The illusion and reality of happily ever after
For many of us, fairytales make up a large part of the fabric of our childhood. Whether we read stories from the Grimm Brothers or by Hans Christian Andersen while growing up, or watched the Disney animated film adaptations of them, these tales of adventure, courage, conflict and love captured our hearts and set our imaginations alight. Fairytales were also our introduction — and I daresay, subsequent indoctrination — to the notion of “happily ever after”.
These tales would have us believe in the illusion that all stories have happy endings. But the reality of it is that in real life, it is often not so. And even the fairytales themselves — the versions that were popularised — are in many cases, only shadows of the original. The real stories were tamed and toned down, given a sugarcoating of innocence, while gruesome, inappropriate and suggestive scenes were rewritten or taken out and a “happily ever after” attached at the end, when there was none in the first place.
This dual play on illusion and reality — both in life and fiction — is cleverly explored in A Grimm Fairytale, an experimental theatre piece by Helena Foo, who is the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre’s (KLPac) director-in-residence. It will be staged at KLPac from Oct 29 to Nov 1. The play comprises three popular fairytales — Little Red Cap, Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel — over which Foo has framed an overarching story that connects the dots between the storylines.
The overarching story is that of Maya, a pregnant unmarried woman unsure of the paternity, who reads these stories to her unborn child. Maya is, in a way, seeking an escape from the reality of her situation with these fables, and the three in particular that she had chosen strike a chord within her. “These three have scenes that are familiar to her, scenes [that speak of] loneliness and abandonment,” says Foo.
How the production is presented is really interesting and it is also where the notion of illusion versus reality is toyed with again: Maya’s portion of the play will be told through video snippets projected onto a screen, while the fairytales will be acted out live on stage by a young, talented cast consisting of Lex Balakrishnan, Claudia Low, Nur Zakuan, Gabriella Robinson, Capri Chin, Oliver Johanan and Seshadri Kalimuthu. In other words, reality will be presented in an illusory form, and fiction in live portrayals.
Weaving video and theatrical elements together is nothing new, of course, but it is not attempted very much in local productions. “I would consider the whole piece an experimentation, combining the three mediums of stage, film and music,” says Foo, who has a multimedia background. “From early on, I wanted to include video, which is never fully utilised in theatre productions. The screen is used to tell the audience where the characters are going. The way we’ve created the whole thing, the film and stage design, works hand-in-hand. The stage complements the screen. Whatever the stage can’t produce, the screen will produce, and vice versa.” All this sounds fascinating, and it will be interesting to see how everything comes together on stage.
We know how the fairytales will play out in the end, but will Maya’s story share the same fate? That question can only be answered when viewers come to watch the show.
“It would be nice for the audience to take a holiday from reality, to go back to that childhood experience and relieve those moments. But you will experience it here in a different way, with a darker twist to it,” says Foo.
A Grimm Fairytale will be staged from Oct 29 to Nov 1 at Pentas 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh, KL. Tickets priced at RM33, RM23 for senior citizens and RM18 for students and the disabled. Call the box office at (03) 4047 9000.
Relive your disco days
In the European disco music scene of the 1970s and 1980s, one group that was a formidable force was Boney M. The group churned out a string of disco-pop anthems that dominated the European charts at that time. Instant hits such as Daddy Cool, Sunny, Ma Baker, Belfast, Rivers of Babylon, Brown Girl in the Ring, Rasputin, and Mary’s Boy Child are still loved and remembered to this day, as are their three No 1 albums, namely, Take the Heat off Me, Nightflight to Venus, and Love for Sale.
The person credited for much of the group’s success is lead singer Liz Mitchell, who has unmistakably distinctive vocals and dynamic stage presence. Frank Farian, the German producer who put the group together, once famously said, “With the exception of Liz, all members of the Boney M group would be replaceable without hurting the group.”
