CInapek Romeo and Juliet~~

Also known as............*drumrolls* Lo Mio and Chiu Liet!!! ("#LMnCL")
Like seriously, get your most Cina-ish friend to pronounce Romeo and Juliet, you will get Lo Mio and Chiu Liet instead. XD


Ok, ok, enough joke. This post is meant to be my thoughts on the currently on-going theatre performance at KLPAC(if you don't know where, the most I know how to say is that it is at Sentul). Before that, let me get the itty-gritty, teeny meeny mini details out of the way first:

Thespian :
Alfred Loh, Amanda Ang, Dylan Yeo, Emily Tan, Fahad Iman, Gregory Sze, Ho Su Chuin, Mark Beau De Silva, Stefanie Paulus & Shawn Loong
(Dem names should be enough to pull you to watch the play, if not enough, read on :p)

Date & Time:
25 – 27 Feb, 2 Mar – 5 Mar @ 8.30pm;
28 Feb & 6 Mar @ 3pm
(Hah! Left 5 more shows only! Also, higher chances of getting tickets on the weekday shows, weekend shows tends to be a bit packed)

Language:
Mainly presented in Cantonese, but with a fair deal of Mandarin and English. Surtitles available, so you can read some of it.

(The above were copied from KLPAC):

Now, here onwards would be what I think about the performance of the day (27th Feb) and in fact, even within the same show, different audience would have different opinion. Let's start, shall we? There might or might not be spoilers, for which I humbly apologise in advance.

As we all should know by now, #LMnCL is adapted from Romeo and Juliet and the setting has been changed to Ancient China, but it is a bit hard to pinpoint which dynasty or era it is from because I am not that good in the history of CHINA. But then, it can obviously be seen that western influence has begun to seep into China, so there might be a strong indicator there. The overall geographical setting of the story is in the Forbidden City(imagine emperor, harems, royal families, dignities yadda yadda, you should be getting the idea by now) but what I find the most commendable is the use of space and the setting up of props because it is being shown in Pentas 2 where the audiences are surrounding the entire stage. Like, a praying altar is set up where it can be seen by everyone or, in between seats, a bed is placed (are you curious yet? ;D ).

However, the general story line remains the same where a pair of star-crossed lovers tries to overcome their family feud to be together. And something about the ending is open to debate whether is it actually a happy ending or a sad ending. Personally, I find it to be a happy ending but hey, it is up to you once you watched the whole thing.  I would welcome an open debate, if any.

To be honest, I am more of a purist, so I sort of did not expect to have such high level of Chinese elements, but then these elements made the entire performance so much more fun. Especially when certain words were mentioned i.e. ham ka chan. And the re-occurence on the complain of the mantou(a plain white bun). There are funnier ones but then, it needs to be experienced in the show itself. Although, I did set a high expectation to have a non-stop laughing session because it is co-written by Cheah Uihua and Freddy Tan(creator of Corporal Punishment) but thinking back, it was unreasonable of me la.. for god's sake, it is based on Romeo and Juliet yo! Which is Shakespeare's most tragedic tragedy of all times!

Talking about Chinese elements, it does take some time getting used to the Cantonese pronunciation by the cast at some point like when the Westernised Chinese aka the Chiu family (representing the House of Capulet) speak Cantonese, they had to make it sound so English but speaking Cantonese, which is very praise-worthy because I honestly cannot do that. On the other hand though, the Lo family (representing the House of Montague) had some really good Cantonese speaker and some of them need to brush up on their Cantonese XD

In terms of acting, I am not going to comment because I don't have the understanding of the technicalities but one thing for sure that I will say is that the potrayal of characters were damn entertaining and the bit I like the best is the one playing dual-role(a guy playing a guy role and a female role) although, most of my friends didn't notice it. So, you may or may not be able to notice this person playing dual roles.

And there you have it. It is definitely not a complete dissection of #LMnCL but it is written to the best of my ability and observation. A final note though, I do hope that more people will go watch in order to support the arts!

#shearmadnessmalaysia!

