Gadoh 2009 part 1

Nam Ron carries on stronger

Celebrated thespian Nam Ron is adamant that the production house he co-founded will succeed, writes SITI NURBAIYAH NADZMI

THE banning of Tanda by Aswara (National Arts, Culture and Heritage Academy), had turned playwright and artistic director Shahili Abdan into the bad boy of Malay theatre overnight. And Shahili, better known as Nam Ron in the thespian circle, was perplexed with the issue.

The play, produced by Rumah Anak Teater (RAT), was a collaborative work of five directors, 40-member crew and 20 actors. The directors were Amar Asyraf Zailuddin, Khairunadzwan Rodzy, Yusman Mokhtar, Siti Aishah Hassan Hasri and Mohd Farid Jamaluddin.

It opened last month at Experimental Theatre Aswara to rave reviews but at about 5pm on the fourth night, the crew was ordered to vacate the hall.

Nam Ron, a theatre lecturer at the academy, was told that he had not complied with the rules of staging a play at the hall.

According to him, when they applied for permission to use the hall, they were not informed of any additional regulations. They had the permit to use the hall for the staging of the play.

“But it was only on the fourth day that we received orders to vacate the hall.”
He said there were neither letters nor an explanation given, except for the security personnel barring them from using the premises.

Nam Ron says they had bookings from two colleges, one in Kuantan and in Johor. And when told to clear out their props, they immediately telephoned the colleges to inform them that the show was cancelled. But one group had already arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

To make up for long-distance trip, Nam Ron held a brief workshop in the hall while the crew and actors were dismantling the props. It was a stark irony off the stage, to say the least.

“We were devastated,” Nam Ron says. And the Kuala Perlis-born quit teaching at the academy after a decade to nosedive into the no-profit career of the Malay theatre.

Tanda was one of the class theatre projects produced by his students three years ago but RAT expanded the idea into a full play.

The five directors collaborated to work on five segments in the play on the signs of Judgement Day. Most of those involved in the play — directors, crew, actors and musicians — were Aswara graduates and undergraduates.

It is hard to imagine that an academy would deny the creative work of its own people at its own venue especially, after it had crowned Nam Ron Excellent Theatre Graduate in 2007.
Nam Ron has had enough.

Cutting all strings, he is determined for RAT, a production house he co-founded with some of his former students, to succeed. Tanda opened at PJ Live Arts Centre (PJLA) and ran for five nights, three weeks after Aswara shut it down.

“We had to make some changes to the props and choreography to adapt to the smaller stage,” says Nam Ron.

“The original hall had a hydraulic facility, which allowed the stage to be split, but this could not be done at PJLA. Previously the split stage symbolised the end of the world, but this was not possible at the new venue, so we have to improvise using body movements to create the impact. Otherwise, the entire play remained,” he says.

The controversy had given Tanda publicity. For the first time, RAT had a full house. “It feels great, and it gives us an incentive to work harder,” Nam Ron says.

Nam Ron’s interest in theatre began in 1989 when he joined Grup Teater Aksi in Kangar as an actor. By then he was already known as Nam Ron (which means “hot water” in Thai).

“I was an apprentice at a MARA vocational programme when the seniors asked me if I knew any Thai words since I came from Kuala Perlis. The only words that came to mind was “nam ron”. The name stuck with me.”

It was not, however, a unique name. Renowned cartoonist Idris Man from Kedah had adopted the same name but as one word “Namron”.

A trained auto mechanic, Nam Ron felt a calling to the proscenium, so he enrolled as a theatre student with Akademi Seni Kebangsaan (ASK) in 1994 and graduated four years later. ASK had opened doors to him and there was no turning back.

After graduation Nam Ron formed Alternative Teater, based in Kuala Lumpur, which helped carve his name in the arts scene as a young theatre director, playwright and actor.

At the same time, the Drama Department at Aswara, in recognition of his energy in the theatre scene, offered him a part-time lecturer’s post at the Experimental Theatre.

