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)