WAYANG: APRIL 28th 2006

WAYANG: APRIL 30th 2006
Gavin,Ari,Joanna,Niki,Joe and I just finished our second week o rehearsals for 'Fastest Clock In The Universe'. Today Joe completed our blocking. Books will be down in another couple of weeks, but the way the actors are going, books will probably be down by next week. The fastest learners are of course Gavin and Niki...the slowest? You guess!
Oh yes, Ari made a suggestion today that Joe actually listened to!
Today also had Geteran Jiwa - an acapella group from Singapore. Pity - had really small audiences. Pang of KakiSeni said it was a must see. Maybe they'll come again.
And the final show of 'Mad About Money' - audiences were okay, but I'm the first to admit I was disappointed with it. I don't think the director did a good job of it. Hopefully the next one 'Funny Thing Called Love' will be better.
Have a great Labour Day Holiday.
And thank you for supporting Malaysian Theatre.

29th April 2006

God almighty, I almost lost my blog today!
If Mike had not help me jog my memory - cyberspace is not an easy domain to find your way around!
My class 'Getting Our Act together' - in its third week had excitement today. I believe the 6 who turned up are beginning to release themselves and discover their strengths! It's great for me too as we interact sama-sama. One of the students who came 25 mins. late said she was sorting out her demons! We did not ask too much more because it looked like treading on 'rocky' surface.
Another told us of an article in a Malay daily that raised questions of three films shown with nude scenes uncut. I'll check if it's shown to the public, then I'll tell you. I can almost hear the buzz of interest out there.
Another young lady read a little article that touched her heart about a hawker who continued working to support his two younger brothers, because that's what he promised his dying father. She had a tear in her eye when she was talking about it.
The youngest in the class came with the story of the floods at Selayang, last week. That his father will or has writtento DBKL. Never happened since they moved in 20 years ago.
The oldest in the class touched on humour and gave some examples of Logi's intelligent humour.
The class ended with some improv. work.
All-in-all great fun!

Thank you for supporting Malaysian Theatre!

APRIL 28th 2006

It's Krishen's first anniversay of his passing. It's raining, thunder, lightening outside.
I know Five Arts and friends are celebrating Krishen tonight. Joe & I are at KLPac, rehearsing 'Fastest Clock In The Universe'. But we know, Krishen knows we are with him. Joe wrote a beautiful article in April's Living Arts Malaysia. Some commented it brought tears to their eyes. According to Marion, on Astro today Krishen is featured on Profile Seni. Apt timing.
And I have decided to start a blog for myself. There are moments when I want to say something and cannot find the space for it. This seems perfect. I hope I will be diligent and not 'hangat, hangat tahi ayam'!
Today too, after my long life of 66+, I appear on the front page of The Star newspaper, thanks to Avon who selected me as their Ibu Karyawan! Marge jokingly said I'll need another cabinet to put all my trophies.
That Ibu Karyawan trophy is sitting pretty on my table in my office. Thank you Avon. Happy to have shared the day with Dato' Mazlan, Puan Chow Gek from Rompin, Pahang, Cik Catherine and Kak Zah Avon from Terengganu. We had a very good time with our most gracious Queen and Dato' Shahrizad.
I was a mixed feeling between joy and tears welling up inside of me, especially after the video on our beloved Datin Seri Endon. I don't know how Nori and Puan Leela do it, but that broken heart is still bleeding.
btw, thank you Shafinaz for those two beautiful songs, especially for us five women. What a treat!
I felt like turning back the clock to the early days of being a young mother to my only son and the many, many years of hardship, especially for him, having to look after himself while this single mother went to work at Radio, on the stage, and in advertising. God is great. He makes the time fly past and Feroz is now 40. He uses his writing as his outlight, and he writes well. I'd like to do the same.
Today,I read a 40 minute documentary on the Orang Asli, at TV Malaysia. It was like dejavu.
Well, This is it. I wonder if Joe will be proud of me? He normally reads through what I have written, but he won't this one, as it's going into cyberworld.
Thank you for supporting Malaysian Theatre!
Faridah Merican