Well known for vocal prowess, Vince Chong shows his funny side in a hilarious musical cabaret, writes Aref Omar
LOOKING trim and fit, Vince Chong has a lot to smile about.
The jovial entertainer who burst into showbiz when he won the first edition of Akademi Fantasia, the reality TV singing competition, has come a long way.
With several studio albums under his belt, a string of acting roles on TV and a starring role in Datuk Yusof Haslam’s Sembilu 2005, the 35-yearold has certainly been busy.
The past few years have seen him utilising his singing and acting talents in the theatre scene with comedic plays and musicals.
He was a singing amphibian in the Harith Iskander-directed Frogway and he took on the role as the zany lead in the end-of-the-world comedy Apocalips, helmed by Ida Nerina.
Last year, Chong showcased more of his comic and singing chops as the panic attack-prone accountant, Leo Bloom, in Pan Production’s raucous rendition of the Broadway hit , The Producers.
“That was like bootcamp and a taste of how tough a Broadway project is.
No joke there, lots of real discipline,” says Chong enthusiastically.
He loves the challenge of musicals — the opportunity to sing, act and dance.
He also enjoys the live camaraderie between the various performers.
“Every night it’s a different experience where I have to bring forth my energy to make it work with the different audiences who turn up,” says Chong.
He had sung the songs of the Malaysian and Asian editions of Disney’s popular High School Musical franchise back in 2007 and 2008.
“I just had another crash course in Mimpi Artilla with (director) Adlin Aman Ramli, very intense rehearsals,” he says, about the September run of the musical in which he played the heroic lead.
Vince chalks up his theatre experience so far as a way to open himself up and to be more naturally uninhibited onstage.
WACKY CABARET
Chong’s fans will get to see more of his crazy antics in musical comedy cabaret, Kam.
In Your Face 2.
He will share the stage with Queen Of Comedy Joanne Kamin the two-hour (inclusive of a 20-minute intermission) extravaganza.
“I’ve always wanted to be in one of her crazy shows,” says Chong excitedly.
The musical cabaret is touted to bring together the glamour of Hollywood and Broadway with amazing singing and glamorous costumes, fun mash-ups and heartpounding production numbers.
Chong says it’s a full-on variety show with music ranging from all eras, including cabaret, 80s pop, Bollywood and EDM numbers.
Inspired by Saturday Night Live and MadTV, the show features a storyline tied together by a series of hilarious skits.
Aside from Chong and Kam, the show will feature stand-up comics Shamaine Othman, Papi Zak and Kevin Jay with Lalita Monisha, a singing lawyer and the first runnerup of Miss Malaysia Universe 2014, singer-songwriter Michael Lean, and radio presenter Ashley Chan.
“I’m happy to work with this talented and wacky cast.
There’s great chemistry here and people are going to see us having fun onstage,”
he says, adding that it will be an interactive experience as well for the audience.
Produced by Kam and presented by ToniQ Creative, the show is directed by Llew Marsh, with music production by Daniel Veerapen and choreography by Michael Tan.
It also features six dancers.
How z a ny w i l l Chong get this time? “I’ll be wearing a tutu in a Village People- YMCA inspired kind of scene, so there’ll be memorable moments for sure,” says Chong, who will also sing songs such as Like A Virgin.
“I’ll have to warn my mum and wife beforehand to expect the unexpected,” he adds with a laugh.
OTHER CREATIVE OUTLETS
“The other side of me that not many people know is that I’m not a very serious guy in person,” says Chong.
His w ife, Fiona Edwards, conf irms this by rolling her eyes and grinning widely.
The two tied the knot in March.
The beauty from Sabah can be seen in one of Chong’s short videos on his new YouTube channel, wittily named Pundai TV (www.youtube.
com/user/pundaitv).
“I love creating, so I decided to put my humour into these videos, which also features my whole family,” says Chong, who released his hit single Hanya Kau last year.
He says he has written many songs but will wait for the right time to further develop them.
For now, he is exploring other options like filmmaking.
He wrote a script and will direct a short film, featuring Ash Nair and Chelsia Ng called Similarities, as part of Ida Nerina’s ongoing Ikal Mayang short film project that promotes female empowerment.
“My two-minute film is going to be intense,” he says.
If everything goes well next year, Chong will be filming a teen fantasy comedy feature film that he wrote with Yoki Chin.
Whatever the case, theatre is still something he holds close to his heart.
For him, the theatre scene is like a giant playground to break out and be free to have some creative fun.
“My dream in the future is to write my own musical and direct my own play,” he says.
“It’s like therapy, where I can express and share my passion with like-minded people.
With comedy, laughter really is the best medicine — it keeps you happy and young!”
Kam. In Your Face 2: A Musical Comedy Cabaret
When
Nov 5-16, 8.30pm (No shows on Monday and Tuesday)
Where
Theatre, PJ Live Arts Theatre, 2A- 3, Block K, Jaya One, Section 13, 72A Jalan Universiti, PJ
Admission: RM68, RM88, RM108 Call 017-228 9849 (noon-7pm daily) or go to www.tix.my.
Details at 03-7960 0439 or www. pjlivearts.my.
Note: For mature audiences only.