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Tony Eusoff & Ensemble
Douglas Lim
Doreen Tang & Zamil Idris
| Title : | Tunku - The Musical |
| Venue : | KLPac - Pentas 1 Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan (off Jalan Ipoh) Kuala Lumpur URL : http://www.klpac.com |
| Date & Time : | Sat 11 Aug – Sat 1 Sep 2007 (Daily: 8.30pm, except Sun: 3pm; No shows on Mon) *Do note, the shows on 11, 15 & 19 Aug & 2 Sep are private shows) |
| Tickets : | RM80/ RM60/ RM40 (students, disabled & sr. citizens) |
| Ticket Contact : | KLPac: 03-4047 9000; TAS@BSC: 03-2094 9400 |
| Synopsis : | "Merdeka"! The cry reverberated across the stadium and echoed in the crowded stands to be flung back again by the amplifying horns. Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka - seven times Tunku called. Seven times came the deep, excited response.
TUNKU – the musical has all the colour, drama, excitement, anticipation, heartache, sorrow and uncertainty of that fateful Saturday morning The musical takes us on a 50 year musical journey that focuses on four specific timelines: Prologue - Sat 31st August 1957 - Merdeka DayAct 1 - The Singapore-Malaya separation Act 2 - The 1969 riotsEpilogue - Malaysia 2007 Interwoven through these four timelines are stories and characters that give us some insight as to the effect Merdeka has had on and its people. The hopes and ambitions that Tunku had for his beloved country are expressed by characters created for the purpose. RECOMMENDED! A show that gets people talking about the presentation of the history of this country, the role of art in this process, brings tears to the eyes of an old man who lived through Merdeka and gets an overall thumbs-up (from even the fiercest critics) for the vocal abilities of its cast members makes my list! |
Public Rating
(Outstanding)
( 119 ) votes
User Comments
| posted by farah harith, Sun 12.08.200720:47:04 PM |
| brilliant musical! uplifting, magnificent, most spirited play malaysia has ever seen! i was moved to tears!
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| posted by I4P student, Fri 17.08.200709:47:12 AM |
| It was fascinating and marvelous...The music, the actors, and the SPIRIT~~~ i almost cried...
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| posted by MTCritic, Wed 22.08.200720:08:59 PM |
| There are pockets of nice things in the production and I do agree that "some" parts were good, some more than good even..in particular the vocals and choral ensemble work. BUT overall the production was simply HORRID!!!, TOTAL MISREPRESENTATION OF controversial historical events, MISERABLE!!! AND SEASONALLY NOT APT!! I would not recommend even my worst enemy to sit through such a staging of a musical that dare boasts as its title the name of the country's First Premier. I am not for a moment attempting to say that the issues which form the thread of the musical ought not to have been so discussed. But there is a time and a place to do that and the facts had better be accurate and true otherwise lots of nasty effects may result. Yes one can forgive but not forget and no matter how painful these memories were, they should be discussed but in proper perspective. This month is certainly not the right month to stage this work especially when the country is a forthnight away from celebrating its 50 years. The name of the musical "Tunku" implied to many that this may be a musical of events which led up to the independance and 'Merdeka"; details of which a lot of citizens including myself do not really know - what in fact caused the British Govt to let us lead our own country etc. I was expecting and honestly lookingh forward to a historical-docu musical which would climax of course at that historical moment at the Padang!! Instead, the audience had to sit through conflicts, racist issues which frankly although was part of our history does not represent Malaysia. The controversial issues are made worst by the fact that no proper research was done before the muscial storyboard was set. The result....we gained independance but there was never any harmony in the country; the malays were racist and rapists even, the chinese and malays seem to be fighting over the most trivial issues like laksa and inter racial marriages were frowned upon and so on....what a load of poppycock rubbish!!!! Truly I found the show very insulting to me as a Malaysian and the facs as presented are DISHONEST, DECEPTIVE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!especially to the younger generation who never lived through that time and hear bits of this and that. The racial riots will of course be an unfortunate time in our history but out of the bad came good...race relationships were handled with sensitivity and in a strange sort of manner, it actually brought the country together. Remember "Muhibbah'? Did the musical showcase this? No....of course not. People will see the show if its controversial. Nobody will bother to come and learn about "Muhibbah"... Did the musical inform those who do not know how the Peranakans came to be? that inter racial marriages were more accepted by the Malays than the Chinese during the time? NO!!!! And where were the Indians? It is bad enough the indians are often ignored BUT to suggest that they dont really play an important part in the tri-racial relationship between the various race AND notwithstanding the indians have undisputably made much contribution and participation to the performaing arts is either bigotry or sheer ignorance!! Musically, "Tunku" was an improvement from Broken Bridges but still the almost irritating modern musical 4 beat prevalent throughout the whole show left one with no memorable recollection of some the music and tunes which by themself also set the mood for the various time blocks of the production. The setting of the musical began from the "Golden Years" of Malaysian music ...songs and composition by PRamlee, , orchestral compositions by Gus Styne, Byod and many more in joget, kerocong, irama styles; chinese music from rediffusion styles to modern day canto-pop NONE of these were showcased. So why write a musical and ignore the music styles or the different eras? As I mention above, the cast was good and some were quite brilliant. There was a lot of talent there. It is such a shame that more justice to the talent was not done. At 8.00 pm the night I