Nam Ron joined the Asian Contemporary Theatre Practice workshop organised by Setagya Public Theatre Japan and Japan Foundation, and is now a member of Lohan Journey (a group of Asian directors and playwrights) which collaborates theatre in major cities in Asia.

The experience has greatly influenced Nam Ron’s later works such as monodrama Matderihkoloperlih, Laut Lebih Indah Dari Bulan and the satire Lembu, but more importantly he began to dabble in collaborative work.

In October 2008, he co-founded RAT with nine ASWARA graduates and it had since produced collaboration works to rave reviews.

It was obvious that he loved working with young talents and they revered his easy ways, creativity and imagination. He helped to lift taboos as well.

For example, if a character had to smoke on stage then it was allowed. But then again, if anyone dared to tread on the thin lines they had to be brave enough to face the consequences, saysNam Ron.

Word has it that the unofficial reason for the banning of Tanda was that it had an inappropriate scene: where 20 fully-clothed actors imitated sexual moves under undimmed lighting, albeit for 30 seconds.

“It wasn’t gratuitous. The scene was meant to evoke disgust not lust. Maybe it did trigger disgust in some people that they had to resort to the authorities to stop the show,” says Nam Ron.

What truly runs in Nam Ron’s veins are the late Datuk Krishen Jit’s ideals of being independent.
“Krishen impressed upon us not to give up when there was no money. It was not easy to live up to his words – getting sponsors and grants from government agencies and organisations can be an impossible task.”

Arts patrons are hard to come by and funding is an age-old problem with Malay theatre
RAT has named its long-term project as Projek Komuniti Kental (KoKen), loosely translated as “resilient community project”. It outlined the entire year’s activity such as workshops, talks, acting classes and new plays. Last year KoKen staged compilation plays, where a few were staged together, but this year it will stage individual works separately.

“It is usually a sparse set with actors, but along the way we will look for funding,” says Nam Ron.

This article appeared in New Sunday Times on Mar 21, 2010

Women Reclaim the Night, March 9 2010

Pementasan tersebut melibatkan:

1. Moizzis R.Cong (Pengarah, Penulis skrip)
2. Amar Asyraf (Pelakon)
3. Nadia Zainal (Pelakon)
4. Ghadafi Meliki (Pelakon)
5. Pelajar-pelajar uITM Melaka

Dipentaskan sempena Hari Wanita Sedunia anjuran Amnesty International (Malaysia) di Arab's Park, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Saksikan Pementasan Percuma RAT di Festival Seni MAP

Date: 27th March 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 7.30pm-8.30pm
Venue: Black Box (theatre), SOLARIS DUTAMAS

Theater performance by Rumah Anak Teater (in Malay)

Synopsis
Pokok Kelapa Sayang is a tale of love destroyed by economic, political, public perception, cultural and racial differences as well as choices made by the individual.

Nur Ain who is torn between her loyalty to her family and following her heart’s desire, has chosen to ignore her feelings to uphold her family’s choice in the belief that it will bring her happiness. Hasyim who holds dear to the belief of true love and has declared Nur Ain to be his one and only love has done something unintentionally cruel. What was it that he did? What is the secret behind his beloved coconut tree along the Port Dickson beach?

Pokok Kelapa Sayang

Pokok Kelapa Sayang adalah kisah seorang lelaki tua yang bernama Hasyim, berketurunan India di Malaysia yang mana telah memeluk agama Islam demi percintaan yang terjalin antara dirinya dan Nur Ain.

Percintaannya telah dimusnahkan oleh kuasa ekonomi, kuasa politik, kuasa pemikiran masyarakat, kuasa budaya dan perkauman serta kuasa pilihan yang mana setiap manusia punya hak untuk membuat keputusan.

Nur Ain yang terhimpit antara kesetiaan pada keluarga dan kehendak hatinya telah memilih untuk membutakan perasaannya bagi memperjuangkan pilihan keluarga yang dipercayainya akan mendapat kebahagiaan, namun ia berlaku sebaliknya.

