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A scene that we all imagine in our heads -- giving a boss-from-hell a piece of our mind. (Photo

courtesy of Pa

Review: Comedy thriller starts slow but ends strongBy Melissa Law | Going Out By Night Wed, Oct 3, 2012 11:12 AM SGT

Fame and fortune are at the root of all

evil and no one knows this better thanthe people in Hollywood.

Exploring that theme, "Swimming

With Sharks" gives us a glimpse of

behind-the-scenes of the movie-

making industry, including the

betrayals that are a way of life.

A stage remake starringAdrian Pang,

George Young and Janice Koh, stage

group Pangdemonium's take on the1994 movie is a razor-sharp satire of

the industry with a modern twist.

Pang plays a ruthless boss and movie

mogul, Buddy Ackerman, who hires a

new intern, Guy, played by Young.

Koh plays Dawn Lockhart, an independent producer and Guy's love interest.

For a play that is equal parts thriller and comedy, "Sharks" starts out a little slow.

Guy begins as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed intern an aspiring film-maker driven by his pure love for films.

While working at Buddy's production company, he meets Dawn and falls in love with her.

As the months go by, the young and honest man is slowly worn down by Buddy's abrasive and abusive management style,

corrupted by the cut-throat nature of the industry.

Eventually, Guy is forced to choose between his love for Dawn and his career. He loses everything and is driven to

desperation.

Up to this point in the story, the lines were humorous and the acting was engaging, but the verbosity of the play tested the

audience's patience, and even I was fidgeting in my seat.

When it finally got to the climax however, the audience was dead silent and completely absorbed in the plot, hanging onto

the actors' every word.

I have to admit that I was initially lukewarm to Young's performance. He makes his stage debut with "Sharks" but his bad

posture in the beginning of the play bothered me.

However, he executed the climax flawlessly, and it was here that Young's performance dazzled the audience. Within

minutes, I had changed my mind and I was impressed.

The development and growth of Guy's character was evident in Young's performance. No longer the pushover he once was,

Guy began to show more confidence from the middle of the play.

Pang performed well throughout the play. His ability to inject comedy in the tense climax without detracting from its

intensity successfully added another layer to Buddy's character.

He managed to convey the vulnerable and human side of Buddy, drawing the audience in. In fact, he was so convincing that

we started to empathise with the underhanded producer and his plight.

When the twist in the story was revealed (no spoilers here, lest we ruin the experience for you), the audience gasped in

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Catch "Swimming With Sharks" from now till 7 October 2012 at the Drama Centre Theatre. Tickets are available from

SISTIC.

Copyright 2012 Going Out By Night

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