was there, the audience was abuzz with excitement and looking forward to moments of nostalgia from the past. At interval the mood turned somber, some decided to go home even. When the show finished, i dont recall seeing anyone truly smiling from the heart. Comments range from "What a LIE!!, THIS to celebrate "Merdeka", Wow! Malaysians look so nice but they have racial undercurrents, Oh my goodness, is that what we do, go and rape people we do not like????" I am honestly surprised that ACA allowed a license for the show, I am usually not affected or even bothered about any show which has any political overtones or message to tell. However to tell the truth is all well and good.. perhaps not terribly nice under the circumstances but nevertheless can still be justified. Now, if only a small part of the truth is told or not told and instead be it for dramatic effect or otherwise, the rest has no factual basis, this amount to a LIE!! Regretfully this was what happened in "Tunku" and there was no way I could ignore this. From the publicity material, the name of the show, one gets an impression that "Tunku" is a musical which is a historical musical depiction of how the nation acheived independance. To have a wrong misconception is my fault BUT to sit through two hours of LIES! is unforgiveable and provoked feelings of anger and insult in me. I hasten to add that nt anger and resentment was directed at the writers of the show and not what the story suggested. This is because those in my age group will know the complete story. However, for those who dont? As if the script is not good enough to be read by primary school chikdren, the choreography also provoked. Some were stunned and speechless. The choreography in Act 2 leading to the rape was bordering on soft porn. Did the producers forget that children would be in the audience on certain days? Our glorious country has developed and progressed in leaps and bounds since independance. Singapore left a long long time ago.. so what is the problem with that that almost the entire first Act had to be devoted to that most kiasu of all nations. Honestly do we really care now? And then 1969..yes we musnt forget those dark times (and talking about dark, what happend to the colours of our country? I am sure there is yet another message to be conveyed from the choice of costume colours but I cant be bothered to analyse further). The country is 50 years old, there have been many achievments but like any community we have a few bumps. However a visitor or the younger generation who are only presented with the limited facts will leave the show with negative perceptions. It is bad enough during times when we Malaysians whilst studying overseas had to continually explain to those who do not know and understand that " really there is no racism of the kind you speak in Malaysia etc."Just when we thought that we are now grown up and have many more things to talk and sing and be proud of, here we go again. Frankly the 69 issue doesnt stir up anything in me as it has been overkilled!!! I wonder what prompted Joe and Faridah to allow the musical to be staged in its present form. (And incidentally, although called a musical, the show is more of a choral symphony than a musical). I am sure that Joe and Faridah as executive producer of the show had a reason to present this show especially at this time although I confess I still cant quite understand why. As a supported of Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation, I got to the point that I was extremely angry by the remarks and perceptions which carry defamatory innuedos about Tunku. For what its worth I will say the writers of the show are extremely courageous or foolish!! My honest from the heart opinion? The cast was grand and sang the songs very nicely, the acting well rehearsed. Unfortunately, talent alone will not save a sorry script. I am not a die hard patriot by any means but 50 years is something to celebrate. To quite a few who have seen the show, to regain some sense of nostalgia to assist building up the spirit to National Day. Most came happy and excited. A lot left miserable and sad. Its Merdeka 50th. We as Malaysians want to be reminded of happy times. What we got instead was a reminder of the worst times that honestly nobody really wants reminding this month. CLOSE THE SHOW TOMORROW!!!!! AND SAVE US FROM FURTHER EMBARASSEMENT!!!! My stars for this production ** and they are only for the actors, ensemble and orchestra. Philip Chai
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| posted by Im Chai Sai, Thu 23.08.200714:14:48 PM |
| Dear Kakiseni, In light of recent highly constructive feedback, I would like to submit the following changes to this Event entry: 1. Date & Time: Sat 11 Aug - Thu 23 Aug (for safety from further embarassement) 2. Parental Guidance Warning: the rape will be provokingly misrepresented as borderline soft porn. 3. Legal Disclaimer: this production has NOT been granted a licence from the Anti-Corruption Agency. 4. LIE!! Warning: because the characters and their actions are purely fictional and designed with a dramatic purpose in mind, it is possible that a small part of the truth may or may not be told and instead be it for dramatic effect or otherwise, the rest has no factual basis. Therefore feelings of anger and insult may be provoked in the viewer. 5. Chromatic Note: Malaysia did NOT have colour prior to 1970. If this provokes a feeling of insult, please see LIE!! Warning above. 6. Defamatory Innuendoes About Tunku: If you find any, please let us know. 7. Changes to the synopsis (some pending director approval): a) Prologue (n. an INTRODUCTORY scene in a play) - Sat 31st August 1957 - Merdeka Day b) Act 1 - Scene 1: song - "We Are Muhibbah And Are Even More So In 50 Years". c) Act 1 - Scene 2: song - "Who Are The Peranakans?" d) Act 1 - Scene 3: song (by the 4 Indian members of the cast) - "We Are The Performaing Arts!" e) Act 1 - Scene 4: song (in waltz 3 beat) - "Malaysia? Racial Undercurrents? Pah Pah Pah!" f) Act 1 - Scene 5: song (in modern day canto-pop style) - "Singapore Got Kicked Out 8 Years After Merdeka (What's the problem? Who cares?)!" g) Act 2 - Scene 1: song - "Riots? What Riots?" h) Act 2 - Scene 2: song - "We Are Muhibbah (reprise)" i) Epilogue - "We Are Muhibbah (reprise) (reprise)" Thank you. I eagerly await your immediate update.
