We were on tv today! Check it out.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Yes, I second That!
Like Linora had mentioned in the post before, Sunday was truly magical. Having the orchestra play along with us was just an experience that no words can describe. It honestly brought a tear to my eye and that's a first for me. Here are more pictures of the orchestra along with writer U-en Ng who decide to join in for the sheer thrill of showing off his violin skills.
In addition to what Linora has said about what we do in when we're waiting around, here's a few more examples on what we do.
In addition to what Linora has said about what we do in when we're waiting around, here's a few more examples on what we do.
Some of us dance.
Some of us take videos of the orchestra.
Some of us get some exercise.
Some of us catch up on some history.
And lastly, some of us just get really pissed off and decide to punch our fellow cast members.
Some of us get some exercise.
Some of us catch up on some history.
And lastly, some of us just get really pissed off and decide to punch our fellow cast members.
Before I end this post, i've got an announcement to make. For those of you that have liked all the pictures you've seen on this blog or just simply want to see more of the madness that goes on during rehearsals, click on the link below to see all the photos that have been taken during rehearsals!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
We Are In Awe!!
It's like we have never seen an orchestra perform before.
Sunday was the day, we finally sang together with the orchestra that is beautifully conducted by Meryn and my gosh... we were in total awe. I mean, to hear the music being sung is one thing but to actually hear the live version with full on orchestra with the drums, oboe, flute, cello and violins.. oh did i mention there is a bass guitar and electric guitar as well.
we were.. just going wow most of the time..
Singing with them... was quite an experience - and hey let those of us who have not experienced it before - be in awe lah!
some of us sat around.... She only looks it but she was actually playing a fool :P yes I mean you Tisha :P
some decided to strangle somebody's cello casing... I really think it belongs to the guy playing in front of us.. sorry mate... but it was just ..there!!
and some.. well decided to go APE!!
Wheee.... it hurts on the shoulder though.. Lex... show off hehehe
We were fed a very hearty and healthy meal. Thanks Joe and Faridah :)
We also got to makan together ... hehe ohh gosh now I'm hungry.
Black pepper chicken, salad, french loaf and bananas.. nice!
drumstick anyone?
And that was the day we stayed back from 3pm all the way to 11pm at night.. phewwww. Long day but rewarding.
Sunday was the day, we finally sang together with the orchestra that is beautifully conducted by Meryn and my gosh... we were in total awe. I mean, to hear the music being sung is one thing but to actually hear the live version with full on orchestra with the drums, oboe, flute, cello and violins.. oh did i mention there is a bass guitar and electric guitar as well.
we were.. just going wow most of the time..
Singing with them... was quite an experience - and hey let those of us who have not experienced it before - be in awe lah!
My my who is that I spy with my little eye... Can you see the weirdo there who is playing the violin... yes I mean the one wearing specs... male and ok ok.. I'll be nice :S
That's our 'beloved' writer U-En.
Multi talented, eh? :)
I don't think I've seen Joe smile this much... You can't see it but he is smiling. In fact we were all smiling. :)
See :)
That's our 'beloved' writer U-En.
Multi talented, eh? :)
I don't think I've seen Joe smile this much... You can't see it but he is smiling. In fact we were all smiling. :)
See :)
:)
Of course in between there was a bit of waiting around.. but we all had our own means of keeping busy..some of us read a book..
some of us decided to play gangster..
some of us sat around.... She only looks it but she was actually playing a fool :P yes I mean you Tisha :P
some decided to strangle somebody's cello casing... I really think it belongs to the guy playing in front of us.. sorry mate... but it was just ..there!!
and some.. well decided to go APE!!
Wheee.... it hurts on the shoulder though.. Lex... show off hehehe
We were fed a very hearty and healthy meal. Thanks Joe and Faridah :)
We also got to makan together ... hehe ohh gosh now I'm hungry.
Black pepper chicken, salad, french loaf and bananas.. nice!
I was actually quite lazy to take pictures.. but this "Ah Mui" above holding her plate...asked me to and so I did..
drumstick anyone?Thursday, July 24, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
A Near Full Run
Thursday was the first time Joe threw us into the deep end of the pool. We were to perform the First Act of Ismail: The Last Days as if i t were really run on a real show day. We didn't do an entire run, but just enough so we could gage how long was the first half before intermission.
