Sep 21, 2006
THOSE eager to see Kit Chan as the young Empress Cixi in Forbidden City at last Wednesday’s matinee performance were disappointed.Signs at the Esplanade Theatre informed patrons that Chan, billed as the home-grown musical’s star, was not performing that day. A pre-show announcement was also made that the role would be taken on by Chan’s understudy, Celine Rosa Tan.
But the change irked audience member Irvin Lim enough for him to write to The Straits Times to complain.
The 23-year-old undergraduate said that customers should have been told that Chan would not be performing when they were buying the tickets.
While the matinee tickets were sold at half-price to students, he said he would rather have bought a full-priced ticket to see Chan.
He told Life!: ‘Expectations were raised because of the advertising that Kit Chan was singing. I’m not a fan, but I like her voice.’
SRT’s artistic director Gaurav Kripalani said that he made the decision for Chan to rest her voice last Wednesday as there were still 21/2 weeks left in the show’s run and it was a demanding role.
He also explained that it is standard industry practice around the world to put up signs at the venue if and when a show’s star is not performing.
He added: ‘Celine Rosa Tan was selected for the role because she is a spectacular performer. We took great efforts to ensure that the quality of the show was not compromised in any way.’
Tan played a prostitute in Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble’s Cabaret, and a doting sister in Theatre Practice’s Lao Jiu, to good reviews from critics. She performed again at a matinee yesterday.
Six patrons who approached SRT staff and said they were there specifically to watch Chan in action were immediately offered a full refund or tickets for another night. All but one chose the second option.
Mr Kripalani offered Mr Lim the same alternatives. Told of this, he said: ‘I’ll definitely accept a new ticket.’
* Thanks to shuhui for the article!
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November 30th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
I didn’t get to know about the refund or the offering of ticket for another day until two months later as I was busy with my studies. I tried to contact SRT and Gaurav Kripalani responded. However, he refused to refund me but offer to invite me to his new production. I don’t understand why it is so difficult for me to get a refund as according to SISTIC terms and conditions, refunds are valid up to 6 months. Totally disappointed with SRT!!!