In Julie Wee's Hew, a classic hero rises and falls

ACTRESS Julie Wee is luminous in the revival of Faith Ng's play Normal, directed by Claire Wong. Sure, she has delivered strong performances in plays as varied as The Merchant Of Venice and Hotel.

But rarely has her acting been more lucid than here in the role of Miss Hew, a new teacher in charge of the worst students in a girls' school. Wee displays such truth and vulnerability in the role, she becomes an instant conduit for our emotions. Her nerves are raw and visible at any moment, and when she comes close to breaking down, so do we.

Checkpoint Theatre's Normal, which first ran in 2015, tells the story of two girls in the Normal stream, an education track reserved for academically-weak students.