Is this your first pantomime?
No, this is my third pantomime! My first pantomime was Aladdin, when I was four years old. My second was Hansel & Gretel, when I was five years old.
What do you love about being in the pantomime?
I love being in the pantomime because I get to act and sing at the same time. I love singing. It’s like a fairy tale come true for me!
You perform a vocal and violin solo in The Emperor’s New Clothes. What’s that like?
I feel really happy and honoured, because this is the first time that I have a solo to perform in the W!LD RICE pantomime. I was so excited the first time I performed it on stage! I told myself to do my best, and to just carry on even if I made a mistake.
When did you start learning how to play the violin?
When I was three! I’ve been playing for five years.
And when did you discover that you loved to sing?
Since I started talking. When I grow up, I want to be a singer. I like singing all types of music – Disney songs, Broadway, pop, opera and classical! My voice teacher introduced me to operas and classical music.
Tell us about your experience of working on this show.
I like everything about it! It’s really fun and exciting to work with Auntie Pam, because she’s a very fun person. She has a lot of surprises up her sleeve. The actors are really nice. I perform my solo with Hui Xuan, who plays the piano. She’s very easy to work with as a team-mate, so it was very fun. It really doesn’t feel like practising or rehearsing when you have so much fun with everyone!
What do you think about the songs in the show?
I think they’re really funny, especially Naked As My Butt! I also really like the part that I was given to sing, because it’s a preview of Ooh Lah Lah, which ties it to the song when it’s performed in full in Act Two.
This year, there’s only one cast of kids, not two. Do you enjoy getting to do the show for its full run?
Yes, but the worrying part is if you get sick! You can’t be replaced!
What do you tell yourself just before the curtain goes up?
I tell myself to remember what I have to do, and to remember to improve from what I did in past shows. I try not to make a mistake.
Do you get stage fright?
In my first pantomime, I had really a lot of stage fright. During one rehearsal, I was so scared that I ran down the stage to my mom. She told me, ‘I’m going to put you through this so you don’t get stage fright anymore!’ And now, I never really get stage fright.
What have you learnt from being in the pantomime?
I’ve learnt that practice makes perfect. That you can always do better. And the show must go on! In the first performance of The Emperor’s New Clothes, I made a mistake – the shoulder rest for my violin fell on the floor. I just continued playing without it. When I was done, I picked it up without anyone noticing.
Any parting words for us?
Thank you!! Thank you, W!LD RICE, for letting me be part of the show!
