A colourful romp of unbridled fun through Malay folklore opens Pesta Raya 2018. The Malay oral tradition is a rich one, full of colourful characters and unforgettable stories. But as these tales become increasingly hard to hear in the traditional form, so must they evolve with the times to find a new audience. That evolution can be seen in the 2018 Pesta Raya – Malay … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2018: Alkesah (Review)
Just as one’s ears prick up for a story the moment one hears the magical words ‘once upon a time’, storytellers of Malay folklore begin their tales with an equally powerful opener – ‘alkesah’, or ‘as the story goes’. And celebrating that long history of oral tradition then, is the aptly titled Esplanade commissioned musical Alkesah, opening the Esplanade’s 2018 Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of the … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2018: An Interview with Zulfadli ‘Big’ Rashid (Alkesah)
Coinciding with the celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the 17th edition of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts returns this July! This year, the festival will showcase the rich history of the Nusantara (Malay Archipelago), with a spectrum of programmes set to appeal to everyone from the young ones all the way to the oldtimers and hipsters! … Continue reading Preview: Pesta Raya 2018 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
A woman’s will is put to the test when hit by the double whammy of divorce and death. Grief is one of the most common topics covered in theatre, making it an increasingly difficult subject to portray in a new light. But with Hatch Theatrics’ latest production and final show of their residency at the Malay Heritage Centre, it’s a topic that feels fresh with Lanang’s … Continue reading Review: Lanang by Hatch Theatrics
This April, Hatch Theatrics will be closing the latest chapter of their lives. The theatre company will be ending their two year residency with the Malay Heritage Centre with their 9th production, and will be presenting Hafidz Rahman’s Lanang. Prior to its premiere, we spoke to artistic director and Lanang director Faizal Abdullah, general manager Nur Khairiyah (Khai) and Lanang playwright Hafidz Rahman about the process leading up to Lanang and where Hatch might … Continue reading Lanang: An Interview with Hatch Theatrics
Memory, mothers and manhood are placed on the chopping block in Teater Ekamatra’s first show of the season. In the absence of a father, what male figures does one have to turn to in order to find out what makes a man? That’s one of the central question at the heart of Teater Ekamatra’s first show of the season. Directed by Irfan Kasban and written … Continue reading Review: Potong by Teater Ekamatra
This April, in their 9th theatrical production and the final work in their Artist Residency at the Malay Heritage Centre, Hatch Theatrics presents Lanang. Literally translating to ‘boy’, Lanang was first written by Hatch Theatrics member Hafidz Abdul Rahman as part of Theatreworks’ 24-Hour Playwriting Competition held at the Malay Heritage Centre in 2014, and cinched joint-second prize at the Open category (there was no first prize that … Continue reading Preview: Lanang by Hatch Theatrics
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)
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