Seen.By.Ice.Queen: coming to my senses

Interesting performance that's coming to town. Watch out for it if you're into 'Artsy' performances

About IN MIRA
A dance production by Raka Maitra, in collaboration with folk musicians from Rajasthan

Mira was a 15th Century Rajput princess born into the ruling clan in Kudki, near Jodhpur in present-day Rajasthan. During her lifetime she was renowned for her beauty, intelligence, pride, wilfulness and great devotion to her god Shyam, the one she called “the dark one”.

Mira was entered into an arranged marriage at the age 20 but her husband was soon killed in battle. She however rejected widowhood and continued to sing, dance and compose songs and poetry for her beloved Shyam. It is said that she traversed Rajasthan and Gujarat on foot singing the praises of her lord.

Today Mirabai, her life and work is veiled by the mysteries and awe of legend, spirituality and religiosity, which are as obscurantist as they are revealing. Mira’s poetry seems to be most alive in the folk traditions of Rajasthan - in the courtyard, along highways, through markets and temples with a few finger cymbals, a harmonium and a drum. The folk musicians have been passing on the tradition across the generations.

In Mira seeks to express the life and work of this brave, single-minded, remarkable woman contextualised in performance, dance and movement, mediated by folk music, text and history. This is not a religious homage; it is an attempt to celebrate the exceptional, exemplary and intense humanity which Mirabai’s life and work epitomises.

About Raka Maitra
Raka Maitra is a classically trained Indian dancer who pushes boundaries to create contemporary Indian dance productions. Specialized in Odissi under Padmashree Madhavi Mudgal and legendary Guru - the late Kelucharan Mahapatra, she also went through an Intensive training in Serraikella Chhau under Guru Sashadhar Acharya, at the Triveni Kala Sangam.

Her current initiatives include exploring the different dimensions of Indian contemporary dance and developing her own dance vocabulary, drawing from training in Odissi and Chhau. She is also the Director of the first Indian contemporary dance festival in Singapore, “The Grey Festival.”

In 2008, Raka embarked on a journey to Rajasthan to visit, learn and understand Mira further. With the assistance of Chan Man Loon, they visited a small village to document the folk singers Mukhtiar and others from the Maan community, who has kept Mira’s poems alive till today.

The result is In Mira.

For this production, Raka will be working in collaboration with the Folk (musicians from Rajasthan), the post modern (Philip Tan) and the abstract, which is her dance. With visuals by Chan Man Loon, lights by Tommy Wong and text by T. Sasitharan, In Mira seeks to push the boundaries further to celebrate Mira in dance.

Dance & Choreography: Raka Maitra
Music: Philip Tan
Voice over: T.Sasitharan
Folk Musicians from Rajasthan: Mana Ram, Jetha Ram, Mane Khan.
Visuals: Chan Man Loon.
Lights: Tommy Wong.

Date: 16th & 17th January 2009
Time: 8pm
Tickets: $28
$22 concession for students, senior citizens and NSF available. Tickets on sale now through SISTIC Website, Hotline & Authorised Agents (www.sistic.com.sg).

www.inmira.wordpress.com

This production is supported by NAC, Arts Fund and The Substation.

I am so in need of retail therapy these days but all those who know me knows that I'm no shopaholic. Plus I REALLY hate crowds. So sales hardly get my attention.

But difficult times calls for desperate shopping measures and I've been sucked in to all these warehouse sales where you get really good bargains.

Here're a couple that I'm looking to go these few days:



Who: Wing Tai December Warehouse Sales
What: Up to 70% off for Top Shop, Top Man and judging from the logo, I'm assuming Nike?
Where: Wing Tai Industrial Building, 105 Tampines Road
When: Now till 8 Feb 2009 | 12pm to 7pm



Who: Adidas Post Christmas Sales
What: 30%+20%=50%?
Where: Adidas Stores (Suntec City, The Cathay, VivoCity, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, Heeren, Tampines Mall, Parkway Parade, Ngee Ann City, Wheelock Place, CityLink Mall, The Paragon, IMM, Parco Bugis Junction, Junction 8, Takashimaya L4 & Jurong Point)
When: 26 to 28 Dec 2008

So if you're also looking for bargains like me, see you at these sales.

