KLpac: Kissing Lions Probably Ain't Cute

The Constantly Dramatic One went to the 1st ever KLpac open day last Sunday. Since you probably confuse now so let me straightened this out, it does not stands for Kissing Lions Probably Ain't cute- it stands for Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts centre. The only reason I wanted to go was because they have this backstage tour and I am very curious to see all the stuff that goes into the production of a play. Also, it was all free. I would like to write more but my damn keyboard is acting up, damn thing is spoilt. Have to go and get a new one tomorrow.

That's right, the Constantly Dramatic One uses a PC to blog. Why? Coz I'm Old Skool y'all, also because I don't own a laptop. I'm not very tech-y (if that even a word) so I figured I'm just gonna get one before I fly off but before then the PC would do just fine. When the goddamn keyboard is not acting up, that is. So since typing is bitch now thanks to the stupid keyboard ... therefore photos!!

The view of Sentul Park where KLpac is situated. First time I see it in daylight, I have never been to KLpac during the day because all the shows that I went to see were at night

The KLpac building is a blend of Old British colonial building and a modern architecture, what you're looking at is the new architecture. Glorious isn't it?

Hey!! 3kc blends in with the painting. Outfit coordination, the Constantly Dramatic One approves.

Seemed like a good idea to pose like this at that point. Seemed. Didn't know it gonna turn out like I was humping the wall............ seriously. Just to clarify here, walls do not turn me on. And yes, I know I have a giant ass. Thanks for pointing that out. Appreciate it.

Ahhhhh, reflection photos are my forte.

This was some performance arts *cough* retarded *cough* show that involves ballet and pole dancing at the same time. Apparently, it was supposed to signify something or other. Apparently. 3kc and I wasn't artsy fartsy enough to get it.

We went to a Flamenco Dance workshop. After we did some hip swaying, toes tapping and all the other stuff, it was a safe bet to say that neither of us will ever become a Flamenco dancer.

The view of Pentas 1 (Stage 1) from above. Not that big, only 104 seats. Nothing compared to the Ford Oriental Theatre .

The different kind of lights they use on stage. We did some dumbass camwhoring around these lights. It was one of the highlights of the day. The camwhoring I mean.

The moment I have been waiting fooooorrr: the

DRESSING ROOM.

They only have those boring lights on top of the mirror, I was hoping for those light bulbs that goes AROUND the mirror, you know, like this but nooooo they only have these boring ones. And stupid KLpac people didn't even turn on the lights so that we can see the full effect. Backstage tour my ass. What a let down.

This microphone was in the prop and costume display. I swear it was calling out my name. It was like "Come CD, come and answer your caaaaalllling............."

Owl One to Owl Two: "There is a spy among us."

This thing was at the back of the building. I dunno whether management wanted it there or it comes together with the colonial part of the building. Au natural? It was HUGE and strangely beautiful in its own way. Actually to tell you the truth, this giant plant was the best thing in the whole KLpac, sure the place is beautiful and all that but the people working there weren't that friendly. They were kinda standoff-ish.

Here you see some uuuhhhh random person who happen to own the same bag as me, trying to climb the thing in an attempt to reenact a scene from Jack and the Beanstalk. Mission failed. Why? Her ass was too big. Hers, not mine.

Alright that's all for now. Will get a new keyboard and will bitch more.

Fo sho'

'Enemy of the People' at KLpac

Overall, the play was not that good. I'm no theatre critique so I wouldn't know what kind of observations that I should make or the jargon that I should use but this is what I think of it:

The main character playing the Doctor? He was annoying as fuck. Seriously, throughout the first act of the play he bounce around the stage like he's a ballerina. With his self importance ways and being a pompous bastard. If this is his trick to get the audience to hate him (as all the other character in that play are) then I say job well done but if its just the style that he acts then oh gawd, director Joanna Bassey should fire his ass as soon as possible coz he is damn annoying. Talk about a sad case of miscast.

Now that I'm done with that, let me give the summary of the play. A doctor who lives in town in which the major economy is generated by their spa that supposedly cure sickness in people, one day discovered that the water is contaminated. Upon knowing this, he made a big deal about closing it down and cleaning it up but this means that the town will lose their source of income so because of that the people of the town is against him. That's basically "Enemy of the People" in a nutshell.

The story itself is timeless I think, how one man wants to fight for the greater good but instead oppressed because of greed instead. There will always be stories like this but as much as I want to support the Doctor, I cant coz the actor playing his is soooooooo annoying, I cannot stand him. He totally ruins the play for me. Pompous bastard.

The supporting cast was good though, I especially like the Father-In-Law played by Un En-Ng, I think that was his name. I have seen him before in "Tell Tale Heart" by Gavin Yap and even though I did not enjoy the play per se but I did enjoy his performance. He has a certain knack of playing the undercover bad guy. The one that you didn't realise gona fucked you up until he twist that knife in your back.

Overall it wasn't a good play but it wasn't bad either its just that the performance wasn't strong enough for one to get caught in it. And plus the main actor was annoying as fuck, I can't stress that enough.

The Tell Tale Heart in KLpac

I went to KLpac (click on the link) the other day to catch the stage adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell Tale Heart. Its actually pretty cool. For those of you who does not know what the story is about, lemme just summarize the whole thing for you:

A manservant killed his employer by chopping him up to little pieces and then placing the heart under the floorboard of the employer's bedroom. The horror in the story lies in the way in which the manservant would latter tell the story to audience: without remorse and with abundance of off-the-wall insanity. A the end of the story, the audience could still hear the heart beating under the floorboard

I know the story because I have read it a couple of years ago but getting to watch it live on stage is pretty cool. Especially in this case, the play isn't you standard traditional play. Its a... how did they describe it? Right.... "progressive, experimental theatre". Combining 3 elements of the media: theatre, video and music, together. Apparently its all very artsy fartsy and super intellectual. I can't say that I enjoy it thoroughly because well, I'm not artsy fartsy and super intellectual but I must admit that it is a new experience for me.

And for kicks I'm just added in pictures of the beautiful KLpac, and Nevina and I.