Pardon the lack of a creative title, but there you go, SHEAR MADNESS is here in Malaysia!! And no, it is not a matter of wrong spelling, but a matter of puns! You geddit? You geddit? ^_^

To be honest, I have not heard of Shear Madness before it was brought to Malaysia, but being an ardent perfoming arts supporter and stand-up comedy fan, I am definitely not missing this one! Furthermore, with names like.. Gardner and Wife, Phoon Chi Ho, Qahar Aqilah, Marina Tan, Junji Delfino, Na'a Murad and Alfred Loh, what could go wrong??!!

So, Shear Madness, how do I words it? Well, let's start off with Gardner and Wife, the production house. They have always been bringing in world-class acts and performances to the Malaysian audience which I am shamefully never a part of until now(due to $$$$-constraints ;_;). But after yesterday, I realised that their performance is worth every penny and cent, and hell, an experience is worth much more than what needs to be paid! (Hint : I am going for round 2 and 3 and......(if I can find kaki to go with la XD))

A retro hair-saloon!!!

 

A bit of Shear Madness storyline:
It started on a normal day, in the hairdressing saloon. A few unconnected individuals but in every aspect, connected to Isabel Fernandez, came together, either by appointment or coincidence and then! Isabel Fernandez was discovered dead! Who did it?? Who so brutally killed her with a pair of shears(we are Malaysians, parang would be better la)?

Now, the beauty of Shear Madness is not exactly in the storyline, but in the execution of the play. From this point on, I fully disclaimed that other that laughter and madness, your experience would have no similarity with mine. XD
The one that I watched had a fair bit of sexual innuendos and satire on politics, so it was really entertaining for me. Or perhaps, even things not meant to have an innuendo also become one for me like the part where Tommy(played by Qahar Aqilah, as a fairly... queer hairdresser) said that Chanel(played by Marina Tan, as a beautician, with super Ah Lian pattern) had a very, very, very close relationship with Isabel Fernandez by doing scissoring motion with his hands, completely naturally. XD
Oh! The poem(s), how melodious it sounded to my ears, because the words were very well-linked to the 'writer' of the poem. And there was a super short reference to Poetry Slam! ^_^

In this opening night(yesterday!), Phoon Chi Ho and Alfred Loh played Inspector and Sergeant, respectively, which eliminated them from the suspects list. OF THE NIGHT. However, I am not ruling out that in other shows, Inspector and Sergeant roles would be played by others, as in the list of suspects, there are also The Contractor and The Student, to be played by Chi Ho and Alfred, respectively. Just a quick note, the Inspector seems to act as the moderator when the time is right. XD

Oh! Oh! Here comes my favourite part of the whole thing, which is, THEY BROKE DOWN THE FOURTH WALL! When things like this happen, I am definitely excited and happy because, the audience then becomes part of the show (reminds me of Corporal Punishment). In this case, things were taken a step further where the audience gets to steer the direction of the murder!! How it goes, I am leaving it up to you to experience it yourself. =P

In short, ie. tl;dr, I am definitely watching it again and perhaps, I can get the outcome I finally wanted. *hinthint*winkwink.
 

Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival at KLPAC!!!

Yeap, I am late (as usual) but then, better late than never! Especially when it is about sharing the arts. As the title/picture/rest-of-the-content, I am writing about my experience during the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival 2014 (YSDAF). I only attended 14th Sept, which is Day 2.

First off, when I arrived at the KLPAC, I headed towards the indicine, waiting for doors to open because at 11am, a short session to understand Shakespeare is available. I cannot exactly say I am a fan of Shakespeare since I do not fully understand his works. Perhaps the more suitable word would be... deeply intrigued. Anyway, this session allows me to further my understanding in Shakespeare's language and acting methods(in some ways). Presented by Shakespeare Demystified, I realised that in Shakespeare's works, the best way to understand are to link the words to feelings or imagery.The funny thing is, to read Shakespeare is definitely NOT the same as performing Shakespeare and to understand Shakespeare, the latter is much more useful.

Alas, when I came out from indicine, the weather was storming indeed. I kind of pity the outdoor activities like Panggung Pusaka, Lorong Makan and the flea market(for lack of better word). But blessing in disguise indeed as I managed to experience what Urumee Melum(spelling differs but you get the pronunciation) is. It is like a rock concert made with traditional instruments of Tamil origin. Luckily enough, there would be performing again at Panggung Pusaka later in the evening.