Hasyim yang berpegang teguh dan mempercayai pada cinta sejatinya telah mengakui Nur Ain hanyalah miliknya seorang sahaja sehinggakan sanggup melakukan tindakkan yang diluar sedar dan kejam.

Hasyim telah menanam mayat yang dipercayainya Nur Ain bersama sebiji buah kelapa, sehingga buah itu terus membesar menjadi pokok kelapa dan menjadi sebuah tanda percintaan agung buat Hasyim sehingga ke zaman tuanya.

Hasyim mempunyai rahsia mengenai pokok kelapa sayangnya itu, dimana tersimpan sejarah hitam pada dirinya yang cuba diselami oleh Penjaga, iaitu pekerja rumah orang tua setelah pelik melihat gelagat Hasyim tua yang begitu menyayangi sebatang pokok kelapa di pantai Port Dickson itu.



KHAIRUNAZWAN RODZY
PENGARAH "Pokok Kelapa Sayang"

KHAIRUNAZWAN RODZY adalah lulusan Diploma Teater ASWARA dalam pengkhususan Pengarahan. Antara teater yang pernah di arahkan oleh beliau ialah ‘Gema Merdeka – perjuangan belum selesai’, ‘Gema Merdeka – Muzikal Tun Abdul Razak’, ‘Muzikal Uda dan Dara’, ‘No Exit’, ‘Waktu – sebuah Eksperimen Merdeka’, ‘Romeo dan Juliet’ dan banyak lagi. Beliau juga pernah ke Korea dalam pementasan teater tradisional bangsawan untuk Festival Teater Massan. Selain bergiat aktif dalam ASWARA, beliau juga membuat persembahan di sekitar Kuala Lumpur seperti di Annexe, MTC dan banyak lagi. Sekarang beliau merupakan pelajar Ijazah dalam Fakulti Teater di ASWARA.

AMERUL AFFENDI (Pelakon)

AMERUL AFFENDI adalah graduan diploma Akademi Seni Kebangsaan (ASK) yang sekarang di kenali ASWARA dalam teater. Sekarang menyambung pelajarannya peringkat ijazah di Universiti Malaya. Banyak berlakon dalam teater, filem pendek, filem dan televisyen. Teater, Pentas Opera, Si Yatim Chao, Tanda, Waktu experimental Merdeka, Air Con, Uda dan Dara. Filem pendek, Aman dan kenapa ayah tak tanam pisang, Gadoh. Filem, Karaoke dan Jimbo. Televisyen, Rona Roni Makaroni, Rembat dan Misteri Penarik Becha.

SHARIFFAH MARIAM - Pelakon

SHARIFFAH MARIAM bte Syed Abdullah atau nama pentasnya Sherry Abdullah mula berkenalan dengan dunia teater pada awal tahun 2003. Pemegang Diploma Teater ASWARA ini mula berlakon di bawah arahan Marlia Musa iaitu ‘Atap Genting Atap Rumbia’. Semasa menuntut di ASWARA, beliau banyak terlibat dalam produksi teater seperti ‘Meneachmi’ arahan Rohani Yousuff, ‘Dua Bulatan Pukul Enam’ arahan Namron, ‘The Maids’ arahan Roselina Khir Johari dan banyak lagi. Selain ASWARA, beliau pernah berlakon di KLpac iaitu ‘Race’ ,‘Kisah gadis- Gadis Jalan Burmah’ dan di Istana Budaya iaitu ‘Muzikal Ibu Zain’

INTAN DIYANA - Pelakon

INTAN DIYANA binti Zainal Abidin atau nama gelarannya dynna, pemegang Diploma Teater Di ASWARA dalam bidang lakonan. Antara persembahan yang pernah beliau lakonkan ialah Pentas Opera dan Tanda arahan Namron, Opera China Arahan Rohani Yusoff, Tok Perak arahan Syed Alwi, Ibu Zain arahan Rosminah Tahir dan banyak lagi.


Further information, please visit here.