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| posted by A.S.P, Thu 23.08.200721:18:43 PM |
| I think the costume design is excellent. though combination of white, black and gray may look a bit 'monotonous', but it is the minor differences in between the whole bunch of performers that represent the creativity of the costume designer. I think they did a great job on this. Moreover, history to be presented in black and white is just as suitable as it should be. I don't understand why there should be a 'live broadcast' on the stage side by side with the video installations that show footage of those days. Pentas 1 is not as big as the stadium at Bukit Jalil, and it is not a concert after all, the 'live broadcast' is distracting. taking away the concentration from the performers, and the historical footage. If given a choice, I'd like to watch some of the historical moments that's been shown on the stage, even for a minute or two, dim the light, and send the audiences back into those times. I think this will create more room for reminiscence. celebrating Merdeka, 50 years of indepence, is not merely by praising the country, and singing 'Negaraku' and hanging the flags all around, and shouting 'i love malaysia' , 'malaysia boleh'. Tunku the musical, in some way, is portraying the major incidences that happened during the Tunku days, giving it a more dramatical presentation. the singapore separation, the 1969 riot... they are all painful experiences of the country whereby no one wishes to mention. well, you may not bother about the 'kiasu' singapore (though Malaysia has never been able to 'not bother about' singapore'), but 1969 riot is something that truly happened before. and we learned from that (though some people use it to threaten us not to ask for more nowadays, to earn their reputation in politics, and to keep the people's mouth shut). if people can use different ways to celebrate 50th anniversary of Merdeka, why can't Tunku the Musical be one of its way. After all the painstaking experiences, then only Malaysia come to today, obviously still peaceful and free from war and natural disaster. why must people be so shallow to think that loving your country is just by saying 'i love you', to believe in you when you're not that good enough, to praise everything that look glamorous and splendid (avoiding the bad things behind)? Looking into the unpleasant part of the history is also a way of appreciating what we're having now. why Tunku the musical makes you uncomfortable? maybe it just shows that you do not have the shoulder broad enough to embrace the so called 'ugly' things that's presented in this show during our auspicious Merdeka month. After all, a two-hour musical, do you expect them to just show off our great achievements of the years? to show 'muhibbah' which may have been shown in other plays and having us bombarded through all the radios and tv and newspaper? although this show is not as good as i expect it to be, in someway instead, i feel disappointed. it could be presented better. the ending maybe a bit abrupt, but i've no objections or hard feelings to the contents. as some people mentioned 'soft porn'... i really feel speechless. i agree that young children may not understand what's wrong with that scene (it may be difficult to explain to them too) , but to grade it as 'soft porn' is.... well, to me, is ridiculous. it's agony and distress you should feel during that act...if you do feel like that it's 'soft porn', it just shows what kind of thought you have, and what sort things that you always keep in your mind. different views from different people. and different mindset brings to different feelings of the same scene. that's all i can say....
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| posted by Malaysian, Fri 24.08.200711:31:57 AM |
| IT IS OUR HISTORY AND PAST, SHINY OR TAINTED, THAT MAKES US WHO WE ARE TODAY. Celebrating 50 years of Independence also means having a look at the mistakes we have made and continue to make today, what we have achieved,how far we have come, and HOW LONG MORE WE HAVE TO GO! Unless you'd rather celebrate with rose coloured glasses..
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| posted by Debra Beh, Fri 24.08.200713:31:35 PM |
| Last night my family and I saw Tunku The Musical at KLPAC. We came in two cars from Melacca. With me was my grandfather,mother, father, uncle and auntie and my two younger sisters. I am 17 years old and my grandfather was one of the many fortunate Malaysians to be at Merdeka Stadium on Saturday 31 August 1957. For me the show was a revelation. I had heard many things about some of the hardship that my country had to endure after Merdeka. I thought Tunku The Musical teach us a very important lesson: we are the country we are today because of the problems we had to go through over the past 50 years. I loved the show. On our way home in the car my grandfather was weeping. He told us that the memories were still very strong inside him and he was very grateful to have seen the show. I think Tunku The Musical should be taken all over Malaysia and even Singapore. Now I truly understand what it means to be Malaysian. I am Chinese and my auntie is Malay. Thank you for putting up this show.