Anyhow, the thundering rain was no match for my grumbling stomach and I did buy some food but the wet tables and chairs were..... difficult to adapt to, so I discover little pavilions around the lake, supported by stilts and it was much easier eating in these pavilions, than trying to eat while holding an umbrella. The seats, in the pavilion that I stumbled into, was like work of art to me. Made with wire frames, those seats was pretty sturdy. It felt a little serene, sitting inside the pavilion, looking into the lake, with droplets of water falling(as the rain reduced to a slight drizzle).

So, after lunch, what's next? I went to pentas 2 and see what local bands and artiste had to offer. But I only stayed for two acts, which are An Honest Mistake band and Bihzhu. I have long heard of An Honest Mistake but I have yet to seen them. Finally seeing them perform, I can see that they are really committed and I really wish them all the best in the future. Bihzhu's performance came as a really present surprise because I have not heard of her before but her genre is jazz and gosh, her voice was so clear over the music. And she interacts with the crowd really nicely too.

Next on, I enjoyed sometime which is closer to my heart, poetry. The forgetful me has forgotten the name of the poets but what I remembered was as such :
1. Corrective Couture, where it gave me the impression of challenging traditional views of what a woman should be, in some ways. Hugely amused by this one.
2. A poem accompanied by guitar strumming which suddenly seems more like a song than a poem. Nonetheless, entertaining indeed.
3. A poem which tells a tale of .. sis-mance between to housemates, and reminded that it just takes one thing for everything to explode and to finally iron things out. In this case, it was the colour of a cup. Lol.
4. A romantic poem of long love, where the protagonist is a soldier(sounded like one in the poem) and the love of his life was waiting for him.
5. A poem about being YOLO and involved audiences' participation by requiring the audience to yell 'JUMP!" when the hand signal was made
6. Two poems in Bahasa Melayu which left me in awe, partially due to the fact they were accompanied by violin and guitar and in BM. It felt very... jiwang (am I using this word correctly?)

A word of caution, as with all poems, the above are just my own understanding. Possibly it differs from the poets own meaning and intention but that is what make poems so wonderful and beautiful, right?

So, that is as much as my muddled goldfish brain can remember. But I do have to say, there were times that they are so many things going on that I was at a lost of what to do and where to go, and it is then I understand the meaning of sacrifice, lol. A mismatch lesson learnt but it was all good. It is the arts anyway!

30 plays in 60 minutes!

That's what you get in Never Eat Too Much Before Rapture which I watched on 6th July 2013, in KLPAC. Aside from the wacky sounding name, it is also chaotic, random and of course, AWESOME!

Never Eat Too Much Before Rapture(NETMBR, pronounced Net-tem-ber) is a very uniquely conceptualised theatre performance where the audience(we/us) decides the order of the plays being performed. Hence, each session is really different as the order will differ, depending on the number being shouted out by us. The really cheeky bit is the part where the onus falls on us if all 30 plays did not get performed within the 60 minutes time frame. Besides that, all 30 plays were written, produced and directed by all 9 cast members(credits roll at the bottom, as usual XD)

Now that leaves an average of 2 minutes per play, but seriously, is that enough? Oh, did I mention that 60 minutes include setting up time for each set? Yeap, so within the 60 minutes, you can imagine how many things were going on! We were shouting, actors/actress were jumping up and down getting the numbers(I was laughing hysterically during this part), scrambling for props and getting into place! Now, you get what I mean when I say chaotic and random?

Next on, about the plays themselves, 30 of them, some poignant, some comedic, some physical, some literal, all truthful and enjoyable! Pepper in lots of stage play techniques and it got me thinking that if I was given the chance or opportunity to rename the whole thing, I would call them Rojak! (Ops, going off-tangent here) Back to the plays, there were also some bit of improvisation going on as there was this particular short play "The Show Changer (Everyone's going to hate you for picking this)" that 'kills' a cast member. And his body is laid there, while the shows go on! (Remember, we are on time constrains here) What happens if there is a solo performance by him which had not been played yet? Well, the ensemble basically resurrected him using whatever they can link from the previous one.

