Just a quick one before i completely knock out.

Thank you very much for all those who came to support their friends at today's event. And a big thank you to all the contestants who gave their best and put up an excellent show for everyone.
Some of you got the nerves and made some mistakes for their routines but don't feel too bad about it! It's all a learning experience and I really appreciate your efforts for putting up the show and having the balls to take part in this! All of you are winners. B)

Still congratulations are in order to Sherman Tang, Ahlishufi and Farid for placing the top 3 spots. The competition was really tough for this one with some really excellent acts so give yourself a pat on the back for placing top 3. ^_^
Sherman also got the People's Choice by a very decisive margin so clearly the judges and the audiences agree on this one. And shows that the audiences really voted with their heart for their choice of best act.
Well done mate! Pigeon! B)

Congrats to SMC for a great competition event. Good job well done by organizers, coordinators and crew.

Great turnout and great performances from ALL!

Some highlights for me:

Congrats to Sherman for a well deserved win with a well structured, entertaining and executed act. Of course, I have to admit that I am biased because I feel that this is the way a talking-styled act should be produced for competition in structure. I personally felt the IBM Parlour competition judges got it wrong last week with their choices for top 3 placing so I'm happy and I know someone can sleep now with this 1st place win.

I personally also thought competitor #2 should have placed as he did a very cohesive and very well routined act. I was very impressed with his poise, stage movement and stage blocking. The method handling he worked out for some effects was brilliant in my opinion. He has the best handling of the Razor Blades in mouth that I have seen or am knowledged about. What didn't I think of that?!

Competitor #1's had a daring local take on Sam the Bellhop. It is probably the best example of a "localized" presentation for an effect that I have seen in performance. While the special guest judge Tony Wilson might have been lost with the local slangs, any Singaporean could clearly appreciate and be entertained by the routine. In the right setting, for the right crowd, this routine would kill... and not because there are was a gun involved.

Competitor #8 who was the youngest showed the ability to entertain and manage an audience far beyond his years. I found him hilarious strange and odd most times but was nevertheless entertained. Technically sound with the tape/ coin blindfold techniques, it was really his personality that drive his act. Given the right crowd, he would kill. He has great "Jeff Hobson" potential.

Looking forward to the next one!

Best,

J C

Congrats to all the winners. And to all the contestants, you are all winners for being able to stand out there to perform. It takes lot of guts to be out there doing it to a big crowd. Do not take it to heart to those who failed in your act. It do happens at times. Just take it as a learning experience and continue to strive better next time.
Thanks for the invitation from SMC, really appreciated it.

I guess if Sherman was using the same routine/scripts in last week's competition, he would have won it too. In last week's routine, "chicken" were used instead of "pigeon", after building up so much suspense and expectations about the "chicken", only rubber chicken was produced. I was a little disappointed. :) The pace, and timing wasn't that right too. Yesterday's performance was a significant improvement! :) I think he is getting better in the routine!

Other performers are good in their own ways too. But I shall reserve my layman comments here, as JC already has some precious views here which make a lot of sense. :) And also because of the fact that I am quite forgetful, and has forgotten which performer did what, and what I like or hate about their performances. :P

Overall, time control is an issue, but overall, I am still very impressed by your efforts and enthusiasm in the art.

Cheers! :)

Thank you all for the kind words.

To all the competitors, you guys are winners too. It was a really tough fight because some of you guys were really skillful. Not to mention young. People like Jerome Chee, Hasif and Jian Fei were fantastic with their sleights. Farid showed his is one of the best coin guys in S'pore and controlled the crowd extremely well. Shufi amazed us with his countless bottle production.

For me, the hard work really paid off because it took me over 4 weeks to come up with the idea, routining and presentation. And another couple weeks to get the method and handling right.

This win isnt just one man's effort. I have to say a big thank you to my wife who stayed up countless nights with me to rehearse the entire routine. And even encouraged me to continue with the SMC competition after a painful experience at IBM. Her support spurred me to come up with the egg vanish and reappearance to replace the old egg bag. (Those who went for the IBM competition will know what i mean)

I would like to thank Aloy, Shade, Jerome Fang, Gordon, Bernard Sim, Axl, Adrian who put in alot of effort organising this competition.

To JC. You're damn right. I can finally sleep.


Cheers.

it was an extremely good show put up by the everyone...
it is sad that i have to leave during the intermisson..jerome have put up a very impactful performance with lot of gag and "singlish"

I wish I was there, but I'm terribly terribly broke.

But from what I read, I think the organising committee deserves a pat on the back for a job well done.

Congratulations.