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| posted by local theatre supporter, Fri 24.08.200715:22:44 PM |
| Although there are elements of unpleasantness which made me squirmed in my seat, i think this is a musical that makes you think. Particularly for those of us who were born way past merdeka and did not know a think about 1969. Good vocals.
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| posted by PSAS, Fri 24.08.200717:32:51 PM |
| Fuhh...it's hot here...so many comments..me n my 19 students can't wait to see the show on this 26th of August....
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| posted by music lover, Sat 25.08.200711:15:56 AM |
| In my opinion, Tunku was a great production - the sets, lights, costumes etc. The cast was wonderful and a revelation - good harmony and strong voices. I have never seen such imaginative, original contemporary and traditional (laksa) choreography from the get go, and the rape scene!!!!! - amazing! Congrats to all. The negatives were for me -weak character development, story telling and unfortunately the music arrangement - very dated American musical theatre - not Malaysian sound AT ALL. That was very disappointing. Good performances from all. Congrats again!
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| posted by Fifi Anabel, Sat 25.08.200720:22:57 PM |
| Saya terharu dengan koreografi persembahan ini - paling menakjubkan! Suara semua sedap gila - ini barulah muzikal teater. Tahniah! Walaupun saya keciwa sebab cerita dia bukan pasal bapa kemerdekaan Tunku, mungkin dari aspek visi beliau... Apapun, lebih baik kalau Istana Budaya belajar sesuatu dari show ini.
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| posted by bob, Sun 26.08.200700:36:25 AM |
| I think Laksa in really Indian!
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| posted by anak jati malaysia, Sun 26.08.200705:18:03 AM |
| very daring... kudos!
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| posted by Disappointed Malaysian, Mon 27.08.200710:53:11 AM |
| The musical was an INSULT to TUNKU. A very misleading title for those of us who expected to watch a show about the fight to MERDEKA! We all left feeling VERY UN-MUHIBBAH! Even if you wanted to address these issues (which were totally one-sided point of view by the way), you could have ended it better with more hope and a more positive element. There was nothing positive at all about this musical. It was VERY DISAPPOINTING! Don't waste your money watching it and please STOP SHOWING it in light of us celebrating our 50th MERDEKA!
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| posted by drifter, Mon 27.08.200712:21:18 PM |
| TUNKU The Musical bring about important messages and remarkable insights to the meaning of our independence. It should and it is not in any sense a political propaganda that capitalize on the events of our history. On the contrary I think it serves as a reminder to us the realistic side should we take what history has taught us for granted. It has shown us what power can do if abused. It has shown us the might of the pen and what consequences it can bring about if abused for political gains. It has shown us that we are not so different from one another after all. Most of all it has shown us the dreams and ideologies of our founding fathers and how we in all means must protect and not fail them. There is no You without a Family. There is no Family without a Country. We are all on one big ship. If it sinks we all go down with it, regardless of race. For my beloved country, for Malaysia Happy 50th Independence Day
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| posted by Mother, Mon 27.08.200713:57:43 PM |
Idea for next musical: MUHIBAH the Musical / M! the Musical. Plot: Story revolves around three best friends Musa, Ming and Muthu. They love each other very much and go to each other's open house every festivity. Musa loves Muruku. Ming listens to Mawi. Muthu speaks Mandarin. They play Mahjong when free. The 3 Musketeers are always holding hands and smiling as they walk along the stream, the field, or shopping malls. They are wholesome boys who don't know words such as Masturbation, Menstruation or May 13. They appear only in their respective traditional costumes, never in western imperialist clothes like jeans or T-shirt. Merdeka, Malaysia !!!
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| posted by Always Open Minded, Mon 27.08.200715:36:43 PM |
| Being in the music industry as a composer and musician, I applaud my two friends. An earnest effort, worthy as a stepping stone in the right direction. Well done! Musically, I have only one comment and that is the "death scene" music was hardly emotional enough. As a whole though, I give it a thumbs down! The reason is I left feeling crappy and not in the slightest "merdeka" or respect for our first PM and country. The title was hardly about him at all. What audacity one must have to misuse his name. So, for the first time in my life.. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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| posted by Sivakumaran P., Mon 27.08.200716:06:58 PM |
| A musical serves to entertain surely, but when it tries to tackle such serious national issues with no tact or thought, it really belittles the struggles of our fathers in founding this nation. This play could have been called anything else - but by naming it 'Tunku' you have to shoulder the gargantuan responsibility of treating your subject matter with well-deserved respect. Call it 'From Merdeka On', or 'My Merdeka Story' or 'Colour Blind'. That I can fathom. That I can appreciate. Call it 'Tunku' and try to draw the tenuous links with the actual story: that I find unnecessary and disrespectful. Good performance, no doubt on all counts. Excellent music and singing, riveting choreography, grand sets. But totally lacking in what we used to have: Good manners, and respect.
