AT five foot five, Terry Ong says he has never been made to feel insecure about his height as much as he has been made to feel insecure about a more fundamental and unalterable aspect: his own heritage. Ong, 29, is an emcee and voiceover talent. But he is also known because he is a […]
Nick Choo
Musicals 101: When is it religious?
By Nick ChooIN 2005, as part of my postgraduate thesis, I decided to put on a musical, not realising the amount of work a production actually needs. With my vision of making it a large-scale song-and-dance spectacle the likes of a Great White Way or London West End production, it was an exercise in overambition. Still, it […]
Ops Sikap
By The Nut Graph teamTHE Hari Raya holidays have just passed and the results are out. As usual, the big numbers are still there, and are still disturbing. 2009’s Ops Sikap, the 20th one running since its start in 2001, saw 261 road deaths during this Aidilfitri period. On Sunday, 27 Sept, alone there were 23 fatalities on our […]
Not crazy, just a little unwell
By Nick ChooDUE to the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak, the public has been urged to avoid crowded places and to wear face masks when mingling with crowds. One supposes theatres, concerts and other arts events would certainly be affected. Dwindling audience numbers and show postponements would surely be the case. But has it been? How have pandemics in […]
Sharing a common thread
By Nick ChooSINGER-songwriter Azmyl Yunor started out as a busker Down Under in Perth back in 1997. Since his return to Malaysia in 2000, he has tirelessly supported and developed the local independent music scene, and has gigged on a regular basis. Azmyl has also organised events such as the singer-songwriter showcase KL Sing-Song, which is back […]
The Malaysian tragicomedy: Life imitating art
By Nick ChooWE know how art can imitate life, but oftentimes in Malaysia, it seems that life can also imitate art. So, what are the 10 ways the Malaysian sociopolitical landscape can be analogous to a theatre performance? 1. Flash factor (Pic by David Ritter / sxc.hu)A production can be boosted by extra-theatrical elements such as […]
Anything but bland
By Nick ChooCorrected at 1:45am, 21 Aug 2009 JEROME Kugan was born and raised in Sabah, but has lived in Kuala Lumpur since 2000. Over the years, he has made a mark for himself in the arts, entertainment and media industries. He is currently the media manager for the Annexe at Central Market. Before this, he was […]
Conversion
By The Nut Graph teamTHE late Malcolm X did it, and he’s a hero. Amina Wadud did it, and people call her a freak. “It” being converting to Islam. And as African Americans, Malcolm and Amina did it in the belief that Islam offered them spiritual liberation and justice. People convert to different religions all the time. Who can […]
