SINGAPORE, June 1 — Close to five decades after American musical revue Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris made its debut, the 1968 Off-Broadway production is still going strong, playing throughout the world in various productions and enjoying international acclaim.

Far from being viewed as irrelevant, the musical thrives because the tunes penned by Belgian singer and song-writer Brel evoke emotions, and their messages are “timeless and universal”.

“Brel’s songs are for thinkers, people who ponder at play of words, and enjoy humour,” said George Chan, director and choreographer of the musical which is playing right now in Singapore. It is staged by Sing’theatre as part of the Voilah! French Festival 2016.

“They are also for incurable romantics. Souls who are touched by beautiful poetry and the simplicity of building a life based on love,” mused Chan, who is a Singapore theatre actor and singer.

“People are emotional creatures. And this musical is a showcase of the complex diversity of human nature. Regardless of the year, people remain people. We are happy or sad, we get angry, we fall in love, (and) sometimes we are heartbroken. This will not change ... As long as humanity is in touch with emotions, the songs of Jacques Brel will always be relevant.”

Brel was the mastermind behind several hits in his 20-year music career, many of which were translated into English versions and covered by notable acts, such as If You Go Away which was covered by Neil Diamond, Madonna and Barbra Streisand among many others, My Death and Amsterdam covered by David Bowie, and Seasons In The Sun, covered by Terry Jacks and Westlife.

Chan noted that mainstream pop singers sang his songs because they “share the same sentiments” as Brel, who died in 1978.

“The translations have stayed true to his originals, and sung with the same sentiment, the same strength. For me, this shows how much respect they have for Brel and his works,” he said.

The revue was last staged here in 2008, but Chan, who was one of the actors in the previous staging of the show, said there is much to see in this edition.

For one, the current production uses “avant-garde, contemporary technology such as innovative staging and multimedia projections to place the works of Jacques Brel in a modern light”, he added.

“We have stayed true to the original off-Broadway formula, but we moved away from conventions and used technology to give the musical revue a new identity,” he said pointing out that they added a “visual impact” to accompany the powerful lyrics and thought-provoking ideas.

“In today’s world, we rely so much on visuals to carry forth messages, and I feel that the contemporary multimedia we are using will add even more strength to the message interwoven in the songs. Since Brel himself was not known as a conventional man, I think he would approve,” he added.

As to whether he feels pressure from the decades of adaptations before him, Chan said the only pressure he feels is the need to portray Brel’s songs effectively, and to give them “the glory and respect they deserve”.

“People who love musical theatre, and Brel’s works, will not be making comparisons. They will want to watch a fantastic show that moves the earth beneath their feet. That is what we, as the creative team, the performers, and every single person involved in the production, have dedicated ourselves to,” he said.

Still, ultimately, what makes a good musical lies not in its technicalities, but in its fundamental theme, noted Chan.

“A good musical must have a good concept and a central message, in this case, Brel’s message of peace,” he said.

“(It must also have) brilliant, talented performers who put their hearts and souls into what they do. Their courage will bring out the beauty of the musical.” — TODAY

* ‘Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris’ will be playing at the SOTA Drama Theatre until June 4. Tickets from Sistic.