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| posted by Anastasia Lim, Mon 27.08.200718:21:22 PM |
| I agree with Mr. Siva's comment. Not enough meat in the script, misleading and possibly disrespectful although I know Malaysia is not a bed of roses but surely more thought could have gone into it. BUT Good cast, great set design, wonderful video images, marvellous costumes, world-class choreography...
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| posted by Child, Mon 27.08.200723:07:15 PM |
| Dear Mr. Phillip Chai, I can clearly see that you have thought long and hard about what you were going to comment on "Tunku: The Musical." Yes, I do agree, that I too, expected somewhat, a whole different story, like you said. I was ready for a story about our journey to independence but instead I got something even better, a story that lead us on the journey to independence. I'm 14 years old, and I have very little clue on what actually happened on May 13th. 3 years of Sejarah, and nothing has been mentioned about it in the textbooks. Why? I had a little chat with Dato' Farida before the show. We were discussing about how certain issue are considered taboo in our up and coming nation, and racism is the biggest of them all. Being the spawn of a Malay father and a Chinese mother, every scene felt like repeated history. The prejudice, humiliation, boundaries, pain, tears, were all too familiar. My mother and I couldn't stop bawling throughout the whole show. If you say that some of the things mentioned were complete lies, I suggest you hit back those history books, or better yet, just ask your parents. Based on my observations, I have a feeling you weren't born in the 1950s/60s. Because if you were, you wouldn't have written such obscure comments. After the show, I saw about 15 old ladies and uncles wiping the tears off from their eyes. Everybody couldn't stop congratulating Dato' Farida and Joe Hasham. 31st of August is just around the corner, yes, that's true. Does it mean, we have to temporarily hide our biggest issue under our skins and celebrate something that we have so little knowledge about? This musical, my friend, is the closest thing we've got to the actual truth of Malaysia. So, mind them who are actually putting an effort to make our Malaysians "colourblind" for Independence Day. And if you ask me, they couldn't have held the production on a better month.
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| posted by JJ, Tue 28.08.200713:02:12 PM |
| Brilliant brilliant musical, and what an amazing cast! It shows how far along our local Arts scene has come. Production standards and talent we previously thought we couldn't produce locally we now showcase gloriously. What was once sensitive we now address head on. Sure, it is painful to look at the issues and it makes some people uncomfortable, but our resilience and openness is a true testimony to our strength and character. There are obviously lessons to be learnt and we must take heed instead of sweeping them under the rug. We have come a long way Malaysia, let's hold our heads high and be brave enough to look back and see how we got here, to appreciate and celebrate our diversity and progress. Happy 50th!
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| posted by MrsB, Tue 28.08.200714:28:20 PM |
| I applaud Dato' Faridah Merican and Joe Hasham for their courage in staging Tunku the musical, for supporting and empowering young talents like Lim Chuang Yik and Teng Ky-Gan. The two young men who co-wrote the play are to be commended for presenting their own perspective rather than pandering to common expectations. Is it relevant to ask why no Indian characters in the play? How about asking how come the current Merdeka celebrations seem to be only about UMNO? I must express my supreme admiration for the entire cast and crew - you were absolutely amazing! The May 13 scenes were so well choreographed and executed with such skill. I'm sure no child saw it as porn unless some adult had already introduced it to him or her. People who react like Philip Chai cannot accept alternative perspectives, and are positivist, immature bigots , the type of people so well represented by the character of Syed in Tunku the musical. Syed is the antithesis of all that Tunku represents, and many such Syeds are well and alive around us. They are the ones who make us wonder whether we can claim to have grown up as a nation after 50 years. All I can say to people who feel angry and disappointed after watching Tunku is this: you have looked into a mirror and are angered by a reflection of a reality that you want to deny. My advice: stay home and read the newspapers.You'd surely find the politicians' promises and stories more palatable and assuring.
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| posted by anak malaysia, Wed 29.08.200700:15:52 AM |
| Aiyah Uncle Philip Chai, next time before u buy ticket, ask people who have seen oredi what the story is. Then no need to get so upset lor. Maybe u just stick to Sound of Music la. If I remember correctly, the poster never said anything about showing historical docu-drama . I read the publicity stuff before the play and although I'm not so arty or smart, I also guess that this is not going to be the usual stick-in-the-mud sanitized story. After watching the musical, I want to read up about Tunku, and about may 13 also. I'm angry, but with my teachers, and the education system for not telling us enough about our nation's stories. Thank you, Lim Chuang Yik and Teng Ky-Gan for writing the play like that. Thank god I still got my own mind after 13 years in the mental institution - school.
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| posted by Su Ling, Wed 29.08.200702:18:47 AM |
| It's an amazing musical and it makes me proud that Malaysians can produced an original musical of International Standard. Bravo! P/s - Is there going to be a soundtrack CD available? And suggestion - love the LCD screen of close-ups.We need this to see the wonderful expression. Next time, include the subtitle of the songs, can? Sometimes it's too fast, can't quite catch it. Plus too pampered with DVD watching!