With all that being said, actually I think the best part was the last performance, and it happened by coincidence, true and pure coincidence! By some strange power, "The Importance of Family Albums" was the finale of the session and is one of the pieces that actually struck a chord in me(side track a bit, I am actually fairly camera-shy during my formative years, and still am, I suppose, hence I don't have much photos of me from younger days). Anyway, the best part was, after the whole monologue was performed, the whole house was called for a group photo session! It was a really random one! And we still had a little bit over a minute to spare! (I guess can consider as achievement unlocked? XD)

Omg! Why did I write so much??? Meh! Basically what I want to say is, if NETMBR ever gets performed again, which it definitely should, please go watch and support them! Oh yeah, credits roll (in order of the leaflet provided) :
1. Alexis Wong
2. Jeremy Ooi
3. Grace Ng
4. Dinesh Kumar
5. Jen Yee
6. Ui Hua
7. Ho Lee Ching
8. Freddy Tan
9. Amanda Ang

PS. Tickets price can be discounted up to a maximum of RM 6, depending on the mini-games you play beforehand :P

Topic : How Arts Changes Countries

Here is the second installation on my take about Borak Arts! I am completely taking the lazy way out and skipping all the keynote addresses and speeches. So, the first session is basically highlighting the impact of arts on countries and the countries being observed in this session are Korea, Australia and Malaysia. There are some obvious similarities and differences and let's see that further.

Korea is being represented by Korea Arts Management Services (KAMS) and their take is more on whether was it the other way round, "Was it is the country that was being changed by the arts?". There were mentions of how the Korea government is carrying out a 'cultural renaissance' where they are pushing for creative change and focussing on happiness of their citizens. This has in turn led to a proper welfare system being made for artist without the government trying to threaten growth by limiting diversity. Basically, the Korea government is supportive of the arts industry and makes it sustainable without interfering the creative direction. And I can see that this is not just lip-service from the Korean government, with the Korean Wave and all happening.

Moving on next, we heard from Australia Council for the Arts (ACA) just a brief introduction, this organisation is fully funded by the government but the government does not have veto power over it which pretty much makes it an independent body. And I guess Malaysia can really make do with this because I really saw how the balance of bureaucracy and support is evident here. Besides that, ACA acts as a ground for training and developing the arts industry in Australia and they have this awesome 'artistic vibrancy tool'(a really cool measurement tool that can really help the arts, in my opinion) which I think requires some really good knowledge management system. However, I guess the highlight of the presentation by ACA is when the words were spoken, "There is no nation if there are no arts!" or something along those lines :P

Last and definitely cannot be the least, we have Malaysia, and the main focus of what is being said is something along the lines like trying to make the arts an income-generating unit of the country, hence quite a few usage of the word 'product'. I wouldn't mention which government agency it is but I do have to mention this, they are trying their best to increase the number of projects being supported, however, only if the projects have commercial viability, which to me, there is this big gap that needs to be filled. Because based on my observation, most arts practitioner or production houses are more passion-driven and while they may be financially-constraint, they rather get another job to sustain themselves. Hence, most production houses and art practitioners are quite not-for-profit, which is not very in-line with what the government is looking for.

Anyhow, after listening to all three countries, I would say it is interesting how each of them view the arts differently and it is time for the Question and Answers session between the panellists and the participants. I am a bit worn out at this point, so I am just going to briefly summarise all that transpired. There was one point that research and interaction with the artist was mentioned. There was also another one about artists measurement which talks about other stakeholders, 'world domination'(geared towards the Korean Wave), 'unfunded excellence(an exercise done by ACA) and the importance of long-term vision. Finally, there is also this point about trying to develop professionalism in traditional theatre(one of the Malaysian government's initiative).

All in all, the first session was already a mind-blowing session, and did I mention that the moderator for this session was Freda Liu, a presented and producer of BFM 89.9? Yesh, go unleash your imagination and picture the awesomeness of the whole session!

Whee~~ Let's talk about arts! (Introduction)

On  the 15th and 16th of June 2013, by the stars above me, I was lucky enough to be a participant(delegate) in the inaugural Arts Conference, which is an initiative under My Performing Arts Agency's borak arts series. Just a quick introduction of some of the phrases: 

1. Arts Conference is basically a conference geared towards improving the arts industry as a whole

2. My Performing Arts Agency is... click me! (Sorry peeps, tried my best to explain it but nay, go find out more yourself :P)

3. borak arts is a rojak by itself actually. borak is a malay word for having a very comfortable conversation (I am a bit uncouth, so pardon me, but to make an easy comparison, maybe it is like how you and your friends talk shit/crap/whatever-type of conversation as long as it makes you happy) and the arts part is easy la. Put them together and you get something awesome. Like.. rojak!

