Weekend for the arts: 'Persiapan Seorang Aktor' theatre, Jemimah Wei KL tour
Venue: Nero Event Space, PJPAC, 1 Utama Shopping Mall
Date: ends July 20
Fresh off winning two Boh Cameronian Arts Awards earlier this year - including Best Original Script (for Saat Omar) - Persiapan Seorang Aktor returns this weekend in a new staging by Mask Team and director Syahrul Musa. The Bahasa Malaysia production takes the stage at Nero, PJPac.
The 90-minute production features Aloy Paradoks and Fazleena Hishamuddin, joined by acclaimed actor-director Nam Ron for this new run.
The play tells the story of a gifted actor whose obsession with greatness slowly eats him alive. Determined to become not just Malaysia's best but the greatest the world has ever seen, he dives into acting with almost religious fervour - quoting theory, living the method, and eventually slipping into isolation, burnout, and depression.
At the heart of this unraveling is Nina, his wife, whose quiet devotion brings brief moments of warmth and clarity. Persiapan is both a love letter to the art of acting and a cautionary tale about ego, ambition, and the hidden cost of chasing perfection.
Threaded with nods to Hamlet and moving between tragedy and dry humour, the play offers a raw, compelling look at an artist on the edge - and a reminder that even noble dreams can take their toll.
Audiences have responded warmly, but if you're hoping to see it, better act fast - only a few nights remain.
More info here.
THEATRE: 'US A JOURNEY OF LOVE, LOSS & BELONGING'
Venue: Pentas 2, KLPac
Date: ends July 20
When the lights dim in Us: A Journey Of Love, Loss & Belonging, two characters step onto a bare stage. There's no physical intimacy, no grand gestures, no swelling music – just raw, deliberate dialogue as they try to understand each other and themselves.
Written and directed by Fa Abdul, Us is playing at Pentas 2, KLPac in Kuala Lumpur this weekend (July 19 and 20). The play, which made its debut in Penang last month, doesn't promise fairytale endings. Instead, it offers something far more rare: honesty.
Starring actors Karam Tabba (a Syrian-born performer) and Lauren Tan (a lawyer, writer, tutor), the play follows Mark and Anna – two emotionally guarded souls bound by deep connection and deeper fear. Ivan Gabriel, a Penang-based artist, actor, and curator, makes a special appearance.
As Mark and Anna navigate the tension between closeness and self-preservation, they must confront the emotional walls they've built - can love bridge the gap, or will fear pull them apart?
Us is presented by Big Nose Productions and KLPac.
More info here.
JEMIMAH WEI KL BOOK TOUR
Venue: various KL bookstores
Date: July 19 and 20
Don't miss out on the chance to meet US-based Singaporean author Jemimah Wei as she visits several bookstores across Kuala Lumpur this weekend: Books Kinokuniya KLCC (July 19), Tsutaya Books Pavilion Bukit Jalil (July 19) and MPH Bookstores The Exchange TRX (July 20).
After book tours in the US, Britain and Singapore, Wei is now bringing her newly released debut novel The Original Daughter to Malaysian readers. The book - a project that took the 33-year-old writer over a decade to complete and publish - traces the making and unravelling of family ties against the backdrop of turn-of-the-millennium Singapore.
From hiding childhood secrets in biscuit tins to grappling with millennial coming-of-age anxieties, join Wei as she dives into her debut novel and answers questions from readers.
More info here.
Traditional stage costumes on display at the Chinese Opera exhibition at Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Art Chen
CHINESE OPERA EXHIBITION: AN INTRODUCTION AND A REMEMBRANCE
Venue: Galeri 1, Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Sept 8
The newly opened Chinese Opera Exhibition: An Introduction And A Remembrance at Muzium Negara in Kuala Lumpur takes visitors into the vivid world of traditional Chinese opera – with its legendary tales, striking costumes, delicate props, and timeless music.
This showcase is a collaboration between Muzium Negara and the Pat Woh Association Malaysia, a KL-based group known for preserving and promoting Cantonese opera.
It also how Malaysian Chinese opera draws from the Xiqu tradition, blending stylised acting, singing, graceful movement, and symbolic props.
Visitors can also learn about Malaysia's own opera legends – Siew Chan Wan (1919–2022) and Choo Sau Ying (1927–2003) – whose dedication kept the art form alive for future generations. Choy Him Heong, now 92, continues to be a living link to this enduring tradition.