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| posted by not a philip chai fan, Wed 29.08.200714:25:02 PM |
| wow ! totally freaked out. what a great show. great music, singing, dancing, sets and costumes. a great way to show how far we have come in the past 50 years. a lesson well worth taking note of and a wonderful tribute to our beloved Tunku. congrats to all especially datuk faridah merican and joe hasham. 150 points out of 100.
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| posted by Ban, Burn or Bury Offensive Works Of Art, Wed 29.08.200716:22:28 PM Readers say:  (Outstanding post!)
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| we are a not-for-profit international organization whose aim is to Ban, Burn or Bury Offensive Works Of Art. We are currently assessing if recent comments on this forum are enough grounds to add Tunku, The Musical to our list. MOST OFFENSIVE (INTERNATIONAL) WORKS TO DATE. ANY SELF-RESPECTING GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE ALLOW THE SHOWING OF THE FOLLOWING: Les Miserables: For portraying the French as vandals, prostitutes and con-men. For being sung in ENGLISH. For its modern music arrangement when a wealth of classical arrangements using the harpsichord would be so much more appropriate. …several studies have proven beyond all doubt that Les Mis is largely to blame for France’s bad image abroad. Miss Saigon: For making light of such a terrible and deadly war. For portraying Vietnamese women as prostitutes. … in a recent survey, 85% of spectators of this disgraceful musical said that ‘it was no wonder that the US invaded Vietnam if all Vietnamese women were so beautiful, easy, and good singers’. Romeo and Juliet: For child pornography (Juliet is a scandalous 14!!!) AND encouraging suicide. Rent For implying that homosexuals do not pay their rent WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY Misrepresenting the ratio of heterosexuals to homosexuals in New York AND Claiming that homosexuality exists at all ... for a complete list please visit: www.lets-be-more-pleasant.com In a more recent initiative we are trying to ban ALL poetry as it incites feelings of discomfort, despair and overall sadness. If you have any sympathy towards our cause please help us TODAY by burning any poetry books you may have in your house. To those critiques who argue that ALL art is bound to offend SOMEBODY we like to answer: ‘so why insist on continuing to create?’
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| posted by thespian, Thu 30.08.200700:47:50 AM |
| i just came back from the musical. Me and the students I took were all 'high' on the effects of such a marvellous production\tht we could not stop talking about it all the way home. I rarely see young people bothered or excited about patriotic stuff or let alone have common opinions but after such an experience witnessing a tremendous effort from a wholly Malaysian cast, we were all left in awe. Let's just not over analyze but instead look at the positive message the play brought which was pronounced in the end. The talent, the music and plot of the story was just captivating.I applaud everyone in the play especially the writers who were bold enought to approach controversial issues without fear of overly sensitive people with narrow minded views and a blind eye towards the true cause of such a production...to see how strong we have become as a nation even in the face of adversity.
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| posted by Ban All Misleadingly Titled Musicals, Thu 30.08.200701:47:31 AM |
| We are an off-shoot organization of Ban, Burn or Bury Offensive Works Of Art called Ban All Misleadingly Titled Musicals, and we would like to submit our (incomplete) list of Misleadingly Titled Musicals. OKLAHOMA for having the audacity to mislead people into thinking it's a musical about Oklahoma SUNSET BOULEVARD for being disrespectful in lying to the audience to suggest it's a musical on Sunset Boulevard when in fact it's about a faded actress. EVITA for being disrespecful and lacking in manners in portraying the first lady of argentina. THE BEGGAR'S OPERA for calling it an opera when it's in fact a musical. CHICAGO when it wasn't even set in chicago FIDDLER ON THE ROOF when in fact, the fiddler only appeared once FLOWER DRUM SONG when there were hardly any flowers or drums A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM- what forum? WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND- enough said We encourage all Malaysians to sign our petition (go to www.wearesosmart.com) to call upon so-called musical writers like Andrew Llyod Webber, Boublil-Schoenberg, Rodgers and Hammerstein etc, to stop writing Broadway/West End hits until they learn to name their musicals properly. We call upon all Malaysians to not practise double-standards in criticizing local writers when internationally acclaimed writers do the same.
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| posted by L.M, Sat 01.09.200715:21:12 PM |
| WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!!! I doth protest the list of Misleadingly Titled Musicals.......(well some of them) here i do submit my arguments 1. OKLAHOMA was definitely a more apt title than the Working title of 'AWAY WE GO!' and is it not about Farmers and Cowmen and all that cow-pah-looey in OKLAHOMA? 2. SUNSET BOULEVARD - the faded actress is a representation of SILENT STARS of the SILVER SCREEN most of which happen to take residence on SUNSET BOULEVARD.. its about an era, a lifestyle and FILM NOIR. 3. EVITA - is the leading Protagonist who appears THROUGHOUT the show not called EVITA? 4. CHICAGO - Murder and mayhem which took place in chicago? People were actually getting away with Murder (no pun intended) back then! 5. FUNNY THING - well the whole plot takes place whilst FATHER AND MOTHER are on their way to the FORUM - hence FUNNY THINGS HAPPENED.. and the FUNNIEST musical of all time - to be followed only by THE PRODUCERS. As for the rest, you are probably right.... Looking forward to the rest of your list.... Bring it on!