Ops, that introduction does not seem to be quick, but oh well. XD Back on track, the theme for the year is "Building Sustainability in Arts" and I guess it is really high time for the arts to be sustainable despite having so many years of history. At least a few decades already lor(not counting the traditional art forms)! To be honest, one of the reasons I attended this conference, despite having to miss so many other activities and precious family time, was because I would really want to see how the arts industry grows from now on with all the support available. I mean, as a supporter of the arts, this would be a great opportunity to see how I can contribute further to the industry as well, despite being a consumer only. XD

Then, in line with the theme, the organisers had cleverly targeted and gathered two main groups of people, creative practitioners and business leaders for this event. I think this is wonderful because it sort of balances and bridges the gap between arts as a syok-sendiri thingy and the business element of it(which is pretty much the core of the conference). Not only that, these business leaders can also potentially bankroll these creative practitioners until they found their steady footing in an industry that is so... weak, in Malaysia. Hence, the both sides can understand each other better and it is a good networking opportunity/session.

My god, and I barely even touched the programmed flow. Meh, next blog post. But before I sign off, really got to say a mountain load of thank you to EYE Project(stands for Empowering Youth Endeavours). I mean, without them, quite likely I would not be able to join the conference. Are you one of my stars? :P Just joking and thank again, you awesome lot!

Catan Kulit by Nyoba Kan

Catan Kulit, the first Butoh dance performance (presented by Nyoba Kan) I attended, took my breathe away! Literally. I mean, I have long heard of Butoh and had always been tempted to watch and experience it but external and internal factors tend to make me missed out on all the great performances. So, finally get to attend one and it is an experience I will definitely not forget in the years to come.

Just a quick one, Butoh is a dance form, which originated from Japan. It uses a lot of grotesque movements and white make-up with really slow, hyper-controlled motion. Exits tend to be done by disappearing into the darkness as well. Ok, I might have gotten the information from Wikipedia, but from what I experienced throughout the performance, I am inclined to believe it is true.

So, I would describe as much as I can but the best thing to do is still to attend and experience the performance yourself. FINAL show is at 8.30pm on Saturday(26.5.2012) with tickets at RM38 for public and RM28 for students, disabled, senior citizens and TAS card holder. Also, there is a buy 10 get 1 free promotion going on, so going in big groups is a really added bonus here. Don't forget that there will be some merchandise on sale and remember to get them. The items are quite a bargain as the postcards, t-shirts and CDs of past performances are quite cheap compared to outside.

Since you are still reading here, my gratitude to you. Now, my first surprise from the performance came when the audiences were directed to the field outside KLPAC building. Audiences were then treated to a prologue of sorts and when the first sound (guessing it came from a 'singing bowl') came on, my attention was solely on the performers on the field. Each movement they made, however, small or awkward just made me more and more curious. I was eager to see what is their next step. Will they fall? Will they bend over? Will they just drop? Or will they stay stagnant? At the point that I was at the height of my curiousity, Mr. Lee Swee Keong(artistic director and choreographer) stepped into the 'scene' and announced that audiences should now proceed to Pentas 2. Or in another words, the better show is left in the stage. XD

When I entered Pentas 2, the only thing I saw was a huge white platform. So, up the stairs I went to find an empty seat as the first few rows were fully occupied and as I settled at my seat, I also saw a black platform, located at the corner, holding a LOT of musical instruments. The instruments are more of the traditional kind. One that I can recall strongly is a string instrument, a shamisen if I am not mistaken. Locally-made and carries a slightly deeper sound than the usual ones. Of course, there are others, ie. a flute(looks like made of wood to me), a guzheng-like instrument, the singing bowl and another one, which produces a 'tinkling' sound (can't quite recall the name).

Before the performance began, Mr. Lee Swee Keong made a bit of introduction about Catan Kulit and he was kind enough to make it in two languages (Mandarin and English) as there were quite a number of non-Mandarin speakers (ie. me) in the audience. One thing that really struck me though, was when he said, do not try to understand or derive any meaning as we are all here to appreciate the beauty of the dance.