2008 is coming to an end and 2009 kick starts another new series of auditions for pageants preparing to send their winners to international contests. Here's a few that are calling for auditions even before Chinese New Year kicks in:

BEST MODEL OF SINGAPORE 2009

We are in search for a Singapore Male and Female
To represent Singapore at the
Best Model of the World 2009
In Istanbul Nov. 2009

Entry Criteria:
*A Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident;
*18 to 28 years of age
* Single
Send your entry form together with 3 recent photographs and a copy of your NRIC.

SINGAPORE CHILD MODEL OF THE YEAR 2009
Or
SINGAPORE TEEN MODEL OF THE YEAR 2009

We are in search for a Singapore Male and Female

Entry Criteria:
*A Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident;
*6 to 12 years of age (Singapore Child Model of The Year 2009)
*13 to 17 years of age (Singapore Teen Model of The Year 2009)

Send your entry form with 3 recent photographs and a copy of your birth certificate and a non-returnable processing fee of SGD$25.00.
All Cheque to be made payable to:

Best Model of the World 2009
Block 23, Toa Payoh East, #08-227 Singapore 310023

Closing date: 30 December 2008
For enquires, please call: 6733 7747

:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+

Audtions for 2009 Miss Petite Singapore Sweetheart & Miss Singapore Sweetheart is now Open

Criteria:
Petite: 165cm and Below
Miss: 166cm and Above
Never been married
Never had a child
Age: 18 to 26 in 2009
Open To all Nationalities (Do not need to be a Singaporean)

Venue: Academy IG
273 Thomson Rd #04-02 Novena Gardens (next to Revenue House)
Time: 1pm to 3pm
Date: Jan 4, 11, 18 2009

Bring 2 photos, 1 head shot & 1 full length
Non-refundable registration fee of $20

We are looking for new faces to promote in modelling and entertainment industry. There will be a talent competition but NO SWIMWEAR COMPETITION!

Call today for more information: 67372700
or email: carter@academyig.com

As a non-TV hogger, I have serious problems sitting down in front of the goggle box and going through an entire programme without moving around the house or multi-tasking with another activity. Hence, I can only vaguely remember the series, Do Not Disturb, that aired on Arts Central last year.

My vague collection tells me that it involved a lot of sex, nudity (well, as far as MDA would permit on our airwaves anyway) and budget hotel rooms.

Now, one year on, some of the cast and crew of the TV series are remaking a theatre act, similarly titled Do Not Disturb with additional description of Late Checkout Please!

I would love to watch the play cos I am certain it will not be as heavily censored as if it were on free to air TV. This means more creative expression, and for you sex(porn)-hungry peeps out there, more raunchy material for the brains in the gutter.

What excites me about this production though is the directorial debut Tan Kheng Hua is making with this play. I've been fascinated with this woman since watching her as Margaret on PCK and something about her aura just intrigues me. But having never met her or spoken to her, I have never quite gotten to her 'soul' and can only see her representations of characters that she plays.

With directing though, I can get a peek into her style beyond playing a character. Some people says that directors are playing out their own fantasies through puppeteering their actors.. so I'll see ;)

Well, to quote her for the directorial effort of this play, she sometimes feels like a 'porno' director because the scenes can be quite intimate - after all they're set in a budget hotel room!.

The other reason to watch this act would be Joanna Dong, for me. Never seen her in a play but have definitely heard her sing as Oosh. We'll see how she fares in this play baring more than just her soulful voice.

So the challenge for me now is to get the tickets. o_O

What happens between two people in a budget hotel room? Four of Singapore’s most exciting writers – Kelvin Tong, Eleanor Wong, Kaylene Tan and Ken Kwek – explore sex, illicit love, claustrophobia, secrets, regrets, revenge and role play with some of Singapore’s finest actors.

Featuring Tan Kheng Hua in her directorial debut, “Do Not Disturb – Late Checkout, Please” opens the door to a place where people hide away and forces to the surface what we don’t want others to see.

“Brunch” by Kelvin Tong featuring Dan Jenkins and Janice Koh
A man and a woman await their adulterous spouses with plans of sabotage. But to what end?

“Duet” by Eleanor Wong featuring Karen Lim and Serene Chen
Two old friends, a whole lot of baggage, some great songs and that point in a woman’s life when she doesn’t know if she’s coming or going.

“Teacher’s Day” by Kaylene Tan featuring K Rajagopal and Hadri
A teacher and his male student have been meeting in this budget hotel room. Who’s teaching whom? And what lessons have they learnt?