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| posted by L.M, Sat 01.09.200715:43:24 PM |
| Watched the show a week ago and these are my comments/observations. 1. TITLE - TUNKU ? what tunku, where tunku, how why? Yes we know tunku is unseen but the character of syed - i still don't know what he's all about. which leads me to 2. PLOT - what plot? what storyline? Character development? Exposition, Conflict, Climax? Resolution? 3. Music - Couldn't remember a thing. BUT I do remember direct musical quotes from MISS SAIGON (THIS IS THE HOUR), PHANTOM, LES MIZ (I SMELL WOMEN, SMELL 'EM IN THE AIR) and even some bits from URINETOWN. 4. LYRICS - Lyrics were not intelligent nor rhymed well, felt as though they were just jammed together to fit the music - sometimes had to block them out to listen to the melodies...which were not bad but still not memorable. 5. SONG STRUCTURE- only one i can remember as being original and unique was WHAT'S YOUR COMMENT. 6. Lietmotif, repeated themes not used at all. 7. Best Vocal Performance - MARIA YASMIN in her first solo. VOCAL QUALITY and DELIVERY A++. A true Musical theatre performance. 8. Best Dancer - PAT CHAN - moves like a true dancer - a joy to watch. Has that Broadway feel about her. 9. BOYS MAKE UP - Some of the guys had more make up than the girls - Enough Said. 10. OVERALL PRODUCTION/DIRECTION - Well done to set, lights, costumes, stage crew, leads, ensemble, choreographer & the Director! Kudos! This show will have 3 camps, those who loved it, those who hated it and those who were ambivalent. I didn't love it nor hate it.... even tho i paid RM 80 to watch it.........
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| posted by L.M, Sat 01.09.200715:48:25 PM |
| My hats off also to the orchestra & Mr Mervyn Peters. Tight and well delivered!
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| posted by fedup with the sensitive f'lers, Sat 01.09.200721:54:16 PM |
| To add to Misleading Titles of Musicals: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR - should be Jesus Christ Carpenter izinit? HAIR - the cast appeared stark naked at one point, not much hair la actually. But suddenly, the bulb in my head go ting! ( my lightbulb got sound also) - maybe ah they want us to tink WHY they use a title that doesnt seem so ngam. So TINK la, why the play called TUNKU even tho he never appear also - except in the slides? Tink la before getting angry about the tile. After 50 years of independence, still dowan to tink before talking, still so touchy about other people's opinions and expressions. GROW UP before you grow too old.
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| posted by Keith Leo, Sun 02.09.200712:25:43 PM |
| What's my comment?: 1. show began extremely well (laksa- hillarious), but from sayang duet (which seemed a bit pointless) to the other beautiful duet promise(maybe they could have exchanged rings/chains here?) ALTHOUGH singing was fab, then into the 'separation' - bit choppy. 2. what happens to the reporter character? The Syed character? Nothing! How does what happens affect them? Don't know! This was an important issue to me. 3. Great singing, unbelievable dancing!! What are ASWARA kids?? That was the program credit. The best musical theatre choreography I have ever seen esp. rape scene. 4. Music - too western. Where is Malaysian sound? Are we not thinking about what it means to be Malaysian after 50 years! But good for what for it was. 5. Incredible set design. Fabulous costumes. Stunning video footage. Does it teach me about Malaysia's history? NO - cause there are innaccuracies and can be VERY Misleading e.g. "With Singapore out, Malaysia will be Malay majority"!! Does it make me reflect on racial issues or dark moments in history and on current trends? YES! Are KLPAC BRAVE for doing this show? Perhaps. Provocative? Yes. Intelligent? No, especially script - weak. Good effort but not quite up to my mark. Especially not for RM 80! Congratulations, nevertheless - good production!
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| posted by Aku Anak Seni, Mon 03.09.200722:49:40 PM |
| I've not seen this theater yet but the title is exactly the same as the theater that i've watch at Istana Budaya. Whatever it is, 'Tunku' is a story bout the life of Tunku Abdul Rahman, how was he doing before independent. The narrative, the structure, how it represent is depent to the scriptwriter and also the director. Pendapat masing2 berbeza, n also ideologi n how pengarah nak defind and present the story is also berbeza. So, sbg orang seni, penerimaan sesebuah jalan cerita itu haruslah secara terbuka n if u wanna watch the theater, watch it with ur eyes and mind wide open! Apa2 pun, syabas n tahniah!
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| posted by Greedo, Tue 04.09.200712:55:53 PM |
| TUNKU? R.U.B.B.I.S.H.!. The Great man would quake in his boots. Nuff said!