Mitchell always knew she wanted to be a singer. She auditioned for a part in the Berlin version of Hair — The Musical and got it, going on tour with the cast for a few years before starting her own group, Les Humphies Singers, in 1970. The story goes that in one of her recording sessions, she was asked to join Boney M, a group that Farian was putting together. She acquiesced, and the rest, as they say, was history.
Marcia Barret, Maizie Williams and Bobby Farrell made up the rest of the group, and they were known as much for their hits as they were for their bold, ornamented costumes. Together, Boney M enjoyed a decade of record-breaking hits and successful tours all over the world, before splitting up in 1986. After that, Mitchell went on to garner modest commercial success with her solo musical career.
Come Nov 28, Malaysians who grooved to Boney M’s music in their heyday will be able to relive those glory disco days, as Mitchell and her 11-member entourage of musicians and vocalists will be performing here for the first time in a charity event at Sunway Lagoon Hotel Ballroom. Lending a local flavour are four Malaysian dancers, led by Sizzling CC, winner of 8TV’s 2008 reality show, So You Think You Can Dance, who will be joining her onstage.
The charity show is part of Lejadi Group of Companies’ corporate social responsibility programme themed “caring and sharing through music”, which the group started in 2005. Mitchell follows a list of other musical acts that have been featured in the group’s charity dinners, such as The Crystals, who performed earlier this year, and Elisa Furr and Elvis to the Max, who came last year.
Net proceeds from this year’s event will go to four non-governmental organisations: Persatuan Kebangsaan Autisme Malaysia, which is under the patronage of Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for autistic children; Yayasan Kebajikan SSL Haemodialysis, which provides heavily subsidised dialysis procedures to the economically disadvantaged; Kechara Soup Kitchen, which distributes food to the homeless and urban poor in KL; and MYCAT, which works towards providing effective initiatives for the conservation of the dwindling tiger population in Malaysia.
Donations will also be made towards destitute individuals who are in need of funding to undergo urgent surgical procedures.
Boney M is peforming on Nov 28 at Grand Lagoon Ballroom, Sunway Lagoon Hotel, PJ. Tickets at RM168 onwards for concert only and RM380 onwards for concert and dinner. Call Adrian Lim at (016) 382 0309 or Joann Yeo at (03) 2300 0888 for booking details. Log on to www.alstar.com.my for seating plan and ticket categories.
Blue-chip performance
Music
KL Sing Song 2009
Oct 30 to Nov 1 (8.30pm; 3pm)
The Annexe Gallery
Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi, KL
11am to 8pm (Sun to Thurs); 11am to 9.30pm (Fri and Sat)
RM25 (presale); RM30 (at the door)
(03) 2070 1137; www.applausel.org.my
The fifth annual showcase of Malaysian singer-songwriters will see another smashing instalment of soulful and endearing songs of love, life and survival as written and performed by 19 of our very own modern troubadours. Najwa, Nick Davis, Wani Ardy, Esam Salleh (from Stoned Revivals) and Nik will be performing at the event for the first time. Back again are KL Sing Song stalwarts Pete Teo, Meor, Liyana Fizi (from Estrella) and Karen Nunis Blackstone, as well as KL Sing Song favourites Yuna, Melina William, Rendra Zawawi, Edwin & Albert, Paolo Delfino, Sharidir & Nizam P, Otam, Izzy Mohamed, and special guest David Knight.
Theatre
Cuci The Musical
Until Nov 8 (8pm)
Istana Budaya
Jalan Tun Razak, KL
RM42 to RM253
(03) 4026 5555
www.axcess.com.my
Adapted from the film Cuci, this musical tells the story of four young boys who leave their adopted mother and kampung to become window cleaners in the city. These ambitious boys aspire to win the most coveted contract in the window washing industry — to clean the windows of the Petronas Twin Towers. Cuci The Musical stars Adflin Shauki, AC Mizal and Awie.
