Theatregoers were howling with laughter while watching Jovanni Sy’s The Tao of the World.
The world premiere of the late-season opener opened at the Tom Patterson Theatre Thursday night.
The Crazy, Rich Asians influence is evident from the opening scene onwards as we follow a memorable cast of characters, several of them highly wealthy Singaporean socialites.
Agnes Tong gives a strong leading performance as Arabella Flynn, a rich girl whose attempts to mess up a planned marriage between former lover Edward Lim and cousin Millicent Tan, played wonderfully by Angus Yam and Heidi Sy Damayo respectively, results in hilarious schemes and serious consequences.
Manami Hara as Lady Helena Yu was a show-stealer, her back and forth with the cast drew laughter.
The rest of the cast does an excellent job in their roles, from Karthik Kadam magnetic charm as Devan Pillay, to the exaggerated and endearing physical comedy of Michael Man as Dr. Wilson Wong to the absurd chemistry between Tim Campbell and Sara-Jeanne Hosie as Trevor Flynn and Eleanor Marwood.
A variety of jokes ranges from slapstick to meta-commentary, enhanced by the lighting and sound effects.
Perhaps the funniest segment is the party scene in Act Two as we see our main cast running around to try and achieve their wants in a fast-paced, chaotic sequence, much to the audience’s delight.
Costumes, from dresses and tailor-made suits to regular shirts and pants, highlight class differences between the main and supporting cast.
The play tackles some serious social themes including homophobia (which creates a gripping cliffhanger) and adjusting to a world after COVID lockdown.
The Tao of the World runs until Sept. 26.
Reporter Hussam Elghussein is sharing observations on opening week performances at the Stratford Festival.
