{"id":8977,"date":"2020-03-05T19:15:48","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T11:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.wildrice.com.sg\/wr\/?p=8977"},"modified":"2020-03-06T15:28:37","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06T07:28:37","slug":"lady-bracknells-hot-wheels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.wildrice.com.sg\/lady-bracknells-hot-wheels\/","title":{"rendered":"Lady Bracknell’s Hot Wheels!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Ivan Heng\u2019s knee buckled midway through the gala night performance of The Importance of Being Earnest<\/em>, he realised that there was simply no way Lady Bracknell \u2013 the character he plays \u2013 could stride her way on stage for the rest of the run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of performing with great physicality in the theatre had finally caught up with him. From prancing around in high heels to kicking spears in full Chinese opera regalia, Ivan has done it all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cActors are athletes. I act with my entire being, completely changing my own shape to embody my characters – and that’s very physically demanding,\u201d notes Ivan. \u201cUnfortunately, that means I now have the knees of a 90-year-old!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That fateful night, he had torn his meniscus (the cartilage) in his right knee and dislocated it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
If you know what to look for, you’ll see how Ivan was favouring his left leg on gala night!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy leg was literally dangling at an angle, but I finished my lines through gritted teeth,” Ivan recalls. “Curtain call was a blur; I had speeches to make, flowers to present and a birthday cake to cut as we celebrated WILD RICE’s 20th Anniversary. But the adrenaline got me through it.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWhen I finally hobbled to my dressing room\nright after the show, I sat down and I just couldn\u2019t get up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur gala was going on outside in the foyer, with our greatest supporters all asking, \u2018Where\u2019s Ivan?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I was in excruciating pain and I couldn\u2019t move. All I could think about was: \u2018How am I going to do the next show?\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Ivan, the show simply had <\/em>to go on. \u201cSo I asked for a large glass of wine and, remembering that we had a wheelchair from Supervision<\/a><\/em> stored away in our warehouse in Tuas, I arranged to have it delivered to the theatre first thing in the morning.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All Hands on Deck <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ensuing countdown until the next performance \u2013 a matinee at 2.30pm the day after \u2013 was a whirlwind of activity. With the help of the entire cast and just an hour and fifteen minutes of rehearsal, a new Lady Bracknell was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ivan is quick to express his gratitude for\nhis castmates. \u201cI couldn\u2019t have done it with any other cast!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always say, \u2018You can\u2019t play King Lear by\nyourself; everyone plays King Lear for you.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together with Crispian Chan, who plays\nbutlers Lane and Merriman, Ivan devised how Lady Bracknell would make all her\nnew entrances into her scenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result: an already imposing Lady\nBracknell becomes an even more formidable figure who barely has to lift a\nfinger to send shivers down your spine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, when I barrel my way into a scene, everyone snaps to attention and is just jumping out of the way to avoid her! It\u2019s very funny,\u201d Ivan laughs. \u201cYou can\u2019t really argue with a dragon lady in a wheelchair, can you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n