The Arts House plays host to Kamini Ramachandran’s troupe of storytellers in a supernatural-themed after dark special. Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? As a historic building, the Arts House naturally lends itself as a space rife with phantoms of the past roaming its walls. As the home of literary arts, one then imagines that a natural extension to this would be to tell … Continue reading Textures 2019: A Night of Terrifying Tales by Moonshadow Stories (Review)

Moving monodrama that will move even the hardest of hearts. Adapted from Cyril Wong’s short story The Mistake by M. Raihan Halim, who also directs, Samping’s simple premise gives way to an emotionally riveting performance from TV actor Norman Ishak, in his theatrical debut. The title of Samping refers to a piece of cloth used to complete the traditional Malay baju kurung, left behind by protagonist Aiman’s late father. On the day … Continue reading Textures 2019: The Page on Stage – Samping by Spare Room Productions (Review)

Metatheatrical examination of Malay representation onstage brims with potential. Theatrical adaptations from one medium to another are tricky businesses, with the fear that the essence of the original is lost in translation, rather than enhanced. It is to the credit of playwright/director Adeeb Fazah and the Second Breakfast Company team then that Performing Malay Sketches is in fact, not a direct adaptation of Alfian Sa’at’s eponymous short story … Continue reading Textures 2019: Performing Malay Sketches by The Second Breakfast Company (Review)