The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

Life truly is a stage for Five Arts Centre

Posted: 02 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Three decades on, local arts outfit Five Arts Centre is still shining bright and smiling wide.

IT was a thrilling convergence of past and future at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Five Arts Centre, one of the most prominent performing arts collectives in the country.

Featuring fine wine, good food and friendly faces from far and wide, the celebration was a nostalgic look at the arts company's many milestones, as well as an exciting glimpse of things to come.

Held at its homebase in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday, the event marked the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Five Arts Centre, as well as the 10th anniversary of the passing of one of its members, prominent theatre critic and director Datuk Krishen Jit.

"A lot of people have been asking me, how do I feel about lasting so long, how do I feel about an arts company reaching 30. We definitely didn't think about lasting. We just thought about what's the next project?" said Marion D'Cruz, Five Arts Centre executive producer and founding member. "And another question I've been asked is: how does it feel to be 30? And let me tell you. It feels damn good! I'm 60, which means half my life has been Five Arts Centre. And it feels. Damn. Good!"

The evening was unexpectedly marred by bad weather: a sudden thunderstorm meant much improvisation was needed to adapt the outdoor-based celebrations into a mostly indoor event. Fortunately, this was carried out without a hitch: you don't get to 30 without learning to deal with unexpected hiccups, after all.

Activist Ivy Josiah (left) and lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan reading from The Cord, which was the
Five Arts Centre's first show. Both were part of the original production in 1984, and they revisited their
old roles to much applause.

The celebration opened with a performance by contemporary gamelan ensemble Rhythm in Bronze, previously part of the Five Arts Centre. Dressed impeccably in white, the group's members put on a visually and aurally delightful show, performing while lit up light-boxes dimmed and intensified with the music's tempo.

Rhythm in Bronze performed the song On Ayak Ayak, which was arranged by Sunetra Fernando, and interspersed with a monologue on duality, Aku Perempuan by Nam Ron. This was followed by a contemporised version of Teuku Umar's Suntuk Masa, accompanied by dancers.

The night featured excerpts, songs and readings from many of the Five Arts Centre's most iconic productions, such as Dua Tiga Dalang Berlari, Bunga Manggar Bunga Raya and In 1969, all performed by prominent local personalities. These performances took place in a room in the centre's office, and channelled via a live feed to party guests outside.

Among the performances were Kubhaer T. Jethwani's reciting The IC Poem from Lebih Kecoh, Pearlly Chua performing a monologue from Ang Tao Mui, Chin San Sui doing an excerpt from Lady White, and Ali Alasri and Mervyn Raj's rendition of the song Gadis Dikuburan, from the hit musical Uda Dan Dara.

One of the night's most memorable moments, however, was activist Ivy Josiah and lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan reading from The Cord, which was the Five Arts Centre's first ever show. The two, who were part of the original production in 1984, revisited their old roles to much applause.

"In the beginning we thought we would just ham it up," said Ivy. "But reading the play again, I could feel all the emotions I felt when I first performed it."

"It made us remember Krishen," said Ambiga, referring to the play's late director.

"He really terrified us, but he brought out the best in us."

The celebration opened with a performance by contemporary gamelan ensemble Rhythm in Bronze, previously part of the theatre institution.

The celebration also saw the announcement of tenTenTEN, a two-year celebration by the Five Arts Centre which will span 2014-15 with multiple arts projects and events.

TenTenTEN will consist of five threads: Para-Sites (a monthly series of curated events), Process (an observation and tracking of artists' strategies in creating work), Conference (an exhibition on critical aspects of Jit's work, bringing together leading arts practitioners, academics, researchers and students), Publication (various programmes featuring and analysing iconic Five Arts Centre and Malaysian plays) and Performance.

Among the projects for Performance is 2 Minute Solos – Art Meets Politics, which will take place at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor this month. Created by D'Cruz, the show features 12 two-minute solo performances carried out in 12 different spaces, with a line-up of six artists and six "political types" doing various things ranging from theatre, dance, poetry and much more.

For the show, 12 different audience groups of 10 people each will watch a performance one after the other, with all of the two-minute solos starting and ending at the same time.

"I hope people get an interesting experience. Theatre, or any live art, for me, is about people getting an experience that you can't get anywhere else," said D'Cruz.

"And that experience can be anything. It can be just entertainment, it can make you laugh, it can educate. I don't decide that. I give this to you, and you receive it in any way you want to receive it."

Get your tickets for 'Jersey Boys'

Posted: 02 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

NEVER been to New Jersey? No problem! The countdown is on for Jersey Boys, which is set to run at Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur from April 15 to 27. This award-winning US musical looks set to transform Istana Budaya into a Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons wonderland of songs, dance and drama.

This popular musical, now in its 10th year, depicts the rags-to-riches story and remarkable rise to stardom of one of the most successful groups in American pop music history – Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. It's the inspiring tale of four New Jersey boys who made their dreams come true.

Out comes a full-scale Broadway musical to thrill Malaysian theatre-goers with all the big hits and a whole lot of hip-swaying in the aisles. To refresh your memory, the Jersey Boys show features pop classics like Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, December 1963, Oh What A Night and many more.

The good news is show promoters Milestone Production Sdn Bhd has come up with 104 tickets for Jersey Boys to give away. Just answer a simple question. Closing date is April 10.

For enquiries, call 012-5157 922. Go to www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/entertainment for more information. The Star is the show's gold sponsor and Red FM the official radio station.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Khamis, 3 April 2014