PUBLISHED August 15th, 2012 10:35 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 03:24 pm
There is nothing like art and culture (and food for that matter) to bring people together, transcend difference and celebrate connections between countries. And this month, that is precisely what CausewayEXchange Festival sets out to do….between Singapore and Malaysia. Over four days from 23 – 26 August, the festival will showcase Malaysia’s most original and inspirational artists in one space – The Arts House, showing us a side of Malaysia that we seldom get to see.
Spanning everything from theatre, comedy, dance, film, music and art, the Festival has something for everyone to immerse themselves in. Check out our top picks of what to catch.
If you love theatre
Don’t miss Indian Lawyers. What’s it about? A Chinese man is accused of murder but refuses to engage a Chinese or Malay lawyer; he only wants an Indian lawyer to defend him because he truly believes that only Indian lawyers can ‘speak Indian’ – the art of making black look white and vice versa. The key witness, a Malay, spends sleepless nights after finding out that the defense lawyer is an Indian. The witness’s boss even has to console his staff by reassuring him that their lawyer, a Malay, has had lecturers who were Indians and would have taught him the art of ‘speaking Indian’ or so he thought!
Indian Lawyers shows on 23 – 25 August, 8pm; 25 -26 August 3pm, tickets $28 & $18
If you need a good chuckle
Catch three of Malaysia’s foremost comedians, the GoodFlers, with their bold and downright cheeky act – 1 Malaysia. Each coming on stage as would-be politicians giving their inaugural speech on what it takes to bring ‘Malaysia Boleh’ to newer heights as well as the unmentionables aka individualism or dare we say race, politics and ‘Stand Up For Malaysia’. Expect lots of belly-up laughter as they dare to poke fun at what it is to be Malaysian!
1 Malaysia shows on 23 – 25 August, 8pm, tickets $28, 18
If you fancy yourself as a film geek
Film lovers will be spoilt for choice with an evening of Malaysian shorties plus three feature length films on offer. As self-confessed social media addicts, we’re keeping our diaries free for Relationship Status, which tells the story of several KL-ites whose relationships are created, changed and even ruined by social networking. Be prepared to laugh, cry and bear witness to a number of situations that you could find yourself in one day, thanks to the power of social media. We’ve also marked our diaries for the Shorties, featuring some of Malaysia’s most talented directors who will take you on a journey from thought-provoking, to humorous, to tear-jerking and down right entertaining. Also a bargain at only $8 a ticket!
Relationship Status screens 8pm on 23 August & 3pm on 25 August. Malaysian Shorties screens 6pm on 23 & 24 August and 8pm on 25 August, tickets $8
If you want to be captivated by dance
Catch Malaysia’s leading dance company Dua Space’s world premier of am TO pm right here in Singapore. Be immersed in a moving and original dance drama, depicting the maddening, endless cycle of human life’s repetitiveness through the eyes of the company’s award-winning choreographers. Stay tuned for our interview with them soon!
am TO pm shows 8pm, 23 & 25 August and 3pm, 25 August, tickets $28, $18
Causeway EXchange Festival takes place on 23-26 August at The Arts House. Book tickets via the box office on 6332 6919 or online here.
Written by Ms Demeanour.