Penang could also be generally known as the unofficial foodie capital of Malaysia, however this July, come nourish your creativeness and marvel on the George Town Festival (GTF).
Taking place from July 15 to 30, the 14th version of GTF guarantees one thing for everybody, that includes over 50 actions and performances held at greater than 20 areas throughout George Town and wider Penang – a lot of which supply free admission.
Over 150,000 guests are additionally anticipated to attend the competition, making it one of the high-profile arts occasions within the Malaysian cultural calendar.
“If there is anything worth celebrating, especially in our post-lockdown circumstances, it is our human experiences,” says Jack Wong, GTF director, in a current interview.
“I hope that by (re)creating these experiences, residents in the area and audiences are encouraged to engage with these spaces and each other, to feel proud of our shared heritage, and to witness the power and possibilities of the arts within these familiar or unknown spaces.”
Wong provides that GTF will utilise many areas inside and all through Penang that are not usually used for the performing arts, together with hidden and lesser-known areas and heritage environment, akin to clan associations and neighborhood areas.
“The blending of our arts and culture within the spaces of historic buildings and surroundings is a unique feature of GTF. These experiences and stories of new and old, past and present, cannot be replicated anywhere else, making GTF 2023 a most exciting iteration in recent years,” says Wong.
The programme line-up contains theatre, dance and music productions, ethnic cultural performances, comedy acts, documentary movies, exhibitions, digital installations, ebook and recreation launches, plus a sequence of arts masterclasses, workshops, and boards.
Ticket costs for the GTF occasions have remained largely accessible for the plenty. At a minimal, you possibly can at present get tickets for exhibits such because the dance-inspired bhumiMATA and the Malaysia-Japan puppet theatre The Monkey King Adventures: Love Of Onibaba for RM30 and RM50, respectively.
The highest ticket worth can be RM150, which features a prepare journey and venue entry cross, for The Senses out of doors live performance on the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk positioned at The Habitat Penang Hill.
Besides shining a highlight on our homegrown artists, GTF 2023 can be partnering with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and Australian High Commission to welcome artists from Taiwan and Australia to rejoice artistic collaborations that span throughout borders.
With quite a lot of exhibits starting from conventional and modern to experimental and multidisciplinary, right here are some highlights from the competition that you simply’re certain to take pleasure in.
PANGGUNG SEMAR: GELIGA EMBUN
Venue: Dewan Budaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Date: July 8
If you possibly can’t watch for GTF to begin, right here’s a pre-festival occasion to take a look at. Take an unforgettable journey into the guts of conventional Malay arts and music with Geliga Embun, a one-of-a-kind manufacturing offered by Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Dewan Budaya and Arjuna Sukma Academy.
This extraordinary showcase will characteristic the Malay conventional artwork types of Mak Yong, Wayang Kulit, and Dikir Barat, carried out by 20 proficient people, together with three Adiguru as trainers, a Tok Dalang as grasp puppeteer, a Tok Jogho because the motion director, a Tukang Karut because the grasp storyteller, and 13 expert musicians generally known as the Panjak. Tickets: RM30.
The Senses out of doors live performance at Curtis Crest Tree Top Walkon July 16 guarantees to be an all-ages occasion to recollect. Photo: George Town Festival
THE SENSES
Venue: Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk, The Habitat Penang Hill
Date: July 16
Spend an outside live performance night enraptured by the ethnic melodies of Frank Yamma and David Bridie (Australia) and Sangpuy Katatepan, a famend musician from Taiwan’s indigenous Pinuyumayan neighborhood, whereas surrounded by Penang Hill’s 130-million-year-old rainforest.
You’ll additionally get the prospect to take pleasure in breathtaking 360° views of the island and mainland from the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk. The efficiency is a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of George Town and Adelaide as sister cities.
Tickets are RM150 per individual and RM540 for a gaggle of 4, inclusive of Fast Lane Funicular Train Passes and entrance payment.
‘Material Woman In The Beauty World’ is a brand new one-actor play written by Leow Puay Tin, and carried out by Ling Tang (pic). Photo: Handout
MATERIAL WOMAN IN THE BEAUTY WORLD
Venue: Auditorium C, Komtar
Date: July 20-23
Material Woman In The Beauty World, which previewed in Kuala Lumpur in April, is a brand new one-actor play by veteran playwright Leow Puay Tin. The play – offered in Mandarin and English language exhibits – is a microscope into the life of ladies who embody braveness and resilience, decided to outlive amid the harshness of the world.
Performed by Ling Tang, an completed Malaysian actress, and below the path of Tung Jit Yang, Material Woman In The Beauty World challenges how we perceive what it’s to be a girl at present. It provides the plenty a slice of considerate homegrown theatre at GTF.
Tickets are RM50.