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| posted by Anak anak Malaysia, Thu 06.09.200710:08:31 AM |
| HORRIBLE SCRIPT (What script?) The only high point of this GALA night is when Mel Gibson around with the cast for a photo opportunity (for KL PAC). Kudos to Mel for sitting thru this garbage without flinching. It was so lame that we actually felt embarassed to be Malaysians. As a testimony,it was non stop music for 2 hours,and non memorable. Imagine the torture of it all. C mon Joe,have a heart la. Spare us from things which are not even properly half baked.
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| posted by Wong S.H., Thu 06.09.200710:14:54 AM |
| I actually feel sorry for Doreen Tang's husband having to see her spread her legs to some "onstage rapist" for more than a month!! You call this art? You call this TUNKU? We call this GROSS!!! It is not even poetically done. It was quite possibly the most unnessasary scene in any musical(if you can call this!) ..ever. ..btw,no Punjabis or Indians in Malaysia ke? What a shame this whole sham is! The breaking off of Singapore was so badly executed ,one could feel nothing.No anguish,no hurt,no pain,no justice. What a waste of time and money! Bottom line,it was not even entertaining. Thats the biggest sin,actually. CRAP!
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| posted by SO SAD, Thu 06.09.200710:22:52 AM |
| Whoa! What a chopsocky production TUNKU was. Things were so contrived to a point where you couldn't even bother about any characters.. The most cringeworthy moment is to look at the montages of P. Ramlee and have this type of sub standard cheesy music "imposed" unto the great man's name ..and face!!Whoa! That was so uncalled for and even back in the 50s and 60s ,music was so much richer that this nursery jibes that the writers came out with......... What a disgrace!! What a disgrace!! Such rich music being torn and watered down to music as low as this. Our hearts almost dropped man. Our hearts almost dropped..... Please Joe.....
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| posted by orayi, Thu 06.09.200717:21:00 PM |
| Interesting how the last three postings by Anak anak Malaysia, Wong S.H. and So Sad were all posted within minutes of each other and sound so very, very similar. Whoever you are, you really must be a very sad person.
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| posted by Suresh Nair, Fri 07.09.200709:55:51 AM |
| The cast and creative team of Tunku could do well to listen to some of the constructive criticisms that can serve to make their future performances better. In my opinion, the show had strengths and also many weaknesses. Writers who use this open forum to be spiteful should be ashamed.
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| posted by KL In A Nutshell!, Fri 07.09.200715:38:06 PM |
| It was certainly no mean feat to pull off close to two hours of non stop music!...and in perfect pitches too for that matter. Thanks Joe and Dato Faridah for actually having the courage to tackle something like this. The orchestra sounded real nice and crisp too! Hats off,Tony,Doreen and the entire cast. Have a well deserved break.
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| posted by norlin othman, Sun 09.09.200723:12:18 PM |
| It must have been a good two weeks sice watching the musical. I cringe each time I think about it. To my mind, its a musical about racism, unfulfilled love and worse, bloodshed and it totally has no bearing on Tunku, the man. Why call it Tunku the Musical? Too graphic is the rape scene, it almost drowns my memory of all else. I feel sorry for YB Rais Yatim for having written a forward which has no bearing on the musical whatsoever. I mostly feel sorry for the late Tunku's family for, hereforth, assuming custodian of a musical named after their beloved patriarch which unwittingly, etches him as a weak leader of unity and muhibbah, at best. The poor soul!
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| posted by TinkTanQ, Mon 10.09.200712:07:52 PM |
| The best thing about TUNKU is the free tickets!!!! yeah!!! Thank you for the FREE tickets!!
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| posted by batu api tari, Tue 11.09.200713:32:59 PM |
| hebat. semua hebat........ tapi kenapa lagunya mcm biasa dengar.... mcm lagu birthday pun ada.... lagu mcm tak ori... but bolehlah......
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| posted by ~T@!ra~, Sat 15.09.200706:50:10 AM |
| Wow... This is 1st time attending a play thanks to YTL for the free tix. IT was fabulous!! I didn't expect so much from them at 1st as i don't know any of them apart from douglas. I as a student think that we should involve more in this. Those people up there have great lungs, they sang gracefully and wow.. u should see their facial reaction it's amazingly done. The music was a blast too... I hope to receive more of this kind of plays or even better ones. My mum enjoyed the play from starting till the end. I'm glad that i brought my mummy along. Til next time..
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| posted by Chong Kim Yew, Sun 16.09.200718:10:36 PM |
| douglas lim was annoying. so were most of the cast. the vocals were pretty mediocre. the story line was probably taken from a standard 2 primary school moral studies text book. the rest of the propaganda is typical UMNO propaganda. shame on each person who was involved in producing this blatant piece of racist nationalist rubbish. Joe Hasham cried last night. 'malaysian' he says. if he really is malaysian, he would never have agreed to put up such rubbish.
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