Film
Silent Films on Halloween Night
Oct 31 (7pm)
Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre
Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh, KL
Minimum donation of RM5
(03) 4047 9000
This Halloween, the Goethe Institute and KLPac are screening two silent horror films from the 1920s. Nosferatu (1921) follows Thomas Hutter as he goes on a trip to Transylvania to negotiate a house deal with Baron Orlok. He meets the strange master of the castle, who signs the contract. The next morning, Hutter discovers small red marks on his neck and realises to his horror that Orlok is a vampire. The second film, The Golem (1920), is set in the Prague ghetto in the 16th century. In attempt to prevent the expulsion of the Jews from the town as ordered by Kaiser Rudolf II, Rabbi Loew, a magician and master of the Black Arts, creates a figure of the Golem out of clay and conjures up the spirit of Astharot. With his help, he brings the Golem to life.
Visual Arts
In Search of Harmony
Until Nov 7
Pelita Hati House of Art
22 Jalan Abdullah, off Jalan Bangsar, KL
9am to 6pm (Mon to Sat)
Free admission
(03) 2284 8380
Sharifah Zuriah Aljeffri is known for her works that are a synthesis of Oriental imagery and techniques with Western expression and format. In her latest solo exhibition, she incorporates Chinese and Islamic philosophical undertones into poetic and calligraphic renderings.
Hybrid
Until Nov 11
Wei-Ling Gallery
8 Jalan Scott, Brickfields, KL
Noon to 7pm (Mon to Fri); 10am to 5pm (Sat)
Free admission
(03) 2260 1106/07
After 13 years of art practice, Umi Baizurah Mahir presents her first solo exhibition of clay sculptures. Umi, as she is known, boldly ventures beyond the well-accepted practices of three-dimensional play. This exhibition explores the artist’s concerns with toys and nature, looking at everyday objects and their form as symbols of life, which reflect desire. Ideas derived from ready-made subject matters are altered to become her version of toys, which are pictograms of today’s fast-paced society.
The Rhythms of Life
Until Nov 15
Art Village
G2, Bangsar South, 2 Jalan 1/112H, off Jalan Kerinchi, KL
11am to 7pm (daily)
Free admission
(03) 2282 6992
Balinese artist Made Gunawan’s first solo exhibition in Malaysia is a series of delightful depictions of musicians and dancers. The artist feels that joyous moments in life should be celebrated with music and dance, and in this series, he unleashes his creative energies in fine and bold strokes, producing works that are beautiful and lyrical.
Art of the Ordinary
Until Nov 9
Meusse Gallery
30A Jalan SS20/10, Damansara Kim, PJ
10am to 8pm (Mon to Sat); 10am to 3pm (Sun)
Free admission
(03) 7710 8361
Young artist Clement Ooi’s second solo exhibition shows a maturing in technique and a talent that is undeniable. Drawings and paintings of tropical foliage and flowers are done with painstaking brushmarks and scintillating colours. The various styles of works show the young talent’s versatility as an artist as well as his unique artistic vision.
Circle and the Square
Until Nov 7
NN Gallery
53A & 56 Jalan Sulaiman 1, Taman Ampang Hilir, Ampang
9am to 6pm (Mon to Sat)
Free admission
(03) 4270 6588
Malaysian abstract artist Ng Foo Cheong presents works that combine plaster of Paris and acrylic on canvas. The theme of circle and square is based upon an ancient Taoist riddle in geometry. It is derived from a complex understanding of proportion and the principle of design that heaven is a circle and the world is a square, which speaks of emptiness and form, spirit and matter. He draws upon classical Chinese design and proportions in buildings, tapping into the shapes, patterns, designs and architectural forms to create a personal translation of symbolic readings of designs we see daily. His use of plaster of Paris adds perspective and dimension to the works.
Arts Festival 2009: Passions
Until Oct 31
Starhill Gallery
181 Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
Free admission
(03) 2782 3855
Starhill Gallery’s arts festival, presented in collaboration with The National Art Gallery, is a celebration of sculptures and installation art. On display are larger-than-life sculptures and 3D art as well as masterpieces by renowned Malaysian artists such as Philip Wong, Chin Wan Kee, Azahari Khalip, Eng Tay, Yusof Ghani, Abdul Multhalib Musa and Raja Shariman.
