Relentless Returns

Relentless

Returns!

It’s lights, cameras and all action for the fourth installment of the Relentless Entertainment Musical Mania production! The two-hour show, which brought together a foot-stomping medley of 23 Broadway hits and pop music favourites garnered nearly 2,000 ticket sales for the 3 consecutive nights of performances. The talented cast ranged between a member as young as nine years old up to a member who is just shy of 40 years old.

“It’s definitely a night out, we’ve created the song list to include Korean-influenced performances and (songs from) new musicals that have come up since we actually started planning for the fourth Musical Mania back in 2020,” according to Relentless co-founder, Amy Cheong. Relentless has combined a jukebox and storytelling element for the production to cater to a wider audience – familiar hits and theatre favourites that capture the hearts and memories across all generations. Renditions of songs from The Little Mermaid and School of Rock had audience members enthralled, while the undeniable entertainment value of Korean pop bands like BTS and BlackPink gave the younger audience something to dance to. And let’s not forget that Michael Jackson set that left us all feeling like it was 1997 at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre again!

The cast and crew trained and prepared for the show over a few months, warming up their vocal pipes and producing the set pieces for their latest show at the world-class Jerudong International School’s Performing Arts Center. According to Amy, the production was originally slated for debut in 2020 but had to be delayed in the midst of the pandemic. As a result, they ended with three rounds of auditions in total for the 54 strong cast, some of who are taking to the stage for the very first time. This is the 10th production under Relentless Entertainment’s belt, which Amy alongside her co-founder and creative director, Sumardi Hedus, have produced since they started the dance company in 2008.

The growth and interest in the performing arts also allowed them to open the Relentless Academy of Performing Arts in 2018 that, alongside their casting auditions, has been a great source of up and coming talents. “It’s a nice community that we’ve built. Everyone is welcoming and it is great to see them support each other,” Amy explained when touching on the progression and increasingly stronger interest of the creative arts and entertainment scene in Brunei. They also hope to eventually open their own performing arts theatre in the future, to further grow and develop the community while providing more opportunities for budding Bruneian talents.