The public joining Orang Orang Drum Theatre in a mass participation of percussion instruments during the Macallum 360 multidisciplinary showcase.
THE arts transcend cultural boundaries and unite people from all walks of life.
This was evident at the opening weekend of George Town Festival (GTF) 2023 in Penang which saw thousands coming together in joy and revelry.
Old and young, local and foreign, newcomer and aficionado alike thronged various venues across the island for programmes spanning disciplines like dance, music and visual arts.
Highlights included the Macallum 360 multi-disciplinary community showcase at the Macallum neighbourhood park which attracted a large turnout of multi-generation families.
Audiences enjoying The Senses concert — one of the highlights of George Town Festival 2023’s opening weekend — against the stunning backdrop of a tropical rainforest at The Habitat Penang Hill’s Curtis Crest Treetop Walk. — Photos: LIM BENG TATT, JEREMY TAN/The Star and courtesy of GEORGE TOWN FESTIVAL
Husband-and-wife soundscape duo Kicau-Bilau played the guitar and angklung (bamboo idiophone) in their site-specific repertoire and later invited the public to try the instruments.
Factory operator Rozaini Abdul Rahman, 41, who came from Batu Maung with son Muhammad Qasyaf Iman Hasrizal, nine, and five other family members, took up the challenge.
“Before this, we had only seen such performances on TV. It was nice to experience it in person, especially to expose the younger generation to our traditions and heritage.
“I hope that in coming years, the organisers will expand the programme to include more locations outside George Town,” Rozaini said during the event last Saturday.
Bamboo Woods’ performance at the Sounds from the East pre-festival concert giving audiences a fascinating taste of Sabah’s rich bamboo music tradition.
Wak Long Music and Dance Centre put on joget and wayang kulit performances. Many attendees found themselves dancing along to the former under the guidance of troupe members.
Orang Orang Drum Theatre’s segment also saw mass participation in an exploration of percussion, with Penang Dhol Blasters amping up the atmosphere with thunderous rhythms.
The Crafty Circus’ breathtaking fire-dancing displays also lit up the night. It was an experience that surrounding residents like hawker SK Looi, 58, appreciated.
“Normally, I cannot afford to buy tickets for such shows. It is great that the organisers brought it here, as there wasn’t anything like this before the festival,” said Looi.
‘The Panggung Semar: Geliga Embun’ at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Dewan Budaya tells a powerful tale of tragedy, love and redemption.
Equally enthralling was The Senses rainforest concert at The Habitat Penang Hill’s Curtis Crest Treetop Walk which promoted reconnecting with nature through indigenous and ethnic sounds.
Birds, cicadas and rustling leaves accompanied ethereal melodies from performers like Sangpuy Katatepan of the Pinuyumayan community from Taitung, Taiwan.
“We live under nature’s grace and should follow its rhythm rather than make it follow us,” he shared with the audience at the event on Sunday.
The repertoire of Australia’s David Bridie and the Solomon Islands’ Charles Maimarosia drew on the latter’s ‘Are’Are customs and urged people to be environmentally conscious.
Performers from Wak Long Music and Art Centre leading members of the public on a lively joget dance during the Macallum 360 showcase held at the Macallum neighbourhood park.
“It is wonderful to play music in a cradle of biodiversity like this,” Bridie remarked before handing the stage to Sarawakian six-piece band Meruked.
The ensemble’s name means “everlasting” in the Lun Bawang tribal dialect and most of their songs were anchored by the mesmerising tones of the sape, a traditional Bornean lute.
With modern infusions of post-rock and stellar showmanship, they got the crowd on their feet to start a conga line, with strangers and friends all dancing and laughing together.
Sada Borneo completed the line-up, bringing contemporary freshness to traditional music with their blending of the sape, bungkau (jaw harp), kompang (handheld drum), guitar and keyboard.
Among those who savoured the occasion was engineer Eric Yeoh, 47, who had been to all three editions of The Senses since it debuted in 2021.
“Part of the attraction was the venue itself. This year’s acts were even livelier and more engaging. It was also nice to see familiar faces among fellow attendees.
“This year, I have brought along friends visiting from the UK. They enjoyed the whole experience, from going up Penang Hill to exploring the surrounding rainforest and finally watching the show.
“They described it as an experience that was hard to beat and the first of many GTF 2023 events they intend to attend,” Yeoh added.
Rozaini (left) and her son Muhammad Qasyaf playing with the angklung following duo Kicau-Bilau’s performance at the Macallum neighbourhood park during the opening weekend of the GTF 2023.
Across town at Majestic Theatre, the Three’s Company Concert played on both nights, featuring Malaysian female jazz powerhouses Junji Delfino, WinnieHO and Kirana Kay.
These performances were among the 50-over programmes across eight categories lined up for the 16-day festival which ends on July 30. Among these, 70% are free-to-attend.
Unique experiences
“Bansan: Rasa-Rasa Pasar” also thrilled many when it was held at Chowrasta Market on Saturday and the Seberang Jaya Market on Sunday.
There were experiential sessions where participants were able to explore the markets, interact with vendors and customers alike and learn about the people, food and practices of such places.
