★★★★☆ Review: A Dose of Comedy featuring Kumar and his Showgirls

Singapore’s queen of comedy is back to claim the throne in local live comedy.

A chance to see Singapore’s funniest drag queen should never be passed up, especially when it’s been so long since her last show. Presented by OMT Entertainment, A Dose of Comedy welcomes Kumar back onstage for live comedy gigs since the pandemic began, with his brand of humour the vaccination you need to rid yourself of the COVID-19 blues.

Of course, like how the vaccine comes in two doses, so too does this show, with local comedian Sam See opening for Kumar. A mainstay of the local scene, Sam has been busy even during the pandemic, stepping it up both online and off, and it’s time Singaporeans recognise just how hard he’s been at it, and how important a role he plays in the local industry. For his set, Sam showcased his vulnerability and was open with his sharing, allowing his jokes to feel relatable and authentic. Sam showed that even with the socially distanced seating arrangements, all it takes is a great comedian to bridge the gap and create that intimacy we so crave in a live show, excelling at audience interaction and warming us up for the remainder of the evening.

Of course, when it was time for Kumar, Singapore’s favourite drag queen arrived in grand fashion, flanked by his fabulous showgirls as they performed the Dreamgirls opening number. Well-choreographed and fun, it was a moment that sent chills down our spine to finally be able to see Kumar in his element back onstage again. Always giving it his all in everything he does, Kumar and his showgirls were fully committed to their roles, making it look effortless and a gratifying performance overall.

Dressed in a ‘Paddle Pop’ gown, Kumar got personal and shared what life was like during COVID, and how Sundays were usually spent bonding with his sister and two dogs – a Scottish terrier and a maltipoo, but when given an opportunity to come on stage to perform, he didn’t blink an eyelid. Always fiercely current with his material, Kumar passed commentary on how online shopping has become the norm, and at times, perhaps we’re simply doing it for the sound of someone ringing our doorbell during the lockdown period.

Even staycations aren’t spared, as he shares about his recent experience, and his observations on how different races and ethnicities enjoy staycations in their own way. Of course, like the rest of us, Kumar still misses travelling, and goes on to share how much he misses how easy it was to get to JB across the Causeway, or to visit Melbourne again once the borders open. With his wealth of relevant material, any Singaporean will find his jokes immediately relatable, even when he delves into gross-out humour with his punchlines about toilet habits.

Without an intermission, Kumar took a breather while his showgirls returned to entertain the crowd. Dressed as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, both queens were in full drag and makeup, performing a high energy lip sync battle to ‘Rain On Me’, with slick dance moves that left us floored, and making us feel so privileged to be in the audience.

As Kumar returned, we saw a different side to him as he shed the glamour for more casual wear, a rare sight to see him like this, so comfortable in his own skin instead of the Amazonian queen we’re so used to. Segueing into jokes about the wedding habits of different Singaporeans, Kumar elaborated more on how he especially enjoyed Malay weddings at void decks. Just about everything in his life seems primed for humour, as he even comments on the door-to-door Yakult aunty waking him up at unruly times, and it really was refreshing just to hear about his daily life, what he has to go through!

It is in these difficult times that it is so encouraging to see companies such as CausewayEXchange, DMR Productions and Generation X team up to make shows such as this a reality again, a necessity more than ever to put a smile on the public’s face. They say laughter is the best medicine, and A Dose of Comedy has proven just that with Kumar’s brand of humour. Ending off with his final words of wisdom, Kumar advises us how to enjoy our love life that much more, and how to get up again even when we fall, unafraid to find the funny in anything and everything.

Photo Credit: wilzworkz wong

A Dose of Comedy played from 19th to 21st March 2021 at the Drama Centre Theatre.