Filem Gadoh (2009)

Oh! Artis mempersembahkan, Gadoh!! Sebuah filem berbahasa melayu terhasil dari warga negara ini sendiri. Ironi’nya, cerita ini tidak lepas untuk ditayangkan di pawagam atas sebab-sebab tertentu yang semamangnya jelas, terang dan nyata (Izhar Halqi). Kami menerima satu email dari pembaca Oh! Artis yang ber’alamat email memberi’kan kami gambar yang lebih jelas mengenai cerita ni. Siap dengan link download lagi.

Selepas mendownload dan tonton, pendapat kami cerita ini benar-benar menarik dan wajib ditonton oleh semua rakyat Malaysia tidak kira Melayu, Cina atau India. Perjalan cerita ini sememangnya panas dengan bahasa penuh kasar yang terang lagi bersuluh bersifat sangat-sangat racist. Tetapi jangan cepat melatah kerana cerita ini adalah sebuah kisah berpengajaran yang sangat hebat. Tonton sehingga habis cerita ini dan baru nilaikan. Jangan menonton setengah cerita, dah melatah. Itu bodoh namanya!

Antara scene yang masih terngiang-ngiang di minda ketika ini, adalah scene di mana guru teater mahu pelajar yang bergaduh tersebut meluahkan apa perasaan yang terpendam di hati mereka. Kenapa mereka perlu bergaduh sesama bangsa. Mengapa melayu perlu pukul Cina, Cina perlu pukul Melayu dan India sering dibelasah Melayu mahupun Cina.

Antara ayat-ayat panas di dalam cerita tersebut, berbungi…

Kata seorang pelajar Melayu:
Saya paling tak suka orang cina. Diorang ingat diorang bagus. Pijak orang melayu.

Kata seorang pelajar Cina:
Orang melayu tak hormat orang cina punya. Kita terpaksa kerja kuat! Nak hidup! Nak belajar tinggi! Takde duit macamana nak berjaya?!!

Kata seorang pelajar melayu:
Orang cina makan babi! Pengotor! Berak tak pernah basuh!!

Kata seorang pelajar wanita:
Saya paling tak suka sekolah ni! Sebab sekolah ni bodoh! semua orang dalam sekolah ni bodoh! Tak kiralah, melayu ke, cina ke, india ke.. Semuanya bodoh!

Kata seorang remaja Cina:
Melayu bodoh! Belajar tak pandai pun boleh masuk Universiti.

Kata seorang remaja Cina:
Melayu duka komplen! Selalu cari salah orang lain! Salah sendiri tak nampak!

Kata seorang remaja Melayu:
Oi cina! lu jaga sikit lu punya mulut eh!! Lu menumpang je kat negara ini tau! Siapa yang suka cari gaduh!

Kata seorang pelajar India:
Saya benci diri saya sendiri sebab saya bagi orang lain buli saya. Sebab saya tak ramai. Saya tak kuat! Saya sebenarnya nak kawan dengan semua orang. Tapi orang lain sibuk nak cari gaduh. Saya tak berani!

Kata seorang remaja Cina:
Terlalu bangga dengan bangsa sendiri, tak habis-habis cari gaduh dengan bangsa lain.

Kata seorang remaja Cina:
Melayu takde otak!!

Kata seorang remaja melayu:
Bangun pagi tak mandi pagi. Badan bau busuk!

Itu antara ayat-ayat yang dilontarkan dalam cerita tersebut. Panas hati? Rilex.. download cerita ini dan tonton sendiri, kemudian berikan komen anda di sini.

Info Lengkap Mengenai Filem Gadoh

Synopsis
Gadoh tells a story of a group of teenagers who fought each other along racial lines; a cycle of hatred and violence further escalated by their environment and school system.

What was to be a quick resolution to improve the school’s bad image, was taken as an opportunity for one teacher who believed that real change was possible. She ropes in the help of an old friend and reluctant maverick theater activist for this arduous task.

Is there hope amidst the cycle of discrimination that surrounds us? Watch Gadoh for their story, and what it may very well tell us about ourselves.

