Front Row

Our producer attended the 3rd Biennial Conference of the Asian Shakespeare Association to interview Professor Peter Holland about Shakespeare in performance. Professor Holland was the keynote speaker at the Conference, sharing with attendees his research into trailers of Shakespeare or based-on Shakespeare films. This presentation on trailers points to the "uncomfortable" relationship between Holl...

Theatre can often be a powerful way to provide a voice for disempowered communities. Parastoo Theatre is a troupe that is built on this idea, and is founded and made up of Afghan refugees who currently reside in Malaysia. The group’s upcoming show, “Screaming in Silence”, will focus on the issue of child marriage in Afghanistan. The play’s director and Parastoo Theatre foun...

Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, one of Malaysia’s foremost dancers and choreographers of Indian classical dance, received the Padma Shri award - one of India’s top civilian honours - last month. Meanwhile, he is also the subject of a photography exhibition here in Kuala Lumpur called “Cave of the Heart” by Indian photographer A. Prathap. We sit down with Ramli and Prathap to talk abou...

War is examined through theatre and music in “Between the Lines”, a performance that follows the narrative of a soldier reaching the end of his days. Songs from beloved musicals such as Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Pippin, and Hamilton, performed by local musical theatre performers, are used to illustrate the story further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surveillance is an increasingly common presence in contemporary society as our engagement with technology continues to blur the lines between the public and private. “Seen”, a contemporary art exhibition at Wei-Ling Contemporary, examines these issues through the works of 10 internationally acclaimed and local artists. Ahmet Ogut, a conceptual artist from Turkey who currently works in...

First there was speed-dating; now, there’s speed-songwriting. “...And the Curtain Rises” is a music event where 12 singer-songwriters will be paired up to write a song each in 12 hours, culminating in a performance. The event is a run-up to the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival. The show’s co-producer and two participating singer-songwriters talk to us about the process of w...

There can’t be that many male ballet dancers in the country. But one is dancing with the Singapore Dance Theatre which has been regularly touring to Malaysia over the past several years. While the company was here in KL, our producer sneaked into klpac’s Pentas 1 and chatted with Jeremie Gan, a Malaysian ballet-trained professional dancer with the only ballet company in Southeast Asia,...

A bharatanatyam dance show called “Shringara - Divine Love” explores the many facets of love through the stories of three couples from Indian mythology, using the distinct Kalakshetra style of dance. Dancers and choreographers Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon, who are the next generation of ambassadors for the dance form, talk to us about the show and the enduring heritage of India&r...

The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) immediately captures the mind, with all its possibilities and its potential problems. Using art to interpret AI in various ways, however, allows for a different take: one that engages not just with technology, but also imagination, emotion, and connection. “What AI Didn’t Tell You” is an art exhibition by People Ideas Culture that displays...

In terms of Southeast Asian art, Indonesia’s Raden Salleh and Juan Luna from the Philippines are two names that have great historical significance. John Clark, who is Professor Emeritus in art history at the University of Sydney, talks to us about these two Southeast Asian painters and how they are linked to both colonial and national histories in this region. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

One week after Malaysian’s historic general elections, we’re all still coming to terms with what it means to have a new government in power for the first time since our Independence. With ideas of change on everyone’s mind, what could this mean for Malaysian arts and culture? What are some of the things we’d like to see? We talk to three local arts practitioners about what...

“Thicker Than Water” by TerryandTheCuz Productions is the first Malaysian-produced show to premiere off-Broadway in New York City this month, at the prestigious Public Theatre, no less. We talk to the show’s producer Terence Conrad about how preparations are going and what can be expected as opening night approaches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Street art is steadily rising from its underground roots to become a global art movement. Driven by his love for street art and seeing a gap in the market, Australian street art expert Shaun Hossack started the region’s first creative agency specialising in urban art and graffiti management. Hossack was one of the judges at the Mark Your Mark in Melbourne street art competition held in Kuala...

The 14th General Election is just around the corner. We sit down with three arts practitioners to talk about the role of the arts in the democratic process, and how the arts in Malaysia reflect many of the wider anxieties currently facing our nation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dama Asia is the new name for Dama Orchestra, and with that also some changes in the venue it calls home. The artistic director tells about moving out of its own cabaret space--an intimate theatre in Plaza Damas III to a club house in a recreational and residential resort. Tan Soo Suan, the company’s go-to songstress tells about the company second production at this new venue. See omnystudio...

Over the last few years, theatre company Big Nose Productions has presented tales from a variety of locations: the bedroom, the mamak, and even the toilet. For their latest production, they are visiting a lovable Indian mother’s kitchen. “Tales from Amma’s Kitchen” is a collection of 10 stories featuring a variety of very Malaysian characters, that use humour to explore iss...

Art from the eastern Indian state of Odisha remains relatively unknown to the rest of the world - and can often be a surprising combination of folk traditions and contemporary sensibilities. Married couple Ramahari Jena and Chaita Basu, who are both renowned Odiya artists, are presenting their works in an exhibition called “Kunchi” in Kuala Lumpur. They talk to us about their journeys,...

“Nanyang” is a term that loosely refers to the Chinese diaspora of Southeast Asia. But what does this word mean to contemporary Malaysians of Chinese descent? “Bisikan Monsoon” by the Kwang Tung Dance Company is a dance production that uses dance, music, visual arts, and theatre to explore how notions of identity and belonging are continuously shifting. Dancer Tan Bee Hung...

The traditional Malay music and dance form known as zapin traces its roots back to the “zafin” of the Hadhramaut region of South Arabia. Brought over by the Hadhrami Arab community, the musical form bridges the spiritual and the everyday. Prof Syed Farid Alatas talks to us about how exploring the roots of zapin - or “zafin” - could lead to greater cultural understanding of...

The dancer-choreographer and dance instructor gives a view into the democratic process that he has imposed upon himself to create his works in ‘Triple Bill’. He points out what he collaborates with his dancers, composer and costume-designer. He also underscores the connection between the dances’ theme and the process of creation. The composer tells about the music he has put toge...

Jo Kukathas plays Julius Caesar in a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s play by the Singapore Repertory Theatre for Shakespeare in the Park. Jo talks to us about her take on the iconic role, and how it examines power and leadership through a modern lens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the eighth year running, the KL Shakespeare Players bring their “Shakespeare Demystified” series to the stage, presenting the Bard in his original language but with contemporary English providing the explanation and context. This time, they bring their unique format to that tragic tale of star-crossed lover - “Romeo & Juliet”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

The Young Art Entrepreneurs programme by Balai Seni Negara aims to provide up-and-coming Malaysian artists with both the artistic and entrepreneurial skills to succeed in the creative industries. The programme mentor and two of the artists selected for the programme share how the programme has helped them further their dreams of making a career out of art. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

Artist Ajim Juxta’s works bring together elements and inspirations from architecture, science fiction, video games and even classical art. In his fourth solo exhibition, “arkologi: gelap”, Ajim uses his unique style to comment on and question the world we live in, as well as the possibilities of our future. Ajim and exhibition curator Sharmin Parameswaran talk to us about show an...

Up-and-coming dancer Arunagiri Szeyuan Lam comes from a family of performers, and has been dancing since the age of six. Trained in bharatanatyam, odissi and kathak, he recently developed an interest in hip-hop and dubstep; last year, a video of him performing a choreography combining dubstep, popping, and Indian classical dance amassed 100,000 likes in one week. Arunagiri talks to us about his fr...