WORKSHOP performances and previews are an important step in the process of staging a theatrical production. Generally, workshops are presentations of works in progress, in the forms of semi- or full staging, or even just readings. Previews usually feature the end product, either a complete performance of, or just highlights. Both workshop performances and previews [...]

Krishen Jit (© kyotoreviewsea.com) ON the Sunday morning of 25 April 2010, when Hulu Selangor voters were going to the polls, I was sitting in a Sikh gurdwara in Kuala Lumpur. It was the fifth death anniversary of a dear friend, Datuk Krishen Jit. His spouse, Datin Marion D’Cruz, had organised for prayers to be [...]

THE stage, like any other forum, can be used to discuss issues that affect humankind, even though not all forms of theatre are interactive. Often there is a clear divide between the stage and the seats, which creates a sometimes necessary distance between audience and performer. This tends to work in favour of both actor [...]

Shanthini Venugopal, with son Hari and cat (All pics courtesy of Shanthini Venugopal)SINGER, actor, director and teacher Shanthini Venugopal has been in the Malaysian theatre industry for nearly three decades, having worked with various theatre companies since 1981. She is a pioneer member of The Instant Cafe Theatre Company. She has starred in films, including [...]

(Pic by theodore99 / sxc.hu) JUST recently, pigs’ heads were left in mosques, after previous arson and vandalism attacks on churches, a Catholic school, a Sikh gurdwara and two surau. These attacks on places of worship are apparently related to the ongoing tussle over the “Allah” issue. In the last edition of Merely Playing, I [...]

(Pic by LinusB4 / sxc.hu) RECENTLY, during a visit to the cinema, I encountered the infamous subset of Malaysians who seem to enjoy ruining the viewing experiences of others by being inconsiderate. You know the kind: those who let their mobile phone ring during the movie, or check their SMSes and distract you with the [...]