Kias
Until Oct 28
Valentine Willie Fine Art
17A Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, KL
Noon to 8pm (Mon to Fri); 10am to 5pm (Sat)
Free admission
(03) 2284 2348
Kias means hint or allusion in the Malay language. Five artists — Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Jalaini Abu Hassan, Chong Siew Ying, Ahmad Zakii Anwar and Kow Leong Kiang — explore the use of metaphors, symbols, icons and analogies in the telling of their stories by hinting, associating and interpreting issues that are close to them from a social, political and biographical point of view.
Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis
Until Oct 31
Balai Seni Lukis Negara
2 Jalan Temerloh, off Jalan Tun Razak, KL
10am to 6pm (daily)
Free admission
(03) 4025 4990
Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, one of the pioneers of the Malaysian art scene, turns 80 this year, and Balai Seni Lukis Negara is hosting a retrospective exhibition in honour of this man’s life and work. The UK-trained artist was instrumental in ushering in a new era in Malaysian art in the 1960s, one that championed abstract expressionism. The exhibition showcases never-before-seen works from his childhood, iconic works in his career and newly completed works.
Singapore
Da:ns Festival 2009: RE — (I, II, III)
Oct 30 & 31 (8pm)
Esplanade Theatre
1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore
S$20 to S$80
sistic.com.sg
Dancer/choreographer Shen Wei has been dubbed by The Washington Post as “one of the greatest artists of our time”, with a trademark dance vocabulary that is “both deeply traditional and thrillingly new”. In the Asian premiere of his new work, Re — (I, II, III), he embarks on an intensely personal yet universal journey to his ancestral roots. The piece invokes the desire to revisit, reconsider, renew and repair. Comprising three parts and performed by a stellar ensemble, the work is a stirring visual and aural tapestry, filled with electrifying movements, surrealistic tableaus and evocative soundscapes. The stories are told through his interdisciplinary style, combining dance, theatre, visual arts, found materials, philosophy, architecture and drawing from the rich, diverse traditions of his ancestral region.
Bangkok
Bangkok Acoustic Guitar Celebration 2009
Oct 31 (3pm)
Centerpoint Playhouse at Central World
Rama 1 Road, Phathumwan, Bangkok
THB1,500, THB2,500, THB3,500
(+66) 02 262 3456
World-renowned guitarists are set to perform in this one-day festival, including Tommy Emmanuel, whom Eric Clapton called “the best player I’ve ever seen”; the young but talented Joe Robinson; multi-award-winning musician Michael Fix; American maestro Adam Rafferty; Japan’s premier acoustic guitar player Masa Sumide; and Thailand’s very own, Boonchob Thanomwongthana.
Jakarta
Les Invisibles
Until Oct 31
Atrium Plaza Indonesia
Extension 4th floor
Julius Bramanto is a highly reputed fashion photographer in Indonesia who has had his work published in international publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, among others. In this exhibition, he presents a series of photographs of the people who work behind the scenes in shopping malls.
Editor’s Pick
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Oct 26 & 27 (8.30pm)
Dewan Filharmonik Petronas
Level 2, Tower 2, Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC
RM60 to RM220
(03) 2051 7007; [email protected]
Conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy leads the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in two concerts with different line-ups. On Oct 26, the orchestra will perform Rachmaninov’s Vocalise, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 and Prokofiev’s Symphony No 5. In the Oct 27 concert, the orchestra will perform two works by Prokofief, Symphony No 1 — “Classical” and Piano Concerto No 3, as well as Elgar’s Variations on an Original Theme — “Enigma”. Award-winning pianist Behzod Abduraimov, who is set to make his 2010 debut with the London Philharmonic and is recording a solo CD, will be performing with the orchestra on both nights.
This article appeared in Options, the lifestyle pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 778, Oct 26-Nov 1, 2009.