From ornate headgear to hand-painted backdrops, intricate musical instruments to archival photographs, each display – there are more than 90 exhibits – reminds us how Chinese opera has long served as both entertainment and living heritage for generations of local communities.
More info here.
Visitors view Pangrok Sulap's 'Cahaya Adalah Kehidupan' (2022), a woodcut on blackout fabric, at the Sabahan collective's 'The Sound Of Salience' exhibition at Tali Art Gallery, Petaling Jaya. Photo: The Star/Chan Tak Kong
EXHIBITION: PANGROK SULAP's 'THE SOUND OF SALIENCE'
Venue: Tali Art Gallery, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends July 20
It's the last weekend to catch the exhibition at Tali Art Gallery, showcasing Sabahan collective Pangrok Sulap's bold woodcut works - from pieces dating back to 2017 to a newer series developed in Hong Kong.
Titled The Sound Of Salience , the exhibition presents eight main works and assorted prints that showcase Pangrok Sulap's signature fusion of social commentary and participatory printmaking.
Renowned for using art as a vehicle for social commentary, the collective's works serve as a bridge between communities and pressing issues like climate change, land rights, cultural identity, and sovereignty.
It's been increasingly difficult to catch the group's work in the Klang Valley, as Pangrok Sulap has been actively involved in residencies and exhibitions abroad - most recently with a strong showing at the University of Tennessee in the United States in March, and a community art festival in Patani, southern Thailand last month.
Formed in 2010, Pangrok Sulap is made up of artists, musicians, printmakers, and activists.
Free admission exhibition.
More info here.
Lyne Ismail at her painterly debut exhibition 'Cat Town: Energy, Matter, And The Art Of Becoming' at Temu House, Petaling Jaya. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani
EXHIBITION: LYNE ISMAIL'S 'CAT TOWN: ENERGY, MATTER, AND THE ART OF BECOMING'
Venue: Temu House, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends July 27
Cat Town: Energy, Matter And The Art Of Becoming brings science and art into thoughtful, immersive dialogue. Visual artist, material scientist, and academic Lyne Ismail invites viewers to explore abstraction, sensory perception, and expansive ideas through the lens of resonance and transformation.
On view is a new series of large abstract paintings alongside a live cymatic installation, where water responds to sound and vibration by forming intricate, mandala-like patterns. By making resonance visible, Lyne encourages viewers to feel their way into meaning, rather than decode it intellectually.
The exhibition also expands on her book Musings Of The Spring Water, launching in tandem with the show. Together, they offer a sensory and reflective journey into energy, intuition, and the act of becoming.
More info here.
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The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Weekend for the arts: 'Persiapan Seorang Aktor' theatre, Jemimah Wei KL tour
THEATRE: 'PERSIAPAN SEORANG AKTOR' Venue: Nero Event Space, PJPAC, 1 Utama Shopping Mall Date: ends July 20 Fresh off winning two Boh Cameronian Arts Awards earlier this year - including Best Original Script (for Saat Omar) - Persiapan Seorang Aktor returns this weekend in a new staging by Mask Team and director Syahrul Musa. The Bahasa Malaysia production takes the stage at Nero, PJPac. The 90-minute production features Aloy Paradoks and Fazleena Hishamuddin, joined by acclaimed actor-director Nam Ron for this new run. The play tells the story of a gifted actor whose obsession with greatness slowly eats him alive. Determined to become not just Malaysia's best but the greatest the world has ever seen, he dives into acting with almost religious fervour - quoting theory, living the method, and eventually slipping into isolation, burnout, and depression. At the heart of this unraveling is Nina, his wife, whose quiet devotion brings brief moments of warmth and clarity. Persiapan is both a love letter to the art of acting and a cautionary tale about ego, ambition, and the hidden cost of chasing perfection. Threaded with nods to Hamlet and moving between tragedy and dry humour, the play offers a raw, compelling look at an artist on the edge - and a reminder that even noble dreams can take their toll. Audiences have responded warmly, but if you're hoping to see it, better act fast - only a few nights remain. More info here. THEATRE: 'US A JOURNEY OF LOVE, LOSS & BELONGING' Venue: Pentas 2, KLPac Date: ends July 20 When the lights dim in Us: A Journey Of Love, Loss & Belonging, two characters step onto a bare stage. There's no physical intimacy, no grand gestures, no swelling music – just raw, deliberate dialogue as they try to understand each other and themselves. Written and directed by Fa Abdul, Us is playing at Pentas 2, KLPac in Kuala Lumpur this weekend (July 19 and 20). The play, which made its debut in Penang last month, doesn't promise fairytale endings. Instead, it offers something far more rare: honesty. Starring actors Karam Tabba (a Syrian-born performer) and Lauren Tan (a lawyer, writer, tutor), the play follows Mark and