Read and Weep

Today I read news that disturbed and angered me. Another instance where the rule of law has been flagrantly disregarded, police power shamelessly abused and draconian law used to justify contemtous denial of a citizen's basic constitutional rights. What's new you say? This time it hit a little closer to home. Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim@Benjy is brother to Elza Irdalynna, a friend of mine. You may have heard about him in the news, but here is my friend's own account, reproduced here in full.

Have we come to a point where news like this no longer shocks our public? I hope not. Read Elza's account by clicking below.
(Attached also is a message from Edmund Bon concerning a memo of protest at Bukit Aman tomorrow noon. All are free to join.)

Click here to read more.

Blog & Roll: Unhappy Hipsters

Ironic, self-conscious humour. But of course. Click on the post title to visit the link. Have a good week ahead everyone!

Does Anybody Know What We Are Looking For?

More daily notes from my pupillage.  How is your's going?

D45 (15th March): Short call today. 'Twas supposed to be a happy occassion but the whole world decided to screw me today.

D46: My friend told me everyday at 6 o'clock I turn into a creature she doesn't want to talk to.

D47: Finally, some good news! My play is on its way to staging at The Platform@KLPAC, 5th April. Come!

D48: Illegal parking touts: parasitic scum of the city.

D49: He dropped the bomb at 7 and I felt my heart sink

D49A (Sun 17th): There's just no pleasing some people.

D50: Sayonara Yasu!

D51: Don't try to change anyone other than yourself.

D52: If you ask me, we should cull some of these impatient douches off the roads.

D53: I saw Bae Yoon Joon today.

D54: I think I'll try defying gravity...someday. ;-) SKMC

Happy Birthday, Mr. Sondheim!

Stephen Sondheim turns 80 today. The Broadway composer and lyricist has been a huge influence on the way I see musical theatre: that it doesn't need to be camp and obtuse, but has the capacity to be cerebral, challenging and artistic. This post is dedicated to the awesomeness that is his genius.

Did you know he wrote all the lyrics to West Side Story? The New York cast is coming to KL soon, by the way. If you are going to watch it, please don't tell me, because I'll probably hate you forever.


Mr. Sondheim isn't famous for simple, hummable tunes nor simple, family friendly musicals. His oeuvre covers many challenging, disparate, and at times unpleasant themes. "A Little Night Music" is about unfaithful aristocrats in turn of the century Sweden.


In "Sunday in the Park with George", he studies through music the struggles of a socially inept artist, George Seurat, trying to connect with the world and realise his creative vision as he paints his masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Le Grande Jatte.


He's also done killer barbers and cannibalistic pie bakers. Yup, he wrote the words and music to Sweeney Todd, which Tim Burton turned into an awesome movie.


In Company, the lead character is a commitment-phobic 30-something, Bobby.


He also wrote the music and lyrics for Dick Tracey's soundtrack.  Here, Ol' Madge sings "Sooner or Later" with flair at the 1991 Oscars.


This is just a small snippet of his work (19 musicals!), but he is, without dispute, one of the greatest composers and lyricists of musical theatre history.

I Wish My Office...

looked like this. These creative types really now how to create inspiring workplaces, don't they?
Then again, shouldn't I wish my home looked like this? Nah, I spend more time in my the office nowadays.

LOL

Happy St. Patrick's!

Och, someone bring me a pint, aye? Better yet, someone bring me a leprechaun! Have a nice one everybody!

Algy

On With The Show

More daily jots from my pupillage, for the first half of March. For past entries, click on the "Updates" category link.

D36 (1st March): Evening thunderstorm in KL. Traffic MAYHEM!!! But I made it to The Platform@KLPAC!

D37: It takes all sorts to make the world go round.

D38: Goodbye Carole and Liyana!

D39: If you don't have time for your friends, how long will they stay your friends?

D40: People change: some for better, some for worse, most for both. Accept this without too much thought, disquiet or regret. If you manage to do so, tell me how.

D41 (8th March): Goodbye PCK! Good luck at the A/G's Chambers.

D44: Time: fleeting. True friends: few. Life: short. Appreciate all three.

D43: How much paper do you have to dump on a man to kill him? Hmmm...

D43: I had eight servings of EMP's Jambalaya@Central Market. It was great fun at the time but I'll probably suffer tomorrow.

D44: To completely forget about work, even for a while, is pure bliss. Thank you MPO, Stephen Rahman Hughes and everyone who came tonight. (I have to add though: going back to the office afterward is an unwelcome anticlimax.)

Tomorrow's my short call date!

Actors and Directors Ahoy!

If you are interested in trying out acting and/or directing, I have a short play called "Lunch Break" in need of a director and 3 actors (2M 1F). You can even try directing and acting simultaneously.

It was written for KLPAC's Platform, a monthly open mike night for theatre, and I am hoping to have it performed on the 5th of April there. A performance will be picked from every month's line-up to be featured in KLPAC's year end Platform showcase: a full length, full budget, tickets-for-sale and your-name-on-the-playbill showcase. So yes, this may be your first step to stardom.

You do not need prior experience but you will need some time to rehearse. If you've not tried this before, it's an excellent opportunity to do so (trust me, it's great fun!). Note that I will leave the direction of the play entirely to the director, so obsessive-compulsives are free to apply. (Megalomaniacs, however, should refrain: no big budget side effects, moving sets, elaborate costumes, make up or pyrotechnics I'm afraid.)

If you are interested and would like to look at the script, please contact me. My Google address is "joshychong".

Quote of the Week

"Human life. Duration: momentary. Nature: changeable. Perception: dim. Condition of Body: decaying. Soul: spinning around. Fortune: unpredictable. Lasting Fame: uncertain. Sum Up: The body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream and mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting reputation is oblivion."

Marcus Aurelius (26 April 121 – 17 March 180), Roman emperor (161–180).

Hmmm...

Sooner or Later...

W says: [...] its a cut-throat race to the top
J says: [...]
J says: yeah it is a race
J says: a rat race
J says: but even if you win it
W says: [...]
J says: you're still a rat
W says: yup, but you can be a rich rat
W says: and have lots of power to step on other lesser rats
J says: [...]
W says: then again the cat might go for the biggest rat first



Have a rat-free week guys.
Algy