Movie Info:
Duration: 70 mins
Director: Brenda Danker, Namron
Producer: Anna Har
Production Company: Big Pictures Productions
Supported by Pusat KOMAS
Starring: Namron, Nicholas Liew Davis, Zahiril Adzim, Amerul Affendi and Maya Tan Abdullah
Language: Bahasa Malaysia with English/BM subtitles
Poster design by: Alexdrina Chong, Lucid Design Collaborative Studio

Berikut sedikit screenshot yang sempat di ambil sambil menonton.


Sayang sekali terselit beberapa saat watak sampah dalam cerita ni

Bagi kami satu je alasan kenapa cerita ni tak lepas, kerana sure ada pihak yang makan dalam bila melihat ending cerita ni. Samaada pihak sekolah mahupun pihak jabatan pendidikan. Serious, memang makan dalam. Tahniah buat pengarah dan penerbit yang berani membawa cerita sebenar kehidupan masyarakat dan pelajar sekolah masa kini ke hadapan. Terima kasih juga pada internet yang membuatkan biarpun cerita ini tidak lepas di’media, tapi masih mampu ditonton oleh kita semua.

http://rapidshare. com/files/ 251222267/ Gadoh.2009. DVDRip.berkongsi .info.part1. rar
http://rapidshare. com/files/ 251225826/ Gadoh.2009. DVDRip.berkongsi .info.part3. rar
http://rapidshare. com/files/ 251226427/ Gadoh.2009. DVDRip.berkongsi .info.part2. rar
http://rapidshare. com/files/ 251217915/ Gadoh.2009. DVDRip.berkongsi .info.part4. rar



Official Website Gadoh: http://www.komas. org/gadoh

http://ohartis. com/2009/ 06/download- gadoh-2009- the-movie- dvdrip/

Buku Stabil Fared Ayam di Pesta Buku Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur 2010

Khabar positif, buku terkini terbitan Oxygen Media iaitu hasil tulisan 1Malaysia :( Fared Ayam berjudul Stabil yang berharga jual RM10 boleh diperolehi di Pesta Buku Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur 2010 yang akan bermula dari Jumaat, 19hb Mac sampai Ahad, 28hb Mac.

Selain buku Ayam, buku, zine, cd dan dvd lain terbitan Oxygen Media, Frinjan dan kawan-kawan turut boleh dicari di sini. Macam biasa apa-apa emel ke frinjan@gmail.com atau telefon/sms 019-308 3804.

kaunter Oxygen Media/Frinjan di Booth B35, PWTC Level 2. peta lokasi di sini,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/habri/lamanseni1.jpg

JUMPA ANDA DI MELAKA

Forum dan sesi soal jawab bersama penulis skrip Gadoh, Moizzis R.Cong. Beliau akan membincangkan isu berkaitan permasalahan perkauman yang diutarakan, sensitiviti serta realiti kebenaran yang cuba dibaiki. Sesi soal jawab akan turut dibuka kepada penonton.

Keterangan lanjut mengenai acara ini, sila layari di sini.




Kemudian, Zahiril Adzim dan Fared Ayam akan menyusul dengan persembahan mereka.

Pelbagai cenderamata dari Rumah Anak Teater dan KOMAS melalui kempen Saya Bangsa Malaysia mereka akan dijual.

Fared Ayam akan juga mempromosikan bukunya, STABIL.


Program ini dianjurkan oleh SISI SENI bersempena dengan Karnival 1Media 1Malaysia bertempat di MITC Melaka.

Keterangan lanjut mengenai program ini, sila layari di sini.

Bukannya RAT yang sudah tukar kerjaya

t


Sewaktu di Pekan Frinjan menikmati persembahan melalui tema Romantikalawanita bersempena dengan Hari Wanita Sedunia, kami disergah dengan tiga gadis dengan sekotak barang.

Apakah? Bukan C4....Tetapi cupcakes (sebut kuih cawan) dengan muka-muka kami termasuk muka yang paling tak hensem, Nam Ron.