Ooooh talk about adrenalin rush. Sure it was going to look terrible on the first go, but we charged through it all and sucked it up like people who were ready for war! Ok I'm exaggerating but it felt that way. And probably for the first time we were so well behaved during rehearsals :P.
No stops, not even for tiny mistakes. All were to be saved for after the run through. It was quite exciting, to finally see it come to life. The ensemble was finally pieced together with the principle characters. How did the run go? Not half bad I would like to think..... but I won't think that because we still have a long way more to go..
And worse still we have less than three weeks left.. Oh boy.... Nevermind.. Gambate!!! We can do it.. and we'll make it a really good show!
Ooooh talk about adrenalin rush. Sure it was going to look terrible on the first go, but we charged through it all and sucked it up like people who were ready for war! Ok I'm exaggerating but it felt that way. And probably for the first time we were so well behaved during rehearsals :P.
No stops, not even for tiny mistakes. All were to be saved for after the run through. It was quite exciting, to finally see it come to life. The ensemble was finally pieced together with the principle characters. How did the run go? Not half bad I would like to think..... but I won't think that because we still have a long way more to go..
And worse still we have less than three weeks left.. Oh boy.... Nevermind.. Gambate!!! We can do it.. and we'll make it a really good show!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The Ismail T-Shirt
Been a while since I updated here.. but lets go step by step to see whats new. Last week, the cast saw the official Ismail T-shirt for the first time. With us all bounding to rush to get our sizes.
Guess who was the first to get his T-shirt, rip it straight from the plastic bag and proudly parade it hehe..
Such eager hands... Gimme It!
Ta Dah!!! This is what it looks like.
And what it looks like from the back..
Guess who was the first to get his T-shirt, rip it straight from the plastic bag and proudly parade it hehe..
Such eager hands... Gimme It!Ta Dah!!! This is what it looks like.
And what it looks like from the back..
Wear it proudly people :)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Recipe for Chicken 69
After much persuasion from the cooks in Ismail, I've decided to let the entire world know the recipe to the famous "Chicken 69".
I've to dig deep into my memory for this one! So better take it and make it good!
Gravy:
A bit of sugar, spices, mint, curry leaves, corriander, tumerick and lots of chilli powder and paste. Just mix all of them together and add abit of water to make it gravy-like. After that, put the entire paste on two whole chicken. (Use your hands when you marinate it, better if you havent wash your hands yet).
As for the chicken, place both the chicken in the 69 position for 69 days. Keep it in the fridge. You have to take it out once a week to have a husband and a wife quarelling out in front of the chicken for 69 seconds (Indian couple is the best!)
After 69 days, take it out and cook it in shallow oil for 69 minutes.
Soon after that, please eat it because it'll expire in 69 minutes.
There you go.. chicken 69. If you want more recipes, stay tuned.
I've to dig deep into my memory for this one! So better take it and make it good!
Gravy:
A bit of sugar, spices, mint, curry leaves, corriander, tumerick and lots of chilli powder and paste. Just mix all of them together and add abit of water to make it gravy-like. After that, put the entire paste on two whole chicken. (Use your hands when you marinate it, better if you havent wash your hands yet).
As for the chicken, place both the chicken in the 69 position for 69 days. Keep it in the fridge. You have to take it out once a week to have a husband and a wife quarelling out in front of the chicken for 69 seconds (Indian couple is the best!)
After 69 days, take it out and cook it in shallow oil for 69 minutes.
Soon after that, please eat it because it'll expire in 69 minutes.
There you go.. chicken 69. If you want more recipes, stay tuned.
Monday, July 14, 2008
This Is Our Writer
In the midst of writing musicals, smoking a cigarette and taking pictures of hot chicks, I sometimes wonder what our writer does in his free time. After seeing this picture, I don't wish to know anymore....
Sunday, July 13, 2008
24 days and counting (down)
Looks like the other principals are not contributing to posting the blogs so I have the opportunity to create reality as I see it...like how everyone absolutely thinks that the musical should be renamed 'Razak: the glory days of Malaysia'.
Anyway, was another 1 hour plus of us going through a reading of the whole script and definitely seeing the interaction between Malik (Ismail) and the other cast members gelling. The flow for the first few scenes are cruising along and high comfort level. Act 2 on the other hand needs tons of work and as Joe puts it, thank God the press are not viewing it this Wednesday. OMG is it less than 28 days before our first show??? Arrgghhh....
