her acts / presentations have to revolve around sex? This following on from the gratuitous sex references (and grinding of hips in Hairspray).
At any time during these songs I was awaiting MOI to come in and switch on the lights.
We wonder why Brits are under attack in Kuwait - maybe it is that we lack the "Class" to respect our hosts and surroundings.
A great evening, with few flatspots - aside from the woeful Singing in the Rain - but a little more restraint needs to be shown by KLT's directors and committee.
I will give their presentations one more chance.
Hmmm Anon, I did deliberate over whether I should post this comment. Mainly because I would hate any negative comments to jeopardise the attendance and support of the KLT.
ReplyDeleteI, also, happen to disagree with you.
1. I believe the Saudi ladies skit was harmless, inoffensive tongue-in-cheek and nothing that many Saudis wouldn't laugh at too. Was it offensive or funny? I guess that depends on your perspective. You seem to think that the people here have little or no sense of humour?
2. The tambourine act where the ladies tap their groin area is a little racy, perhaps, for those more conservative. The ladies were all fully clothed. And it was certainly not as overtly sexual as let's say belly dancing, which is perfectly acceptable on TV here, and in almost all neighbouring and Arab countries.
Lastly, "class" may or may not be a contributing factor to us being under attack. It has never been before. There has always been great respect between the Brits and Kuwaitis. And let's face it many Brits are no more disrespectful of local customs than many Kuwaitis or other nationalities here.
My own personal thoughts are these threats to the embassy are probably quite common but for some reason, this time, they are taking it much more seriously than usual. It only takes one person with a grudge to make a call and cause all this.
May I suggest you save your KD5 and put it towards a 50 pound ticket on Shaftesbury Avenue when you get home. Only it seems your expectations are way too high.
I am glad you printed my comment - blogs are about opinions, not restricting them. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe I expect too much. I do though very much believe in respect. If we can respect our hosts, just maybe we can get them to respect us Brits all the more. We are known for our great sense of humour - without having to resort to smut.
I very much enjoy KLT and have done for the 2 years that I have been here. I just think that when directors have to resort to crudity it is because they are showing limitations.
The performances of the (new?) male singer - opening number and jungle book - was exceptional and he was excellently supported by the two young ladies. Stephen and Gregory - Billy Elliott - were again excellent after being strong in Hairspray.
Conversely, whilst I enjoyed the performance of the obviously talented and excellent leading lady, I thought she was out of place in this company - more Shaftesbury Avenue than Ahmadi.
As I have said, all in all a greatly enjoyable evening; as I said before I believe just not in keeping with our surroundings. I laughed like a drain at the Arab ladies skit - just would have felt more comfortable watching it in Stafford or Solihull!
As far as expectations go, I love my life in Kuwait and at every opportunity talk up the country and most of its people. I just have equally high expectations of my countryfolk.
Hi Anon, :O) Yes agreed we are all are entitled to our opinion. I did gasp, a little, at the skits you mentioned but was not offended in anyway and I know my husband would have laughed and enjoyed it as much as I did. In fact I think if I'd seen that in the UK I wouldn't have found it half as funny.
ReplyDeleteAlso agree there were some very talented volunteers singing their hearts out on that stage. Which was much appreciated by many.
You're not a BLS lady are you? LOL.. Would account for the harsh criticism :O)
Glad to hear you're enjoying Kuwait.
Firstly, thank you for your wonderful review. MM7 was a resounding success and the feedback from ALL sections of the population has been wonderful.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Anonymous - your comments are exaggerated, inflammatory and simply not accurate. There was nothing 'Overtly Sexual' in the show, nor anything 'Gratuitously Offensive'. After 61 seasons as a club sponsored by Kuwait Oil Company we know to avoid either. And we do.
The two numbers you refer to as insensitive to our Kuwaiti hosts were absolutely not.
Titillation is not illegal in Kuwait (as our site host here pointed out, belly dancing is the perfect example.) How can six fully clothed women, sat in chairs, doing a fast paved tambourine dance be 'overtly sexual'? And do you really believe that sexuality is not expressed in the Muslim culture? Come on!
To your comments on 'You Don't Own Me'; having lived in Kuwait for 15 years and experienced the joy of women being granted the vote here, our wry take celebrating the Saudi rule changes was exactly that - a Celebration. How can that be offensive? It is a tribute to Women's rights in the Middle East and to the men who gave them those rights. Is women dancing in ababya and niqab comical to see. Yes! But no more "offensive" than the nuns dancing at the end of act one and I didn't see you complain about that.
