Pages

The Johor Arts Fest is back!


I don’t know about you but I’m marking my calendar to go to as many of the shows and activities lined up in the 15th Johor Arts Festival, across the month of September.

The Warrior, the image of the 15th Johor Arts Fest 
When I received my copy of the festival flyer, the first thing that strikes me is the familiar style in the arty rendition of the Warrior, the image of the 15th JohorAF.

The bold strokes, bright colours and favourite shade of blue, are distinguishing hallmarks of the work by multiple award-winning Johor artist and designer, Mulo.

Just as the JohorAF is presenting a cast of talents from across the nation in a month-long programme, I’m glad that talents like Mulo and other local artists, are also being highlighted in the fest.

I especially liked how the festival flyer has a single-page calendar for me to read about the events, at a glance!

Erwin Shah Ismail in a one-man act, Kulit On The Go
My eyes search for the details of where all the events will be happening and I discover the official venue of the 15th JohorAF is The Puteri Pacific JB with the bulk of the shows presented in the hotel’s Permata Ballroom.

mmm… I must say that the shows in this year’s programme are wide and varied and there is really something for everyone in the free and ticketed events, organized in the theme, Stories, shared through music, dance, theatre, poetry, comedy, visual arts, photography, fashion and film, and even food!

There are two Photography Exhibitions: Border/Less and Selat Johor: A Visual Collection, open daily from 10am to 7pm at the lobby of The Puteri Pacific Johor Baru, throughout the fest and entrance is Free-Of-Charge.

A section of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
On Saturday, Sept 1, the 15th JohorAF kicks off with two Contemporary Theatre shows, the first at 3pm and later at 8pm, in the Permata Ballroom.

This show, Kulit On The Go, features Erwin Shah Ismail, a one-man act performed in English, Malay, Mandarin and Hokkien with the ukulele as music accompaniment.

Fans of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and classical music can catch their performance of, From Mozart to Totoro, at 8pm on Monday, Sept 3, at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre.

Percussion enthusiasts can join the Drum Circle, a Free-Of-Charge drumming session with the Johor Baru Happy and Joyous Club at 10am on Friday, Sept 7, at Sedap Corner JB, Jalan Abdul Samad.

Ajith Baskaran and the Suvarna dancers
will present Much Ado About Dance
I have already penciled in 8pm on Friday, Sept 7, and will be at the Permata Ballroom to enjoy a much-anticipated performance by JB-born, internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Ajith Baskaran and the dancers of the Suvarna Dance academy.

Much Ado About Dance or M.A.A.D. in short, will showcase the beautiful moves of the Bharatanatyam dance that speaks through movement, melody, mime and words.

Over the years, I have learnt to appreciate the beauty of this traditional performing art through enjoying many Bharatanatyam performances by Ajith and his Suvarna dancers in their academy’s annual shows.

I’m familiar with how Ajith is meticulous about letting the audience have a better appreciation of this art-form and will typically arrange for a pre-show lecture conducted in English for the benefit of the uninitiated!

To find out more about this talented lawyer-turned-dancer, you can read Ajith’s story which is among the Johor personalities I featured in the Portraits section of my book, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage!

Tarakucha! will feature Sean Ghazi and Ida Mariana
The words ‘vintage’ and ‘Big Band Jazz’ resonate well with me and conjures visions of my dad and his friends during their bachelor days.

My dad, who was once dubbed the Dancing King, told me about those ‘happy days’ where they used to make their own music and create their own entertainment.

So I’m definitely not missing out on, Tarakucha! a musical throwback experience featuring vocals by Sean Ghazi and Ida Mariana.

I’ve carefully penciled in Sunday, Sept 9 and will be at the Permata Ballroom before 8pm, because I cannot miss this show which is touted as, “The Terrer-Menerrer Big Band Baru with a Malay Twist”.

Wow! These shows cover just the first few days of the 15th JohorAF and there’s so much more…

WVC Malaysian Jazz Ensemble
will feature Janet Lee and Eddin Khoo
On Wednesday, Sept 12, jazz fans can continue to thrill to the music of the WVC Malaysian Jazz Ensemble with Janet Lee and Eddin Khoo who will present a musical showcase of Malayan Classics Re-Imagined in Seketika Sebelum Merdeka.