Bulareyaung Dance Company’s manufacturing ‘Luna’ integrates modern dance with inspiration from the rituals and singing of the Bunun folks, additionally listed as a cultural heritage in Taiwan. Photo: Handout
PULU’EM and LUNA
Venue: Dewan Budaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Date: July 22 and 23
Did you recognize that Taiwan has 16 formally recognised indigenous peoples? Witness the mastery and beauty of their artistry on this evocative music and dance efficiency, which kicks off with Pinuyumayan musician Sangpuy Katatepan’s mesmerising vocals.
Sangpuy pays tribute to the cultural, pure, and non secular heritage of Taiwan’s indigenous tradition with songs from his newest album pulu’em, which suggests “gaining strength and being blessed” in his native Puyuma language.
The present closes with Luna, carried out by the highly-acclaimed Bulareyaung Dance Company. Their 2018 milestone manufacturing integrates modern dance with inspiration from the rituals and singing of the Bunun folks, additionally recognised as a cultural heritage in Taiwan.
Tickets are RM70 and RM90 individually, whereas tickets purchased in teams of 4 are going for RM252 and RM324.
Dance theatre bhumiMATA premieres with an evocative narrative that re-examines facets of heritage and custom throughout generations. Photo: George Town Festival
bhumiMATA
Venue: Penang Institute
Date: July 28 and 29
The adventurous bhumiMATA is a multidisciplinary manufacturing by Ombak-Ombak ARTStudio, which contains parts of classical, ritualistic, and modern dance types to uncover and embody the girl’s voice throughout generations.
Featuring neighborhood, pre- skilled, {and professional} dancers, bhumiMATA takes audiences on an exploration of cross-cultural and intergenerational change to interrogate and reintroduce ideas of femininity, our relationship with nature, and the hidden and uncared for narratives of ladies.
As an experimental work, bhumiMATA, or mom earth, tethers tradition, custom, and heritage to discover themes of survival, safety, spirituality, and sacrifice by way of the feminine lens, a journey into the soul and spirit of a girl by way of the ages. Tickets are RM30 per individual and RM108 for a gaggle of 4.
BAWAKALI: AN ATYPICAL JOURNEY
Venue: Hin Bus Depot
Date: July 27 and 28
In the busy competition environment at George Town, you may want some calm and quiet time. Framed by the notion of mindfulness, Bawakali: An Atypical Journey is an experimental manufacturing which pulls audiences to discover the connection between meditation, creativity, and information.
Produced by Lee Swee Keong, the manufacturing is an area for audiences to converse and work together with one another, recognized and unknown, creating pockets of concepts and ideas on how meditation can be utilized to maintain the physique and thoughts for artistic outcomes. Tickets: RM108.
‘The Monkey King Adventures’ is a localised staging of the traditional story that includes the intangible heritage of string puppets (Japan) and potehi glove puppets (Penang). Photo: Handout
THE MONKEY KING ADVENTURES: LOVE OF ONIBABA
Venue: Majestic Theatre
Date: July 29 and 30
The Japanese Team ITO, a puppet maker/puppeteer specialising in conventional Japanese marionette puppet theatre, collaborates with Penang’s Ombak Potehi to stage a localised sequel to the literary traditional Journey to the West, informed by way of the whimsical artwork type of puppetry.
Following the unique story, Tang Sam Tsong, the legendary Tang dynasty Buddhist monk, travels to India to search for sacred scriptures, accompanied by Sun Ngoo-khong (Monkey King), Tu Pat Kai (Pigsy), and Sua Tseng (Friar Sandy).
However, on their return journey from India, Tang and his companions are tricked by Onibaba, a feminine supernatural monster in Japanese folklore, to disembark at Penang Island.
The efficiency might be in Hokkien, Bahasa Malaysia and Japanese, with subtitles in English and Mandarin. As is custom with puppet exhibits, you’ll get to hitch within the enjoyable, because the intricately-made Japanese marionettes and potehi glove puppets will work together with the viewers.
Tickets are RM50 per individual and RM180 for a gaggle of 4.
Penang-based cartoonist Azmi Hussin is not any stranger to the GTF programme. He returns this yr with the ‘Warna-Warni George Town’ workshop sequence. Photo: George Town Festival
WARNA-WARNI GEORGE TOWN
Venue: Beach Street and the Esplanade
Date: July 23 and 30
If you’re searching for one thing extra hands-on, be a part of Malaysian artist Azmi Hussin at his colouring workshops following the publication of his newest colouring ebook, Warna Warni George Town. The workshops are open to all ages, however are restricted to 30 contributors.
The workshops might be carried out on-site at Beach Street (reverse India House) on July 23 and on the Esplanade (reverse the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce) on July 30.
Whether you’re a budding artist, historical past buff, or just somebody who likes to discover new locations, the workshop is a enjoyable technique to uncover the wealthy cultural heritage of George Town. The registration payment is RM20, which features a copy of the Warna Warni George Town colouring ebook.
More data here.
