14 Feb 2006 | OPS & TRAINING
FALL IN NOW FOR LAUGHS!
STORY // Chen Wei Li
PHOTO // Courtesy of Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble
PHOTO // Courtesy of Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble
While others served their National Service (NS) with rifles and grenades, he served his with a microphone on stage.
Today, Sheikh Haikel is reprising his NS experiences again in the forthcoming play 'Army Daze'.
The former Singapore Armed Forces Music & Drama Company performer will star as Johari in Army Daze, a play about five recruits and their hilarious experiences in Basic Military Training (BMT).
"Johari is the real soldier, holding the gun," said Sheikh. "I was holding the microphone, and doing ballet."
Playing Johari is nothing new to Sheikh. In 1991, he was cast as the down-to-earth Malay youth for an earlier version of the play. This was also a role he played in the movie version in 1996.
In some ways, Sheikh is able relate to Johari's NS experiences. Whether it is on the stage or in camp, the camaraderie and friendship among buddies is real.
"After your BMT when you move on to a unit, some of your friends do follow you so there is this bonding of friendship through the years and that is evident in Army Daze too," he said.
But can a two-hour comedy play represent the Army?
Sheikh thinks it can.
He said the play portrays a lighter side of Army the hilarious moments that one encounters in NS.
"To show two years of your NS life on stage is not possible, but we are taking the most hilarious moments of your life in Army and staging it," he explained.
"Those who have gone through the Army will laugh," he said.
"As for the family members, they will recall the day they sent off their boys for BMT and the day they attended their Passing-out Parade."
The challenge now is for Sheikh and the rest of the cast like Kumar, Hossan Leong, and the directors, Beatrice Chia and Goh Boon Teck, to string all these memories into the play.
Expect to see an "updated" play reflecting today s Army.
Nobody should report sick for this play, which will be staged at the Drama Centre at the new National Library from 2 to 11 Mar.
Visit http://www.sistic.com.sg for more details.
Today, Sheikh Haikel is reprising his NS experiences again in the forthcoming play 'Army Daze'.
The former Singapore Armed Forces Music & Drama Company performer will star as Johari in Army Daze, a play about five recruits and their hilarious experiences in Basic Military Training (BMT).
"Johari is the real soldier, holding the gun," said Sheikh. "I was holding the microphone, and doing ballet."
Playing Johari is nothing new to Sheikh. In 1991, he was cast as the down-to-earth Malay youth for an earlier version of the play. This was also a role he played in the movie version in 1996.
In some ways, Sheikh is able relate to Johari's NS experiences. Whether it is on the stage or in camp, the camaraderie and friendship among buddies is real.
"After your BMT when you move on to a unit, some of your friends do follow you so there is this bonding of friendship through the years and that is evident in Army Daze too," he said.
But can a two-hour comedy play represent the Army?
Sheikh thinks it can.
He said the play portrays a lighter side of Army the hilarious moments that one encounters in NS.
"To show two years of your NS life on stage is not possible, but we are taking the most hilarious moments of your life in Army and staging it," he explained.
"Those who have gone through the Army will laugh," he said.
"As for the family members, they will recall the day they sent off their boys for BMT and the day they attended their Passing-out Parade."
The challenge now is for Sheikh and the rest of the cast like Kumar, Hossan Leong, and the directors, Beatrice Chia and Goh Boon Teck, to string all these memories into the play.
Expect to see an "updated" play reflecting today s Army.
Nobody should report sick for this play, which will be staged at the Drama Centre at the new National Library from 2 to 11 Mar.
Visit http://www.sistic.com.sg for more details.