With that notion, the performance started and throughout the time I was experiencing the Butoh art-form, I was constantly left in suspense. The whole thing was so eerie AND beautiful that I just can't help being mesmerised. At some moments, I actually felt that my blood ran cold and a chill up my spine. The movements were so awkward but very enchanting. Every jerk, twitch and spasm just adds up to the whole performance and made it more dramatic. Sometimes, the interaction between the dancers, although choreographed, managed to create an air of unpredictability. Those were the moments I held my breathe and felt the air stood still. So, maybe other audiences felt that too. Besides movement, words were involved through singing or really short dialogue, mainly by Agung Gunawan (this person is really amazing!!).

I think that the tension or suspense were also created due to the music played and the lighting effect. The combination of the music, lighting and dances in the stage was just so complimenting of each other! The music, was purely by one person, by managing so many instruments(the one mentioned above). The lighting, on the other hand, was definitely unseen before by me. I mean, fluid movements in the light itself? Definitely something new to me

In one word, SUGOI! Yeah, I was very deeply impressed by the performance and I guess I am now a fan of Butoh.   

Artificially Intelligent Improvholics Anonymous in KLPAC

Aiiiyyyyaaaahhhh!!!!  If you missed this Improv Comedy Show showing now at KLPAC, you just wasted one of, possibly, the best moment in your life(ok, this is just a personal opinion, but the show is just so damn good!). AI:IA or Improv Jom? is made possible by Playground Productions . So, at every moment of the show, just remember them while enjoying the show. LAH!

For once, I have no storyline to spoil nor lessons to share or even, insights to provide. Instead, what can be offered is BUCKETS and BUCKETS of LAUGHTER!!! Because AI:IA is just that. The whole team works on an improvisation basis... about everything! Heck, even for each sub-session, the Improvisers are not even pre-determined! You know the most surprising thing? Although they work on an improvisation basis, they still look organise and all. I honestly wonder how they prepared for the show.

Moving on, can you feel the sheer simplicity of the set? A table for the 'host' of the particular mini-session, benches for Improvisers to sit on and a keyboard for the keyboardist(oh yeah, even the back ground music is based on improvisation). Nothing else. I mean, I have gotten use to plays having versatile sets but such a simple, simple set? First time for me, seriously.

Ah, I can also shared what happened during TODAY's show though. First, an audience(Ming/Meng, I don't know how to spell his name XD) was pulled to the stage and shared what happened to him during the day. Guess what the team did? They re-enacted the guy's whole day. In three different versions. LOL-ensued.

This is the audience whose day got re-enacted. XD (No idea who you are, mate, but you are good sport)

Ok, that was just one of the many. The team was just so talented that besides Improv Acting, they also did Improv Musicals!! I am in awe of them! I mean, if I really counted how many sub-sessions there was, I would reach a figure of 11! Eleven! Sebelas! Within 2 hours, they packed in 11 sessions of guaranteed laughter! But one thing for sure, audiences input matter a lot to them XD Now you know what to do when you go watch them, right? ;)

And behold, the Improvisers which are made up of the following craziest people :

And the super-versatile keyboardist (he is damn impressive!):

Ok, my final words then : AI:IA will continue its run in KLPAC until 20th May, with shows on 8.30pm on everyday and additional 3pm shows on 19th and 20th May. And then, for this amount of enjoyment, RM35 for each ticket, unless you are a student or a disabled, which makes the ticket RM25. If you want to buy online, this option is possible too(just click on the online word).

Remember to just enjoy yourself and laugh your heart out!! I remember the effect was so great, I practically sped back home whereas on usual days, I only drive about...40km/h? Yup, its that gooooooooooood

SOS!!! Shows and Performances in May 2012 for KLPAC and TAS

Update : This got to be the best accidental troll post I ever made! Apologies to so many people who came here finding nothing!! >.< Honestly, wasn't aware that its empty except for the title. So, to compensate, this will be a picture- and words-laden post

Anyway, back to topic on hand, there are so many great shows and performances in May that until now, I still can't make up my mind. Moreover, there are two places to choose from, KLPAC and TAS. Give me a little help and suggest, onegaishimasu (please!!!)