I will step back in time with them to enjoy unique arrangements of pre-independent Malayan songs along with interesting anecdotes by historian, poet and Pusaka founder, Eddin Khoo. This show is at 8pm in the Permata Ballroom.

Yay! I’m glad the 15th JohorAF is presenting Fusion Wayang Kulit in the arts fest again!

This exciting event is a paid Workshop and Exhibition that includes a free wayang kulit performance of Peperangan Bintang, the Malay name for Star Wars.

I’ve had the privilege of meeting the creators of this iconic futuristic Star Wars adventures in a traditional wayang kulit performance, so don’t miss it on Friday, Sept 14, at 3pm in the Permata Ballroom.

If food is not yet your forte, then join my friend, Tony Boey of Johor Kaki fame, and Datin Kalsom Taib, co-writer of Johor Palate: Tanjung Puteri Recipes and other guests at Sedap Corner for After Hours 2.0: Food.

A scene from Peperangan Bintang or Star Wars,
in Fusion Wayang Kulit
This free-entry forum about heritage food and its place in today’s world, will happen at 8pm, on Saturday, Sept 15.

The 15th JohorAF welcomes stand-up comedian, Malaysia’s Queen of Comedy, the bold and outrageous Joanne Kam Poh Poh.

Get ready to laugh-out-loud with her and enjoy her new 90-minute one-woman comedy special – Joanne Kam: La La Lian nationwide tour – at 8pm on Tuesday, Sept 18, in the Permata Ballroom.

Listen Differently – this is what the Vision string quartet from Berlin invites you to do as they break barriers by fusing classical compositions with popular music!

Their performance described as, “…amazingly vivacious, vivid and electrifying…” is something I cannot miss so I will be there at 8pm on Friday, Sept 21, in the Permata Ballroom, to experience why these young musicians are recognized as one of the finest young string quartets of its generation.
                                                                                                             
Malaysian Queen of Comedy presents her comedy
special - Joanne Kam: La La Lian nationwide tour
Closer to home, the 15th JohorAF celebrates the life and work of film-maker, the late Yasmin Ahmad, who sought to bring together Malaysians of every gender, ethnicity and persuasion. 

Join movie buffs to revisit the stories that prompted us to think and feel what it truly means to be Malaysian.

Yasmin I Lup Chew happens over two days at Sedap Corner JB. [Lup Chew is local slang that expresses the phrase, love you!]

On Friday, Sept 21, enjoy the screening of her film, Sepet (2004) and on Saturday, Sept 22, her film, Gubra (2006) will be screened. This will be followed by the launch event with Yasmin’s sister, Datin Orked, for the book entitled, Yasmin I Lup Chew.

Festival Director, Suzie Yap, explained that filming had started on the last film that Yasmin Ahmad was working on before she passed away. As no other director felt up to the mark in continuing to make this film, they decided to compile the script into a book.

Vision String Quartet invites you to Listen Differently
Finally, fashionistas - you must not miss Perspective: The Runway, Johor’s biggest fashion event at 8pm in DoubleTree by Hilton JB on Sunday, Sept 23. 

The Runway will host six fabulous designers including two who achieved international fame this year. The show will feature exclusive collections by Tom Abang Saufi, Fashion Club by Limkokwing and Lagenda from Malaysia.

Guest designers include Thailand’s Sorn and India’s Ritesh Kumar, and the first runway collection by Wawal Ali, winner of Perspective: The Project, will premier in this show.

The JohorAF is organized by the Johor Society of the Performing Arts (JSPA) which has a mission to encourage, develop, support, advance, create awareness and instill an appreciation for the arts in Johor through cool and relevant projects across a spectrum of artistic disciplines and genres.

Besides organizing the Johor Arts Festival, the JSPA has a calendar of Festivals for Jazz, Film, Indigenous, Classical Music, Piano, Writers & Readers, and other exciting stand-alone events.

The shows in the 15th JohorAF that range from visual to performing arts, exhibitions and workshops, to talks and forums, are all brought to you almost to your doorstep so don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy your own pick from this month-long fest. 

Just pick up a copy of the festival flyer or go online to check out the full programme of shows and events, and get your tickets at www.jspa.org.my

Facebook: www.facebook.com/johorperformingarts, Tel Hotline: 019 – 7139900.

No comments:

Post a Comment