Once On the Island

Marinda Hsu

2016.02.28

Once on this Island is a beautiful story. I especially enjoy musical comparing to normal dramas without singing. I like how the actors sing out what the character's thinking and it's also more interesting to watch a musical. I found that the musical really uses a band on the side while acting and singing despite of using soundtracks that aren't live. This could be difficult and needed many practices I was thinking when I heard the sounds of flutes, clarinets and pianos in the back playing. I especially like the parts of percussion in the background music, it sounded energetic and made a better feeling like we're actually in a natural village environment. I also like the part where Daniel started singing a song comparing Ti Moune and Andrea. First of all the melody was lovely, second of all, I really liked how this song has told the audience the struggle inside Daniel on choosing who to love, who to give up. Although it is cruel and realistic where Daniel had chosen Andrea instead of his true love Ti Moune, it is still a beautiful story but sad. This part also tells how sometimes people might be forced to make a decision between their true feelings inside and realistic situations they must face. I didn't thought that the ending will be Ti Moune dying, it was surprising and unfortunate since she went so far just to be together with Daniel but recieved such a heart breaking ending. This story had reminded me of many kinds of fairy tales and story that people ended up becoming a tree, a river or a star. It is always an amazing idea and ending I thought, even though the person had died as a human. But the most important part is their spirits are preserved and always there in a different form watching people they love. This story has also reminded me of the story—Little Mermaid. When the princess had turned into foam because of her forbidden love for a man that is in another world of hers. This is just like how the lyrics have said in Once on this Island singing that how two different worlds couldn't get along and how they will never be connected. In the story Little Mermaid, the mermaid was originally from a world under the sea and the man living on land; they fell in love just like the way Ti Moune did, saving the boy's life. Their love weren't accepted by their parents nor the world because of their background and because of who they were. It is really unfair and sad how two people couldn't be in love because of who they are and where they came from. It is also important to make a more brave decision in order to protect your true love and be together with him or her. I think what Daniel did wasn't acceptable nor reposonsible to Ti Moune but Ti Moune was also too kind and innocent to go so far for him.