MAY 2 – 6                   JALAN PINTAS FILM SCREENING (TAS)
                                     Imagine a film that premiered in Freedom Film Fest and was shot using only a Canon 5D. How much more basic could it get? Presented in Malay as well,
                                     it is bound to be interesting.

MAY 4 – 6                   T4YP 5TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON HEARTS DESIRE (Indicine)
                                     The monotony of life, how many of us loved it, loathed it or even accepts it?
                                     But when order is disrupted, do you embrace or deny the chaos? Masterfully
                                     presented by Director Christopher Ling and the T4YP ensemble, its a play
                                     about homecoming.

MAY 4 – 6                   JUNIOR STRING ENSEMBLE (P2) 
                                     I would say that this is one of the best concert to bring children to, especially
                                     string instruments learner for a few reasons. For one, the children might be
                                     able to appreciate the performances better as the perfomers could be of the
                                     same age. Who knows? Maybe he or she will joing the KLPAC string
                                     ensemble under the baton of Dr. Takahisa Ota.

MAY 7 – 8, 14 - 15     WORLD’S BEST MOVIES (Indicine)

Enough said.

MAY 9 – 12                 VIRGIN NIA (Indicine)
                                     Bought to you by Serious Comedy Studio, its a play that has a lot of ironic
                                     themes and hypocrisy. When two Chinese (Virgin Nia and Dick, honestly, its
                                     their name) who proclaims to champion the Chinese culture and language but
                                     only does the western stuff, should they still proudly say that they champion
                                     the Chinese heritage?


MAY 10 – 12               PLATFORM – THE EMPEROR (P2)

 The Emperor is now a name for the kidnapper, who kidnapped a group of people and locked them in a room. What will happen to them as the night goes deeper, darker and further from humanity?

MAY 11 - 13                THE GODMOTHER (TAS)
                                     A woman made of steel, suffered an injury and needs to be hospitalised.
                                     Initially a quiet affair, turned to havoc when a nurse accidentally let the cat
                                     out of the bag. Being an action comedy, I just can't fathom how the story will
                                     go, with the injured lady and all the visitors and their hidden intentions.


MAY 16 - 20                IMPROV JOM WITH AIIA (P2)

 To be pronounced as Aiiiiiiiiiiiyaaaaaah, this is a one-heck of a performance as it is meant to be super crazy and hyper-interactive. Apparently, there are so many things packed into it but I am not going to spoil it for you. :P Also, the performers will actually carry out the show based on audiences response, so never expect the same progress when you attend again!

MAY 16 – 20               TEATER SENAPAS ((TAS TEATER RAKYAT)

My weakening command in Bahasa Melayu deterred me from understanding the word Senapas but what already caught my attention was the poster. I initially thought it was an arm full of muscles and scars. But upon further scrutiny, its a crying baby. For what purpose, I know now but one thing for sure, its going to be one play that strikes the heart.

 
MAY 25 - 26                NYOBAKAN THE STORY OF LIAO ZHAI CATAN KULIT
                                     Not sure if many of you remember the Chinese movie, Painted Skin which
                                     came out about one or two years ago? Yup, the original story was actually by
                                     a Qing dynasty writer who goes by the pen-name Liao Zhai (real name Pu
                                     Song-Ling). So, Catan Kulit will actually explore further into the masks that
                                     each and everyone wears and not just the skin that the evil being wears. An
                                     extra edge of this play is also because it will incorporate dances and
                                     movements. Body language at its best!

MAY 30 – 31               THE CHAMBER WIND PROJECT (hosted by Birdian Saxophone Quartet
                                     and klpac) (Pentas 2)

 This is one concert that I would reeaaallllllyyyyy love to attend. Solely due to two simple facts, I love woodwind instruments quite a lot and the repertoire for this concert is quite vast as the ensembles(3 here) will perform music from Baroque all the way to Contemporary! So, if you share the same interest, do attend!

Yeah, these are all that I am considering, actually there's more, but a little time-pressed here, so will put it in soon!!
So, be quick guys!! April is ending!! And remember to give suggestion on which one I should attend. really spoilt for choices!

Corporal PUNishment for the puny ones in KLPAC!

