★★★★☆ Theatre Review: Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa by Ridhwan Saidi

Ridhwan Saidi crafts a haunting, cosmic space drama about androids to remind us what it means to be human. Ridhwan Saidi’s Teater Normcore: Odisi Romansa begins with surveillance. Before the theatre fully settles into darkness, before language and philosophy take over the stage, a grainy video emerges onscreen like recovered memory. Through the detached gaze of a CCTV camera, we follow a man and woman … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa by Ridhwan Saidi

Arts of Malaysia: An interview with writer/director Ridhwan Saidi on Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa

There is something fitting about the long journey of Teater Normcore: Odisi Romansa, a play about distance, time, and memory that itself had to wait years before reaching the stage. First written in 2019, the production was disrupted by the pandemic, before finally returning in 2026. And for playwright-director Ridhwan Saidi, that passage of time was never something to erase. “I wrote Odisi Romansa back … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: An interview with writer/director Ridhwan Saidi on Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa

Arts of Malaysia: Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa by Ridhwan Saidi (Preview)

If you’re drawn to theatre that lingers somewhere between poetry and philosophy, Teater Normcore: Odisi Romansa might be one of the more intriguing productions to catch this season. Staged at the Black Box, Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) this May, the latest work by Malaysian playwright-director Ridhwan Saidi arrives with all the hallmarks of his signature style: quiet lyricism, a touch of deadpan humour, and … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa by Ridhwan Saidi (Preview)

★★★★☆ Review: ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends by Dramalab

Jit Murad’s lost play transforms The Playhouse into a spiralling night of ’90s excess, nostalgia, and danger, resurrecting his voice with bold direction and an unforgettable ensemble. KUALA LUMPUR – Stepping into The Playhouse, it begins as though the audience has stumbled into a party already in progress: a beautiful, artsy house with a bar, a living room, and the specific kind of lived-in aesthetic … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends by Dramalab

Reviving Jit Murad’s Lost Play: An Interview with director Zahim Albakri, and cast members Ghafir Akbar and Sabrina Hassan of ‘ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends’

It begins, unexpectedly, with a laugh. “I actually think it’s one of his most well-crafted plays,” says Dato’ Zahim Albakri, the director of ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends, and one of the late Jit Murad’s closest collaborators. “Some of the writing is his best and really quite fabulous. It’s different from his other plays, but it’s definitely him; you recognise the writing.” Then, almost in … Continue reading Reviving Jit Murad’s Lost Play: An Interview with director Zahim Albakri, and cast members Ghafir Akbar and Sabrina Hassan of ‘ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends’

Arts of Malaysia: KL Art Book Fair 2025 celebrates fair’s 5th edition with over 125 local and international exhibitors

Bigger than ever, the Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair (KLABF) is back for its fifth edition to honour the city’s vibrant artist-run culture and self-publishing scene. KLABF 2025 invites artists, designers, illustrators, writers, photographers, printmakers, independent publishers, alongside enthusiasts from Malaysia and beyond to gather under one roof for an exciting three-day celebration of the art book community. Founded in 2021, the KLABF is an … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: KL Art Book Fair 2025 celebrates fair’s 5th edition with over 125 local and international exhibitors

Arts of Malaysia: Jit Murad’s ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends by Dramalab

As part of JitFest2025, a year-long celebration honouring the life and legacy of one of Malaysia’s most beloved playwrights, Dramalab proudly presents ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends, a rediscovered “lost play” by the late Jit Murad. Directed by Dato’ Zahim Albakri, this darkly humorous and psychologically layered murder mystery promises to be one of JitFest’s most anticipated highlights. The show will run for only one … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: Jit Murad’s ENTOURAGE – Murder Amongst Friends by Dramalab

★★★★☆ Review: Fault Lines by Protagonist Studio and Cocoon Creative Lab

Flurry of issues during a Malaysian family reunion in New York. KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Home is where the heart is, but what happens when the home you left behind follows you into a new country? Adding a new play to the Malaysian canon of theatre is Adriana Nordin Manan, with her original script Fault Lines, which follows Malaysian Shereen as she receives a visit … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Fault Lines by Protagonist Studio and Cocoon Creative Lab

Arts of Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair 2023 – a haven for the independent publishing scene at a bigger venue with record 112 exhibitors

KUALA LUMPUR – The art book fair has slowly but surely grown into one of the most exciting festival circuits to get on board, expanding out from the West to Asia. Representing the fervent spirit of independent creation and innovation amidst an increasingly uniform world, there is a fierce passion that accompanies every regional variant of the fair, regardless of the city it’s held in, … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair 2023 – a haven for the independent publishing scene at a bigger venue with record 112 exhibitors

Arts of Malaysia: KL Art Book Fair 2023

KUALA LUMPUR – Returning for its third edition, the eagerly awaited Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair (KLABF) will bring a mammoth line-up of independent publishers, artists, rare art books, exclusive collectibles and programmes to the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) from 8 to 10 December 2023. Sprawling over 7,000 square feet of exhibition space, the three-day KLABF 2023 will transform KLSCAH into … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: KL Art Book Fair 2023