Pretty Ugly

Singaporean theatremaker Theo Chen’s Pretty Ugly is hitting the stage once again for a limited run. For three days only at Blu Jaz’s The Jazz Loft, the solo cabaret performance is centred on Chen’s personal journey of self-discovery, blending the artist’s intimate storytelling with reimaginings of musical theatre numbers and jazz and indie-pop songs.

Directed by Lim Shien Hian, with musical direction by Jane Foo, Pretty Ugly unpacks the insecurities that come with never feeling beautiful enough. Because who else hasn’t felt that way? And for Chen, it’s been more often than not. Piecing together stories about his family, memories from NS and his experiences navigating life as a foreign student in the UK, the performance finds him confronting his demons head-on, turning his struggles into a moving and reflective piece about acceptance.

Pretty Ugly premiered at *SCAPE’s COMMA Festival earlier this year. The show has since been brought to life internationally, including at Camden People’s Theatre in March and at the recent Sydney Fringe Festival.