Anna – two emotionally guarded souls bound by deep connection and deeper fear. Ivan Gabriel, a Penang-based artist, actor, and curator, makes a special appearance. As Mark and Anna navigate the tension between closeness and self-preservation, they must confront the emotional walls they've built - can love bridge the gap, or will fear pull them apart? Us is presented by Big Nose Productions and KLPac. More info here. JEMIMAH WEI KL BOOK TOUR Venue: various KL bookstores Date: July 19 and 20 Don't miss out on the chance to meet US-based Singaporean author Jemimah Wei as she visits several bookstores across Kuala Lumpur this weekend: Books Kinokuniya KLCC (July 19), Tsutaya Books Pavilion Bukit Jalil (July 19) and MPH Bookstores The Exchange TRX (July 20). After book tours in the US, Britain and Singapore, Wei is now bringing her newly released debut novel The Original Daughter to Malaysian readers. The book - a project that took the 33-year-old writer over a decade to complete and publish - traces the making and unravelling of family ties against the backdrop of turn-of-the-millennium Singapore. From hiding childhood secrets in biscuit tins to grappling with millennial coming-of-age anxieties, join Wei as she dives into her debut novel and answers questions from readers. More info here. Traditional stage costumes on display at the Chinese Opera exhibition at Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Art Chen CHINESE OPERA EXHIBITION: AN INTRODUCTION AND A REMEMBRANCE Venue: Galeri 1, Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur Date: ends Sept 8 The newly opened Chinese Opera Exhibition: An Introduction And A Remembrance at Muzium Negara in Kuala Lumpur takes visitors into the vivid world of traditional Chinese opera – with its legendary tales, striking costumes, delicate props, and timeless music. This showcase is a collaboration between Muzium Negara and the Pat Woh Association Malaysia, a KL-based group known for preserving and promoting Cantonese opera. It also how Malaysian Chinese opera draws from the Xiqu tradition, blending stylised acting, singing, graceful movement, and symbolic props. Visitors can also learn about Malaysia's own opera legends – Siew Chan Wan (1919–2022) and Choo Sau Ying (1927–2003) – whose dedication kept the art form alive for future generations. Choy Him Heong, now 92, continues to be a living link to this enduring tradition. From ornate headgear to hand-painted backdrops, intricate musical instruments to archival photographs, each display – there are more than 90 exhibits – reminds us how Chinese opera has long served as both entertainment and living heritage for generations of local communities. More info here. Visitors view Pangrok Sulap's 'Cahaya Adalah Kehidupan' (2022), a woodcut on blackout fabric, at the Sabahan collective's 'The Sound Of Salience' exhibition at Tali Art Gallery, Petaling Jaya. Photo: The Star/Chan Tak Kong EXHIBITION: PANGROK SULAP's 'THE SOUND OF SALIENCE' Venue: Tali Art Gallery, Petaling Jaya Date: ends July 20 It's the last weekend to catch the exhibition at Tali Art Gallery, showcasing Sabahan collective Pangrok Sulap's bold woodcut works - from pieces dating back to 2017 to a newer series developed in Hong Kong. Titled The Sound Of Salience , the exhibition presents eight main works and assorted prints that showcase Pangrok Sulap's signature fusion of social commentary and participatory printmaking. Renowned for using art as a vehicle for social commentary, the collective's works serve as a bridge between communities and pressing issues like climate change, land rights, cultural identity, and sovereignty. It's been increasingly difficult to catch the group's work in the Klang Valley, as Pangrok Sulap has been actively involved in residencies and exhibitions abroad - most recently with a strong showing at the University of Tennessee in the United States in March, and a community art festival in Patani, southern Thailand last month. Formed in 2010, Pangrok Sulap is made up of artists, musicians, printmakers, and activists. Free admission exhibition. More info here. Lyne Ismail at her painterly debut exhibition 'Cat Town: Energy, Matter, And The Art Of Becoming' at Temu House, Petaling Jaya. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani EXHIBITION: LYNE ISMAIL'S 'CAT TOWN: ENERGY, MATTER, AND THE ART OF BECOMING' Venue: Temu House, Petaling Jaya Date: ends July 27 Cat Town: Energy, Matter And The Art Of Becoming brings science and art into thoughtful, immersive dialogue. Visual artist, material scientist, and academic Lyne Ismail invites viewers to explore abstraction, sensory perception, and expansive ideas through the lens of resonance and transformation. On view is a new series of large abstract paintings alongside a live cymatic installation, where water responds to sound and vibration by forming intricate, mandala-like patterns. By making resonance visible, Lyne encourages viewers to feel their way into meaning, rather than decode it intellectually. The exhibition also expands on her book Musings Of The Spring Water, launching in tandem with the show. Together, they offer a sensory and reflective journey into energy, intuition, and the act of becoming. More info here.