You repetitive gripe about respecting our Kuwaiti hosts is in itself disrespectful as it shows you don't know them or that you crassly over generalize. Let them speak for themselves. Worry about your reaction not theirs. You cannot say you laughed at the song and then say you are cognizant of showing them respect.
We had many Kuawiti's onstage and off during the production, as well as those in the audience and on the KLT committee. None of them found either song offensive. I don't know which sector of the 'host' nation you think you represent with your comments, but by attending theatre performances where men and women will be dancing together, and men and women sitting together in the auditorium, I assume it is not the extreme Islamist.
You should accept that our host nation is extremely well balanced. It is the only Gulf state with a free press and the fact the KOC has sponsored the Little Theatre and supported it since 1948 shows that we enjoy a commitment to the arts in this country that is unheard of in some more extreme Gulf states.
If you want to attend KLT shows then please come and 'support' them. We are ALWAYS aware of our sponsors, the culture we work in and the rules of Kuwait. And many of those who volunteer their time to provide entertainment to the community have been in the country a lot longer than you, I would dare to say, and so are equally as 'aware' of the do's and dont's.
After Hairspray, from almost 2,000 visitors you were the only person to pick fault with our taste level. It doesn't surprise me that once again it appears you are the only one upset by our line in the sand between Western entertainment and cultural sensitivity. I recommend you are brave enough to firstly give your name next time you criticize or stop attending altogther.
We always welcome feedback - good and bad - but exaggerated, inflammatory remarks will not be welcomed and we ask that everyone responds about how a show made THEM feel themselves, rather than 'guess' how it might make others feel; local or expatriate.
Tim Waddell - KLT Director
Firstly, thank you for your wonderful review. MM7 was a resounding success and the feedback from ALL sections of the population has been wonderful.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Anonymous - your comments are exaggerated, inflammatory and simply not accurate. There was nothing 'Overtly Sexual' in the show, nor anything 'Gratuitously Offensive'. After 61 seasons as a club sponsored by Kuwait Oil Company we know to avoid either. And we do.
The two numbers you refer to as insensitive to our Kuwaiti hosts were absolutely not.
Titillation is not illegal in Kuwait (as our site host here pointed out, belly dancing is the perfect example.) How can six fully clothed women, sat in chairs, doing a fast paved tambourine dance be 'overtly sexual'? And do you really believe that sexuality is not expressed in the Muslim culture? Come on!
To your comments on 'You Don't Own Me'; having lived in Kuwait for 15 years and experienced the joy of women being granted the vote here, our wry take celebrating the Saudi rule changes was exactly that - a Celebration. How can that be offensive? It is a tribute to Women's rights in the Middle East and to the men who gave them those rights. Is seeing women dancing in abaya and niqab comical? Yes! But no more "offensive" than the nuns dancing at the end of act one and I didn't see you complain about that.
You repetitive gripe about respecting our Kuwaiti hosts is in itself disrespectful as it shows you don't know them or that you crassly over generalize. Let them speak for themselves. Worry about your reaction not theirs. You cannot say you laughed at the song and then say you are cognizant of showing them respect.
We had many Kuawiti's onstage and off during the production, as well as those in the audience and on the KLT committee. None of them found either song offensive. I don't know which sector of the 'host' nation you think you represent with your comments, but by attending theatre performances where men and women will be dancing together, and men and women sitting together in the auditorium, I assume it is not the extreme Islamist.
You should accept that our host nation is extremely well balanced. It is the only Gulf state with a free press and the fact the KOC has sponsored the Little Theatre and supported it since 1948 shows that we enjoy a commitment to the arts in this country that is unheard of in some more extreme Gulf states.
If you want to attend KLT shows then please come and 'support' them. We are ALWAYS aware of our sponsors, the culture we work in and the rules of Kuwait. And many of those who volunteer their time to provide entertainment to the community have been in the country a lot longer than you, I would dare to say, and so are equally as 'aware' of the do's and don’ts.
After Hairspray, from almost 2,000 visitors you were the only person to pick fault with our taste level. It doesn't surprise me that once again it appears you are the only one upset by our line in the sand between Western entertainment and cultural sensitivity. I recommend you are brave enough to firstly give your name next time you criticize or stop attending altogether.
We always welcome feedback - good and bad - but exaggerated, inflammatory remarks will not be welcomed and we ask that everyone responds about how a show made THEM feel themselves, rather than 'guess' how it might make others feel; local or expatriate.
Tim Waddell - KLT Director
Well said Tim :OD
ReplyDelete