I went to watch the annual play that every batch of year 4 law students put up. It was… interesting. Occasionally funny but rather lacklustre in my personal opinion. It was odd, cos after the play, I was quite pissed off with the whole conclusion. It’s so typical. Law students whining about their problems, caused by boyfriends, family (brothers and fathers), the male figures in your life. The gender discrimination was so contrived. The sentence, ‘just because I’m a girl!’ has been used umpteen times la. I know it’s not wise to slam the production on this public sphere, but come on, something’s gotta give at the end of 3 hours. It’s not that I hated the play, I find the effort put into the play commendable. It’s just the utter lack of substance and depth. That, plus the themes that went through was just a little … I don’t know how to put it, but I’d like to say juvenile.
First, you have the high-flying high flier whose father thinks that she cannot make it because he wants to protect her from being a blood sucking monster, i.e. a lawyer. And you have arguments on the long hours that lawyers make and how interns are at the bottom of the legal foodchain. I felt like saying, get over it already. If you can’t handle it, don’t like it, then quit. You know the hours are long, you entered into this so-called contract with your eyes wide open, so it’s no defence to say that you didn’t know when you applied. And if you’re applying because your parents told you to apply, and you really wanted something else, I mean like screw you. Then do something else. It’s not as if you can’t think for yourself, at age what? 18?
Grr. It makes me mad, and the thing is I don’t even know exactly why I am so mad about this kind of stuff. I’m not saying that their problems are not real, it’s just that there is a ready solution.
Next, you have a student who is gifted in physics and the sciences generally but decided to choose law to rebel against the mold that she was put in. Lalalala. Well, i think it’s the hardest role to play for a law student to sprout all those scientific mumbo jumbo. It’s impressive. She must have had a hard time memorising the script. Anyway, her problem is that she has a brother who wants her to do what she’s not sure of doing– science/electronic engineering. Yeah, so she’s conflicted and torn. Ladida. Okie, firstly, I’m bored by this plot. The element of choice seems so contrived as well. So you can choose other things, so…? Your point being..? Oh right, that of choice. Haiz, I just think it was quite obvious that people have a choice, always. I mean, you’re not some nuah being, being tossed around by the waves of people’s opinions. You have a mind, a good one, it’s not exactly hard to work out that people have a choice. Ahh well, nvm that. Let’s move on.
To be clear, I’m not dismissing that an identity crisis is frivolous and a non-issue. It’s just that to discuss an identity crisis in this context doesn’t really show the identity struggle at all. Not to me at least.
Last story. You have the dreamy girl who wants to be a lawyer but is scared of the hours that it entails, prefering to put family and future children first. Granted. Actually, I think the ending should be that she gave up her dream for a better one. I mean, if you’re going to talk about how love and relationships are more impt than career and money, then make that girl be a stay at home mom. Be comfortable with that. If not, don’t come to the conclusion that love conquers all and money is second in priority. Grrr.. Too many happy endings do not maketh a good play. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
So here are my grouses and there it ends. Why am I so upset by the play? I’ve no idea. It eats away at me, these imaginary problems by these children. I feel like saying at the end of it, so these are your problems? No, seriously? And that’s my 2 cents worth.
