As they celebrate their 30th Anniversary this year, Teater Ekamatra bursts into 2018 with a brand new show this March. Written by Jonny Jon Jon and directed by Irfan Kasban, Teater Ekamatra presents Potong. Potong follows the familiar coming of age story as a a boy goes on a rite of passage every Singaporean son does – National Service. But for the Australian born Adam, Singapore is a … Continue reading Preview: Potong by Teater Ekamatra
Dark humour is rife in these riveting playlets that highlight social issues. KUALA LUMPUR – The term normcore stems from an anti-fashion movement that revolves around purposefully choosing to wear plain, unremarkable clothing. But in the two plays that make up writer Ridhwan Saidi’s Teater Normcore Double Bill, these initially normal looking settings quickly give way to settings far darker than they initially let on. … Continue reading Review: Teater Normcore by Ridhwan Saidi (Kuala Lumpur)
A nationalistic musical with high production value that celebrates Malaysia in all its glorious diversity. KUALA LUMPUR – There are two things that Malaysians will always get fired up about: food, and sport. Taking the latter subject and putting it into the arts, it’s completely possible that Malaysians too can feel a sense of nationalistic pride upon seeing it brought to life onstage. Based off … Continue reading Review: Ola Bola the Musical by Enfiniti Productions (Kuala Lumpur)
The word ‘angkat’, in Malay, literally means to ‘carry’. In the context of Teater Ekamatra’s final show of 2017 of the same name, ‘angkat’ specifically refers to the concept of adoptive mothers (or ‘mak angkat’), and attempts to shed a light on these women’s own insecurities and relationships with their adoptive children. Conceptualised by Nabilah Said and written and devised by director Irfan Kasban, along with … Continue reading Review: Angkat by Teater Ekamatra
She may be away in Goldsmiths pursuing an MFA, but playwright Nabilah Said will be having her newest Malay work presented this December by Teater Ekamatra. Titled Angkat, the play was co-written by Nabilah and director Irfan Kasban, as well as the cast of Angkat. Angkat follows Salma, a National Idol hopeful, who is asked to alter her image so as to appeal to the masses. … Continue reading Preview: Angkat by Teater Ekamatra
The Malay Heritage Centre kicked off its annual Malay CultureFest on 13th October with a bang. Opening the festival was a spectacle of stylised dance, ethnic drums and martial arts tracing the roots of the sub-ethnic community from Bugis – from the myth of their creation, to the people’s departure from their homeland after the Makassar War in the 1600s. Titled Aga Kareba, the performance … Continue reading Charting A Course Through Bugis Culture In Singapore: Malay CultureFest 2017
No time for epic three hour plays? Think that Shakespeare is a little too dense for an enjoyable night out? All new playwright collective the Main Tulis Group has arrived on the scene to resolve those problems, and debuted nine short 9 minute plays at Centre 42’s Late Night Texting this August. Founded by writer Nabilah Said in 2016, the group consists of an all … Continue reading Review: ETA: 9MIN by Main Tulis Group
When one thinks of Hari Raya, one thinks of tasty ketupats, pasar malams and LED lights outside houses of those celebrating this joyous occasion. It’s almost impossible to link it to issues such as drugs, incest, rape and domestic violence. But for Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit, no issue is too dark to bare on stage in Main². Commissioned for the inaugural Pesta Raya back in 2002, Aidli ‘Alin’ … Continue reading Review: Main² by Teater Ekamatra (Pesta Raya 2017)
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay puts Malay culture front and centre again from 20th to 23rd July with the 16th edition of the annual Pesta Raya Malay Festival of the Arts! Celebrating the rich heritage of Malay traditional and contemporary arts, the 2017 Pesta Raya festival will be bringing both old favourites and new artists to the stage. Check out some of the highlights … Continue reading Preview: Pesta Raya 2017 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Hope (Harap) boasts a stellar cast, from Sani Hussin, to YouTube celebrity Hirzi Zulkiflie, to Apprentice star and rising stage presence Fir Rahman, as well as Siti Hajar Abd Gani and Nur Zakiah Bte Mohd Fared. Originally written by Haresh Sharma and performed in English in 1994, this 2017 version sees it translated into Malay by Zulfadli Rashid, and directed by Mohd Fared Jainal. Primarily discussing the main theme … Continue reading Review: Hope (Harap) by Teater Ekamatra
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