Interview by William Chan
Mabina Choi Leng Chi, captain of the Big Mouse Kids Drama Group, told The Macau Post Daily in an exclusive interview that the art organisation will present its new show called “The Praises of Cat Warrior’’ on Saturday and Sunday.
The interview was held last week at a practice room of the Big Mouse Kids Drama Group in Nape.
Established in 2012, the Big Mouse Kids Drama Group aims to bring drama into the lives of children and youths, cultivating their artistic qualities and fostering cultural participation and appreciation from a young age. The group strives to continue its efforts to develop children’s theatre and performances while benefitting different communities of children and parents through various art programmes.
Choi pointed out that the upcoming performance is a rerun which premiered nine years ago, when she was one of the “cats” on stage at that time. Now, she serves as the director of the show and remains committed to the same purpose: raising public awareness of stray animals and providing a source of comfort for individuals exhausted from their busy academic and work schedules. “These poor souls have always been around us but are neglected. Everything is a living being, and I think we should have empathy for them as well,” she said.
The show’s storyline revolves around a cat protagonist’s journey to learn about love, even towards its foes, in order to protect its friends. Choi mentioned that during rehearsals, they paid close attention to the movements of the cats to replicate them as accurately as possible. “We hired dance teacher Wina to guide the kids on stage. She did a great job not only on the dance level but also in paying attention to the dynamics between characters. Under her instructions, the young performers look very cool and charming,” Choi noted.
In addition to incorporating dance elements, some parents also participated in the production of the show. Some volunteered to help with their kids’ makeup, while others even joined in the performance. Choi noted that the reason for the parents’ active involvement was that they wanted to understand why their children enjoyed participating in the show so much. Despite heavy rehearsal schedules, the young students never exhausted their passion for drama, Choi said, adding that thanks to this special experience, the parents learnt more about their children and even themselves, and thoroughly enjoyed the participation process.
Choi expressed hope that the group would be able to repeat the show in the future, with her current students serving as the directors of future shows.
The performances will be held at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Sands Theatre. Choi added that her group has prepared two extra performances for social service organisations dedicated to caring for local children. Tickets are priced at 180 patacas, with various discounts available.
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All photos and posters courtesy of the Big Mouse Drama Group
