Around the World in 80 Days
Travelling around the world is no small feat, let alone doing it within 80 days and with £20,000 at stake. On the 26th of November, ACSian Theatre told the story of a man confident, or, some might say, crazy enough to put this to the test! This lively stage adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic novel Around the World in Eighty Days follows the adventures of Mr. Phileas Fogg, his valet Passepartout, and the various friends and foes they meet along the way.
A small socially-distanced audience of student and teachers accompanied the characters on their thrilling journeys on the main stage of ACJC’s Faith Centre for Performing Arts. The play explored how the seemingly dull and humdrum routine of Phileas Fogg in London was transformed into an unforgettable experience journeying by ship, train, railway, and an elephant. The actors skillfully juggled fast-paced farce, heart-warming romance and action-packed fight scenes that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
The play would not have been made possible without the effort of our ebullient cast, remarkable crew and technical team, costume designers, producers and directors. We would like to give special thanks to Mrs Geetha Creffield, Ms Michelle Wong, Ms Annabel Tan, Mrs Baljeet Kaur, Mr Tobias Teo, Mr Jeremy Wong for their passion, commitment and unshakable dedication.
The performers’ exuberance was also displayed through dance, which elegantly introduced the audience to different cultures, and seamlessly transitioned from country to country. For this, we owe our deepest gratitude to choreographer Mr Gerard Sebastian Raj.
In a time where travel may seem foreign most, ACSian Theatre is grateful to have been given this opportunity to perform this play for a live audience, and share the excitement and adventures of voyage to such a wonderful audience. What we have learnt as a club is invaluable to our growth as performers, and we are excited to be able to take what we have learnt into 2022. We would like to extend a very warm invitation to watch our 2022 production of Shakespeare’s brilliant comedy, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. In the words of Mr Fogg, ‘It will certainly be…novel!’
Until then, To God be the Glory, The Best is Yet to Be!
Jalal Gilani
2MD2
President of ACSian Theatre
Batch of 2022
80 D