Today saw a couple of firsts i.e. the Gopal / Neno scene in Act 1 being blocked, Ah Mui (Sushi) making her first reading with us and the first tickets for the play being bought (by me!!!). Also, just found out that our ad is now being shown on Astro so currently surfing the channels with the recording function on my Astro Max on standby. Belinda also mentioned that it was showing in the Box Office but as luck would have it, the DVD player was on the blitz today.
Tomorrow is going to be first time all of us will be in costume and hopefully the dilemma of finding a pair of specs that don't make me look like the King of Librarians is solved. Its really hitting home that this is for real with posters coming up and the flyers being distributed. WoW as Delia would put it. If the posting today sounds disjointed its becoz I think I'm coming down with a flu so hopefully things will be ok tomorrow.
Anyway, was another 1 hour plus of us going through a reading of the whole script and definitely seeing the interaction between Malik (Ismail) and the other cast members gelling. The flow for the first few scenes are cruising along and high comfort level. Act 2 on the other hand needs tons of work and as Joe puts it, thank God the press are not viewing it this Wednesday. OMG is it less than 28 days before our first show??? Arrgghhh....
Today saw a couple of firsts i.e. the Gopal / Neno scene in Act 1 being blocked, Ah Mui (Sushi) making her first reading with us and the first tickets for the play being bought (by me!!!). Also, just found out that our ad is now being shown on Astro so currently surfing the channels with the recording function on my Astro Max on standby. Belinda also mentioned that it was showing in the Box Office but as luck would have it, the DVD player was on the blitz today.
Tomorrow is going to be first time all of us will be in costume and hopefully the dilemma of finding a pair of specs that don't make me look like the King of Librarians is solved. Its really hitting home that this is for real with posters coming up and the flyers being distributed. WoW as Delia would put it. If the posting today sounds disjointed its becoz I think I'm coming down with a flu so hopefully things will be ok tomorrow.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Pak Utih Version 2008
When I first read the lyrics to Pak Utih, I was so touched with the words. I mean just take a look at it:
Punya satu isteri
Mau dakap sampai mati
Lima anak
Mau makan setiap hari.
Of how a man loves his wife, THE ONLY WIFE whom he wants to be with till he dies. As a woman really I would LOVE to be treated that way, I think every woman would want to be loved by her man and to be THE ONLY woman that he wants to be with.. But the thing is ahh..reality check..these days I think most men will change this song and sing it this way:
Punya satu isteri,
mau dakap tiga lagi,
Lima anak,
Tak cukop mahu buat lagi..
Punya satu isteri
Mau dakap sampai mati
Lima anak
Mau makan setiap hari.
Of how a man loves his wife, THE ONLY WIFE whom he wants to be with till he dies. As a woman really I would LOVE to be treated that way, I think every woman would want to be loved by her man and to be THE ONLY woman that he wants to be with.. But the thing is ahh..reality check..these days I think most men will change this song and sing it this way:
Punya satu isteri,
mau dakap tiga lagi,
Lima anak,
Tak cukop mahu buat lagi..
An Animal In the Rehearsal Studio
Aiyamak I tripped - fell - sprained my ankle - means have to rest - means can't rehearse - means telling the director I can't make it (shudder) - means I'm screwed - means I'm fired....
Woe is me...
.... all of the above did not happen, but it could! Naturally when we go in to the rehearsal area, we'll all have our humongous bags with us. These bags can be quite a danger to us see... So our stage managers have requested us to place them all of our bags at the back of the room, or in some obsolete corner which will not interrupt or obstruct our rehearsal process.
We have about 30 odd over people.... yes 30 'odd' people for the cast and that would mean about 30 'odd' bags owned by 30 odd 'odd' people. (I'm sleepy, let me write what I feel like writing :P ). With all those bags, lying around there was one bag that stood out the most and cause Fang to get a fright.
really i'll let you guess what animal it is
.
.
.
.
.
.
Go
.
.
on
.
.
guess..
.
.
.
It's
Woe is me...
.... all of the above did not happen, but it could! Naturally when we go in to the rehearsal area, we'll all have our humongous bags with us. These bags can be quite a danger to us see... So our stage managers have requested us to place them all of our bags at the back of the room, or in some obsolete corner which will not interrupt or obstruct our rehearsal process.