“Real Actors” by Ken Kwek featuring Timothy Nga and Joanna Dong
Two Singaporean actors have been cast to play intimately opposite each other in Ang Lee’s next big movie. They’re in the budget hotel room to discover chemistry, or the lack of it.
Directed by Tan Kheng Hua
Produced by Tan Kheng Hua and Janice Koh
Music by Lim Yu-Beng
Lighting Design by Mac Chandran
Production Design by Night&Day

In collaboration with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Dec 18&19, 8pm; Dec 20, 3pm: “Duet” & “Real Actors”
Dec 20&21, 8pm: Dec 21, 3pm: “Brunch” & “Teacher’s Day”
Esplanade Theatre Studio
Tickets $35* from SISTIC. $30 concession tickets available.

(This stage production is based on the critically acclaimed TV series, "Do Not Disturb", which was created by Tan Kheng Hua, directed by Kelvin Tong, produced by Boku Films for Arts Central and supported by MDA).

The crown has been passed on. The Singapore girl that embodies oriental charm - at least in the eyes of the panel of judges, has been crowned in Shangri-La's island ballroom over a 8 course Chinese dinner.

Here's a quick re-cap of the winners for the night:

A quick intro of the characters for those who have yet to watch:

• Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie: Pippa, the seemingly bimbo, sexpot receptionist who in my opinion is a lot smarter than her fellow colleagues give her credit for.
• Michael Corbridge: Bob the slob, whom I have absolutely no idea what he does in the ad agency. I can only guess that he is perhaps the Art Director? to complete the make up of an ad agency.
• Susan Tordoff: Patty (the accountant?) The stuffy divorcee with two kids who has a constant tension with Bob leading to a sexual brush - literally, at one point.
• Wendy Kweh: Jo the beautiful, smart and womanly Accounts servicing person who came down from KL and is the object of fantasy for all males in the agency.
  
• Jason Chan: Andy the mopey and serious Copywriter who is attracted (sexually or soulfully?) to Jo.
• James Shubert: Gavin, Managing Director of Chapman & Howard who is both friend and foe to his team.
• Shane Mardjuki: Lee the rookie graphics guy who has the hots for Pippa.

With enough friends in the advertising agency, I can only say that this play is as real as it gets in its depiction of the characters (and might I dare to disclose, some of the activities) that resides in some ad firms.

There's not much plot to it really but the entire play is about the uncovering of the issues that each character plays have.

Stereotyped casting appeared in the form of Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie, playing the ah girl style, bimbo, ah lian. This is not to say that she did not do a great job with it but I cannot for the life of me imagine her playing Jo or Patty for example.

Jason Chan's portrayal of Andy was captivating with a lot of inward emotions (something difficult to achieve in a theater setting, in my personal opinion) that were successfully projected to the audience (or at least those seated close enough to the stage)

Another wow actor was James Shubert who, without missing a beat or getting out of scene and character, responded to interaction with the audience and got the floor hooting with laughter at one point.

Hilarious lines with great comic timing (and the audience OBVIOUSLY loved the photocopied butts), the act was engaging in a way that the audience were participating like they were part of the cast at several points. My only grouse is that there was way too many lengthy rants from the characters and that got me yawning intermittently - or maybe it's just my antihistamine taking effect..

What puzzled me throughout the play is also why there is such a strong American and British accent in the various characters who supposedly helmed from Singapore and Malaysia.. hmmm..

I applaud each actor for the depth of show in the characters they play. However, i think this play would have pulled off better should the platform be television because much of the details in the actors' expressions were probably lost on those who were seated further away from the stage. Plus, I am extremely curious about the mentioned but never seen wives of Andy and Bob. TV directing next, Tracie?

Ratings:

A friend showed me a video of this 5 year old Korean pianist who is blind from birth. The girl was abandoned by her birth parents but kindly adopted by this loving couple. They may not have been able to give her the best in life but by picking her little life up and loving her, they created a special child out of her.

Who wouldn't want a child that is perfect? But the fact of the matter is, nobody is. And it is simply societal methods of defining what is normal and more acceptable that we push these 'values' on to ourselves.

A blind child is deemed unworthy of being in the eyes of Ee Yun's birth parents but her adoptive parents saw the worth in her. And that gave her the hope to live on - and become even more special.


Ee Yun's (first?) appearance on Korean TV


Ee Yun with Britain's Got Talent little sweetheart Connie Talbot - together, they bring tears of love and warmth into my eyes.