A fuzzy postcard from the past

TROPICANA, billed as a musical about "sexy Sixties Singapore", turns out to be unusually heavy with socio-political themes - so much so that the drama weighs down much of the good music.

Produced by Tan Kheng Hua and directed by Beatrice Chia-Richmond, the musical opens in 1968 when businessman Reggie Sim (Lim Yu-Beng) sets his heart on building a glitzy cabaret club that would define the newly-independent country's night scene.

Aided by his steel-willed right-hand woman (Karen Tan) and charismatic impressario (Ebi Shankara), he creates the top-shelf Tropicana at the heart of Orchard Road.