We have about 30 odd over people.... yes 30 'odd' people for the cast and that would mean about 30 'odd' bags owned by 30 odd 'odd' people. (I'm sleepy, let me write what I feel like writing :P ). With all those bags, lying around there was one bag that stood out the most and cause Fang to get a fright.
really i'll let you guess what animal it is
.
.
.
.
.
.
Go
.
.
on
.
.
guess..
.
.
.
It's
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
I am now a blog virgin no more....
This blog site has the singular honor of deflowering me....was a bit bewildering as took me 5 minutes to figure out how to put out a post. And now we have the formalities out of the way, I'm taking to this like a duck to water.
Anyway, having cold sweats and showers after realising that its less than a month to go and we've hardly finished Act One. Also wondering what the fringe benefits of joining this production are as the only person I get to fondle is Malik everytime he says 'Yes' to my proposal (Tisha eat ur heart out!!!)...must be my ability to get my tongue around those difficult vowels during 'Dream of Tomorrow' as I definitely see his pipe quivering.
After Monday and wearing my 70s glasses for the first time, I now know how it feels to be a Head Librarian. I console myself by thinking "I'm Clark Kent, I'm Clark Kent" but thank god I manage to stop myself before putting my briefs on the outside of my pants. Of course, this is not helped by knowing I have to put myself in a Bush Jacket during my scenes....Joe I'm not paid enough for this!!!! Was really hoping this was going to be a funky interpretation of the times but looks like realism is the key word here.
In exactly a week's time we're having our first official teaser preview to the press and I'm suffering issues like an ape on constipation pills. Totally paranoid of forgetting my lines during the song and OMG the monologues!!!! Does not help knowing that I have to make the announcement of the formation of Barisan Nasional at Act 2 and re-examining the social contracts made after May 13th (guys if I don't appear after the premier, I've done a Balasundram and gone into hiding to avoid the ISA). Well, if I'm going to suck, I have to make sure others suck worse so have to encourage Tisha to go into her full American Accent, Malik to nod like a demented marionette all the time and Ari to SING!!!! Either that or go into full Prime Minister mode and make any damn changes I want....
Ok, I've had fun for now and will post some more musings and thots soon. Anyway, I'm off until Sunday so have to talk to myself to practise the lines.
Anyway, having cold sweats and showers after realising that its less than a month to go and we've hardly finished Act One. Also wondering what the fringe benefits of joining this production are as the only person I get to fondle is Malik everytime he says 'Yes' to my proposal (Tisha eat ur heart out!!!)...must be my ability to get my tongue around those difficult vowels during 'Dream of Tomorrow' as I definitely see his pipe quivering.
After Monday and wearing my 70s glasses for the first time, I now know how it feels to be a Head Librarian. I console myself by thinking "I'm Clark Kent, I'm Clark Kent" but thank god I manage to stop myself before putting my briefs on the outside of my pants. Of course, this is not helped by knowing I have to put myself in a Bush Jacket during my scenes....Joe I'm not paid enough for this!!!! Was really hoping this was going to be a funky interpretation of the times but looks like realism is the key word here.
In exactly a week's time we're having our first official teaser preview to the press and I'm suffering issues like an ape on constipation pills. Totally paranoid of forgetting my lines during the song and OMG the monologues!!!! Does not help knowing that I have to make the announcement of the formation of Barisan Nasional at Act 2 and re-examining the social contracts made after May 13th (guys if I don't appear after the premier, I've done a Balasundram and gone into hiding to avoid the ISA). Well, if I'm going to suck, I have to make sure others suck worse so have to encourage Tisha to go into her full American Accent, Malik to nod like a demented marionette all the time and Ari to SING!!!! Either that or go into full Prime Minister mode and make any damn changes I want....
Ok, I've had fun for now and will post some more musings and thots soon. Anyway, I'm off until Sunday so have to talk to myself to practise the lines.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Prodigal Son
About a week ago, the entire cast and crew of Ismail The Last Days were in for quite a treat. Tun Dr. Ismail's very own son, Tawfik, and grandson, Seth, dropped by our rehearsal to give us some insight on the man himself. This is the point where I stop talking and let the pictures take over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)