The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
Jane's Addiction bandmates sue each other over onstage fight that ended tour
The members of alternative rock band Jane's Addiction filed dueling lawsuits Wednesday over singer Perry Farrell's onstage scuffle with guitarist Dave Navarro at a Boston concert last year, prompting the cancellation of the rest of their reunion tour and a planned album. Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery sued Farrell in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking at least US$10mil, alleging that Farrell's behaviour on the tour had ranged from erratic to out-of-control, culminating in the assault, where Perry punched Navarro both on stage and backstage. "With a series of swift blows, he single-handedly destroyed the name, reputation, trademark, and viability of the Band and those who built it,' their lawsuit says. Farrell and his wife, Etty Lau Farrell, sued the three bandmates in the same court Wednesday, blaming them for the conflict and the violence. "Navarro, Avery and Perkins apparently decided,' the lawsuit says, "that Jane's Addiction's decades of success should be jettisoned in pursuit of a yearslong bullying campaign against Farrell involving harassing him onstage during performances, including, among other tactics, trying to undermine him by playing their instruments at a high volume so that he could not hear himself sing.' The Farrells said that Navarro and Avery actually assaulted them. Perry Farrell said he was "blindsided' when the other members cancelled the remaining 15 shows of the tour and broke up the band without consulting him, costing all of them a great deal of money. And he said his bandmates defamed him by publicly saying after the fight that he had mental health problems. Jane's Addiction was an essential part of the Los Angeles music scene in the late 1980s with its combination of elements of punk, goth and psychedelic sounds and culture. It became a national phenomenon with hits including Jane Says and Been Caught Stealing , and through its founding of the Lollapalooza tour, whose first incarnations they headlined in 1991. The group broke up soon after but returned several times in various incarnations. The 2024 tour was the first time the original members had played together since 2010. Farrell missed all seven of the group's rehearsals in the run-up to the tour, his bandmate's lawsuit alleges, and his behaviour during the early shows ranged from erratic to out-of-control. "He struggled night to night amid public concern for his well-being and apparent intoxication,' their lawsuit says. "Perry forgot lyrics, lost his place in songs he had sung since the 1980s, and mumbled rants as he drank from a wine bottle onstage.' The lawsuit says Farrell was given many solutions to the volume problem, none of which he followed. Then on Sept 13 at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston in front of about 4,000 fans, videos partially captured Farrell lunging at Navarro and bumping Navarro with his shoulder before taking a swing at the guitarist with his right arm. Navarro is seen holding his right arm out to keep Farrell away before Farrell is dragged away. But Farrell's lawsuit says the "video evidence is clear that the first altercation onstage during the Boston show was hardly one-sided.' It says Navarro was deliberately playing loud to drown out the singer, and "what followed was an inappropriate violent escalation by Navarro and Avery that was disproportionate to Farrell's minor body check of Navarro." Farrell alleges that when he was being restrained by a crew member, Avery punched him in the kidneys, and that both Avery and Navarro assaulted him and his wife backstage. Shortly after the fight, Farrell in a statement apologized to his bandmates, especially Navarro, for "inexcusable behaviour.' Both lawsuits allege assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract, among other claims. "Now,' Navarro, Perkins and Avery's lawsuit says, "the Band will never have their revival Tour, to celebrate a new album and 40+ years of deep, complex, chart-topping recordings. Instead, history will remember the Band as suffering a swift and painful death at the hands of Farrell's unprovoked anger and complete lack of self-control." – AP
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
‘Subnautica 2' leaders say Krafton sabotaged game over payout