Ok, failed attempt at punning just now. Still a good try, no? (Please say yes!) Though, puns and jokes aside, I was glad 11th April 2012 was public holiday, solely because I don't need to worry not being able to make it for Corporal PUNishment, KLPAC's latest production.

Imagine living in a world that having fun is a cardinal sin, a crime punishable by law and an act condemned by.. ALL!!! So, what happens is a guy, aptly named TL(trust me if you will, his name has a few uses and contributes to some puns in the play), found a way to change that world, when his friend, KC bring news of PUN-dora box to him.

So, you get to see 'the odds against them', how ssssseductive snakes can be and the Forbidden fruit of the play! XD, just so you know, those are some parts of the play, still not the whole thing! Some photos below to put the play into perspective( I tried a pun! XD)

From left to right : The cat(no, your eyes weren't playing tricks, its a guy), TL, girlfriend and FC

 A journey to PUN-dora's box!

 PUN-dora's box!!! Finally!

 Some serious epic gay moments! Yaoi-fans might like this part(and the number six just got a whole new meaning)

 This is the part I like the best : Engaging and involving the audience!!!

 Who the hell is this?

Is this the end? But doesn't look so? What do you think?

Besides their journey, one really captivating aspect of the play was the soundtrack. The team pieced together varying pieces of music which worked wonders for the whole play. I myself tapped my feet to the music, especially when *drum rollls...... The main theme of Pirates of Carribean came up! Can you feel the pounding? Can you feel the excitement and adventure yet?

But, this play made me think, puns can be a good form of humour, but what happens if it is the only form of humour? What will happen to humour in the form of silly-ness? Or, in the form of being.. captain obvious and the likes?  

So, a final word before the curtain closes, Corporal PUNishment will run from 11 April to 15 April in KLPAC, 8.38pm for all days and only 3.33pm on Sunday(15 April), alternatively, if KLPAC is too far, do drop by at PenangPAC from 2 May to 6 May, with the same timings as above including 3.33pm on 6 May.
Tickets are priced at RM 33 for basically everyone unless you are a student, less-abled and a TAS card holder, which will then cost you RM23 per ticket. Preview nights aka 2 May 2011 is RM 23 flat-rate for PenangPAC audience!

Remember the fun and to pun!!

Dear Elena Sergeevna

Or Dorogaya Yelena Sergeyvena, as the title it is known in Russian. Before I proceed, this is a dark play. As in the genre is heavy, once you are done watching, you will be asking yourself so many questions about principles, ideals and morality. I know I also asked myself about cause and effect, humanities and things like that.

Anyway, the basic outline of this play goes like this : Four students, desperately wanting to change their grades for an exam they did badly, surprised their teacher, Ms. Elena, under the pretense of celebrating her birthday. But what turns out to be warm, rosy and happy eventually became ruthless, brutal and cruel.

Just a quick before, during and after pictures:

 Ms.Elena introducing her students.

 One of the moments I felt like slapping Vlodoya(the one lying down)

Ms. Elena, real tears and real emotion

Also, the stupid key that was the cause of all issues!

I would say, being my first time attending ACX Productions play, despite hearing so much about it, I was very impressed! Ms. Elena was just so heart-moving that I nearly cried towards the end, being a passionate teacher, one of the students, Vlodoya was such a detestable character I really wanted to slap him till my hand drop, Pasha was your typical Asian kid who got pressured to excel in life(this is how I relate to him though), Layla, a girl who suffered while growing up and decided her life will be better and finally, Vitya, so pure and innocent that he provides the comedic moments.

The performers were all real, in a way, to an audience like me, they are not acting, instead, they are living the moment. They take on the soul of the characters and incorporated it in them. I was hugely entertained and deeply moved, really a show not to be missed.

Before I forget, tickets are still available for 25th February 8.30pm show as 26th February is SOLD OUT! So, yup, head over to The Actors Studio in Lot 10, and purchase ticket from the box office. NOW! Prices are at RM30 for general public and RM 25 for students, disabled and TAS card holders. Also, if student groups of 10 people, get 1 ticket free!

Also, ask yourself at the end of the show, what type of secondary school student were you? Did you justify things you did with wrapped up ideals? Had you ever disrespect teachers? And what would you do if you were in their shoes?