Open play sessions saw them sit down for a board game and assume the role of vendors, dealing with wholesalers and customers, buying and selling ingredients, and managing wastes.
The Bansan board game contains 40 Malaysian-flavoured events, 54 recipes and takes its name from the local Hokkien word for market.
It was designed by Goh Choon Ean under her Luma studio banner, art directed and illustrated by Charis Loke and researched by Ooi Win Wen and Chen Yoke Pin.
“It can be hard to find tabletop games integrating thoughtful cultural content. We hope Bansan will inspire the creation of more games grounded in local culture,” said Goh.
Riso Art Jam also premiered at The Whiteaways Arcade. It features three components, with an art exhibition currently ongoing and a bazaar and forum to come.
Presented by Tsubaki Studio, Hasuriso Riso Experience Centre and other partners, it revolves around risography, a printing method developed in Japan in the 1980s which combines digital photocopying and screenprinting.
The studio’s brand storyteller Vivian Toh explained, “Artworks are first created on a tablet or computer, then transferred to a special printer where one colour is printed at a time.
“It creates vivid colours that you cannot achieve with digital or offset printing, as well as a vintage touch. We have over 100 works from 39 artists from 13 countries here.”
The Leaving Traces group art exhibition at Hin Bus Depot explored contemporary drawing practices in Malaysia through experimental and explorative works.
Typical mediums like charcoal, pencil and ink were supplemented with newer ones like wire, wood and steel, with new presentation methods like installation and video.
Curator Ivan Gabriel said, “Drawing can be very nuanced but often perceived as a lesser medium. But here, artists push the boundaries of what a drawing can be. The weekend alone saw thousands of visitors which translated into remarkable sales.”
Pre-festival treats
Prior to the weekend’s shows, there were several pre-festival events to whet the appetite, including The Sounds from the East live music concert at Design Village Outlet Mall in Batu Kawan on July 8.
It brought together three bands from Borneo. Sarawak’s At Adau brought a healing, contemporary twist to traditional instruments like the sape, bedok and kidibad (drums from the Bidayuh group).
Pinanak Sentah, who takes their name after the village in Kuching where members live, was similarly evocative while Sabah’s Bamboo Woods underscored the state’s rich bamboo music tradition.
Meanwhile, “Panggung Semar: Geliga Embun” was held at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Dewan Budaya and presented in collaboration with Arjuna Sukma Academy.
The play seamlessly fused Makyong, wayang kulit and dikir barat to tell the tale of a heartbroken sultan who longed for his son, who earlier left the kingdom in anguish over forbidden love.
As the ruler’s health deteriorated, he desperately sought reconciliation and tasked his caretakers to retrieve the Geliga Embun, a rare and powerful gem capable of healing the deepest of wounds.
This tale of tragedy, love and redemption was performed by a 20-strong ensemble, including three Adigurus as trainers, a Tok Dalang as master puppeteer, a Tok Jogho as movement director, a Tukang Karut as master storyteller and 13 musicians referred to as the Panjak.
Coming up
But there is more to look forward to. Highlights this week include the piano concert “A Night with Chelsea Guo” at Penang Stonyhurst International School, “Renaissance and Baroque Gems” Concert at St Jo’s in Gurney Paragon Mall and the Asia Pacific Youth Choir Concert at Majestic Theatre.
The play Material Woman in the Beauty World is on at Komtar’s Auditorium C in both English and Mandarin, while A Night at Hin returns at Hin Bus Depot with the theme “Future Fantasy”.
The kid-friendly “Little Macam Macam” offers hands-on workshops and live performances such as ventriloquism and concert-dance theatre at Taman Kejiranan Desa Mawar.
Isle to Isle, in collaboration with the Taipei Economic and Cultural office in Malaysia, returns for its fifth edition with two events – the “Pulu’em and Luna” music and dance performance at USM’s Dewan Budaya, and screening of Inspirations from the South-east at GSC Gurney Plaza.
“Joy in George Town” at Cheah Kongsi sees media artists Juliana and Andrey Vrady using a webcam to catch the emotions on audience members’ faces and convert it into an AI-generated artwork to be projected on the clan house’s walls, while “Warna Warni George Town” at India House has renowned Malaysian artist Azmi Hussin conducting a colouring workshop.
Next week, there is the experimental production Bakawali: An Atypical Journey at COEX in Hin Bus Depot; classical, ritualistic and contemporary dance production BhumiMATA at Penang Institute; children’s play My Ugly Duckling at Komtar’s Auditorium A; and The Monkey King Adventures: Love of Onibaba at Majestic Theatre.
Immersio: Digital Art Gallery blurs the boundaries of reality and imagination at The Whiteaways Arcade before the festival wraps up with Light in The City at Beach Street.
For event dates and times, visit georgetownfestival.com. Click the Box Office tab to purchase seats for ticketed shows.
GTF 2023 is a project by George Town World Heritage Incorporated and organised by TLM Event.
It is endorsed by the Penang government and exco’s office for tourism and creative economy, and also supported by Penang Island City Council, Seberang Prai City Council and Penang Global Tourism.