The ousted leadership of video-game developer Unknown Worlds said parent company Krafton Inc fired them after the executives presented the company with upbeat revenue projections that would have triggered most, if not all, of a US$250mil (RM1.06bil) bonus payment, according to a copy of their lawsuit which was unsealed July 16. Former Unknown Worlds chief executive officer Ted Gill and founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire said Krafton sought to delay the release of their new game, Subnautica 2, after realising they would have to pay that large a sum, according to their complaint. The South Korean game publisher offered the executives a lower payout before terminating their employment earlier this month, the lawsuit alleges. Gill, Cleveland and McGuire filed a lawsuit for breach of contract on July 10. A representative for Krafton declined to comment on the suit. In a statement to press last week, Krafton said the three studio leaders had "abandoned the responsibilities entrusted to them' and that "the absence of core leadership has resulted in repeated confusion in direction and significant delays in the overall project schedule'. Krafton purchased Unknown Worlds in 2021 for US$500mil (RM2.12bil), with as much as US$250mil (RM1.06bil) more due to be paid in 2026 if the company hit certain revenue targets. The complaint argues that all was well between the two sides until a series of meetings in early 2025 when Gill was negotiating with Krafton about paying bonuses to employees who weren't eligible under the original acquisition terms. About 40 people employed by Unknown Worlds at the time of the sale were told they would receive payouts, mostly in the six-or-seven-figures, but the executives also wanted to offer bonuses to those who had joined later. During those meetings, Gill said that their revenue projections for the coming year had been conservative and that with the upcoming releases of the original Subnautica on mobile and Switch 2, they were expecting significantly higher numbers. Subnautica 2 was also expected to be a big hit, with nearly 2.5 million people adding the game to their wishlists on the PC platform Steam. "After Krafton's leaders reviewed Gill's projections and evaluated the anticipated revenue and earnout numbers, everything changed,' they said in their complaint. The leadership group said that in subsequent meetings, Krafton began pushing for Unknown Worlds to delay Subnautica 2. In the weeks that followed, Krafton employees told Gill they believed the company was trying to get out of paying the earnout, the complaint alleges. During one lunch meeting, according to the complaint, Krafton chief executive officer Changhan Kim told Cleveland that releasing the game in 2025 "could be disastrous financially and hugely embarrassing' for the company. Krafton later said that had been a mistranslation. Throughout May and June, the two sides continued to battle as Krafton halted publishing duties such as marketing and adapting the game for local markets, as well as paying vendors, according to the complaint. The former leadership team said that the publisher refused to support the game's imminent summer release and that Unknown Worlds missed out on "highly valuable' promotional opportunities because Krafton didn't respond to emails. Gill said he was told by one of Krafton's top executives that "pulling these resources was a permissible way for Krafton to avoid supporting the earnout', according to the complaint. By the end of June, the relationship had deteriorated. During various meetings, Krafton asked the leadership group to accept a lower earnout, according to the complaint. Around the same time, Kim wrote a letter to the leaders, reviewed by Bloomberg, accusing them of "failing to fulfill the responsibilities with which you were entrusted' and saying that Subnautica 2 had faced "slow and underwhelming progress'. On July 1, Krafton fired the three studio leaders, who are now seeking damages "in an amount to be determined at trial', according to their suit. Krafton has said it will extend the bonus period until next year, with Unknown Worlds employees able to share in a US$25mil (RM106.13mil) payout if revenue targets are hit. One main point of contention between the founders and Krafton was whether the game was ready for release this year under the company's early access model, which allows outsiders to play the game and submit feedback. Presentation slides from Krafton reviewed by Bloomberg, which included quotes from the company's internal testers, argued that Subnautica 2 lacked content and didn't feel innovative enough. The lawsuit alleges otherwise. Pre-release tests involving hundreds of users "drew high marks and confirmed that the game was ready to meet those lofty expectations", it said. Developers at Unknown Worlds speaking to Bloomberg said they believed the game was in good shape, as did some external parties, who asked to not be identified. One developer at a separate company who played Subnautica 2 and requested anonymity because they signed a non-disclosure agreement told Bloomberg they enjoyed the game and that it "seemed way more robust' than other titles in early access. The other point of contention was the roles that Cleveland and McGuire played at the studio. In public statements and in documentation reviewed by Bloomberg, Krafton accused the two founders of neglecting their duties because they were minimally involved with the development of Subnautica 2. In their suit, the founders said that Krafton was aware of their new roles and that Cleveland had spent a large amount of time working on a Subnautica film, which Krafton had asked the studio to develop. – Bloomberg
