Celebrating Five Arts Centre’s 25th Anniversary

Last week, I rushed off from rehearsals to attend Five Arts Centre’s 25th anniversary party. I was adamant to make it, after all, it’s not often that there is a huge party which brings together many of my friends that I’ve made over the course of my 11 years involved in local theatre.

What I did not expect, however, was how huge the party would be. It was going to be held at the Five Arts Centre (shared with Dramalab, where I used to work with a lot in the past) office and rehearsals space. I don’t know if any of you have been there but it certainly isn’t the nicest place to organise a party – there are props everywhere from the various shows and it looks like a tired, old shoplot.

So imagine my surprise when I park my car and see two huge canopy tents outside, the main entrance area to the rehearsals space open (and cleaned out!). It was spectacular. Kudos to Marion D’Cruz and the Five Arts team for putting it all together.

Indeed, walking into the space was like going to an arts show – there were videos running, installation pieces here and there and everything became a piece of art. I won’t write too much more in this post, I just wanted to share some pictures (and a video!).

Shadow puppetry at the air well of the space. How beautiful.

The toilets (which usually look quite tragic) were prettified with flowers and a projected light thingy (which moves like liquid – kind of like a lava lamp effect).

This was part of the set for their show Encore but they lighted it up as the main piece in the rehearsal space.

These pretty umbrellas (I’m pretty sure they were used in a show before) at the entrance to the staircase.

This is the kitchen/pantry area. How beautiful with the Bunga Manggar (from Marion’s Bunga Manggar Bunga Raya, I’m sure). I loved the way the lights worked, so I had to get a video.

Of course, I also took some pictures with friends. I didn’t get that many because I was too busy drinking *cough* but it was nice to spend a few hours chatting to people you haven’t seen in a while, or haven’t had the time to catch up with.

Puay Tin is of course most known as Ang Tau Mui (she was also previous Emily of Emerald Hill). She is dressed in the late Krishen Jit’s cicak shirt and wore the hat in memory of him. Our resident Dato’ is the director of the major hits Puteri Gunung Ledang the Musical, P Ramlee the Musical and most recently, Cuci The Musical.

Chris Chong’s film Karaoke opens this week at GSC Mid Valley for a week only so go catch it! Sorry for the bad picture of Chris; I took it at the staircase area where they cut out pictures from the various productions and put a candle on it. Very beautiful. At the end of the night, they sold them off for RM25.

I personally haven’t worked directly with Five Arts Centre, but it’s a small community and we all help each other out. I would say that my direct link to Five Arts would be the review I wrote of Baling Membaling, which they featured in their anniversary booklet previously.

So, naturally, I had to buy the Baling Membaling cut out. Thanks Mark Teh – who wanted it originally – for letting me have it. Paid RM50 though!

2.47pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

Tags: ang tau mui, baling membaling, bunga manggar bunga raya, chris chong, cuci the musical, dato' zahim albakri, dramalab, emily of emerald hill, encore, five arts centre, karaoke, leow puay tin, marion d' cruz, mark teh, p ramlee the musical, puteri gunung ledang the musical, zahim albakri