Zahiril Adzim seperti biasa mula kan tweetnya.

Fared Ayam menonggeng melihat mukanya di atas kek.

Amerul tunjukkan giginya.

Maya berlagak seperti feminis.

Dira melatah.

Kepada mereka yang berminat memakannya, sila hubungi 017 - 229 0070 (Nurfazlyna Roslan @Lynn/Seri) atau layari http://www.studio-cakes.blogspot.com

And the future belongs to …

Photo to credit Suhaila Sunip

Malaysian Insider

MARCH 4 — The applause was not as robust as I felt it was going to be.

After over an hour of thought-provoking and entertaining theatre, presented by an ensemble that didn’t lack either talent or good looks (a word that’s synonymous for some), I had expected a standing ovation.

“They were still thinking it over,” explained one of the actors half in jest.

Thankfully his day job as a TV soap opera star doesn’t prevent him from involving himself in “serious theatre.”

In fact, the play began with the kind of introduction that’s become a cliché of “serious theatre”: one by one, walking in “slow-mo”, wearing “gravitas” on their faces, the ensemble of 21, takes its place on stage.

But an actor trips, and laughter and sniggers ripple through the cast. Clearly it was intended, and intended primarily to signal to us that our expectations were going to be thwarted throughout the evening.

The play titled “Tanda” was all about signs – intended, unintended, misunderstood and some patently false. It’s a Malay-language play that isn’t primarily about being Malay or Malay society.

Its themes are global (the ecological crisis) and universal (our inner lives and struggles) while very much grounded, in idiom and image, in the local.

On the night that I watched the play, the lobby was crowded with people, mostly young, mostly Malay (this admittedly is a broad category). The producer tells me that their allocation of the cheaper student tickets was over-subscribed for all of the seven shows. He estimates around 1,000 people watched the play, a majority of them college students.

I milled about and asked about the controversy surrounding the production. The controversy had forced the play towards the new Petaling Jaya Live Arts space (in my neighbourhood); far away from the cradle of government-sponsored performances deep in the bosom of Kuala Lumpur.

It was explained in the simplest of terms.

A teacher at one of the sponsoring institutions — a place where many from the production had either graduated from, or were still studying at — had watched a rehearsal and deemed one of the scenes inappropriate. He informed the institution (in his blog, he was called in to explain what he saw).

Consequently the production was locked out of their rehearsal room and institutional support was withdrawn. Later the cast and crew held a protest, the police were called in but the group escaped arrest. Some tensions developed on campus as well as online.

News of this little “cultural” skirmish made its way into the popular Malay-language media and a “kontrovesi” was born. The arts academy denied it “banned” the play but its withdrawal of support is undisputed.

The production then had to move, at some financial cost, to the new venue. But, if you’ll forgive a cliché, controversy is a double-edged sword.

“Hikmah.” A blessing in disguise, said producer Faisal Mustaffa. The production not only broke even but attracted interest for re-staging both locally and abroad.

Returning to the play: the scene that disturbed the academic — henceforth to be referred to as the “orgy scene” — though, having seen it, it neither resembles anything one might see in the movie “Caligula” or even on freely-available MTV.

If you think that the crux of the concern is unbridled expressions of sexuality, it’s not. There is plenty of that around – from the sexualized images of mainstream advertising to, well again, MTV — which everyone can access. But this you can dismiss as “foreign.”

The real concern seems to me is that if Malay artists and audiences come to accept the free, albeit critical, expression of sexuality, Malay society will be transformed irrevocably.

In an interview, who the artistic director of the five plays that make up “Tanda”, is at pains to diffuse the varied perceptions attaching themselves to the purported “orgy scene.” He is clearly aware that people who have not, nor will ever, see the play will no doubt comment on the “scene” all the same.

Nam Ron, who is also founder of Rumah Anak Teater the theatre company that produced the play, is quoted saying:

“One of the themes in this theatre is about the sign of end of days in a religious perspective and the scene is just to portray the destructive culture that our youngsters are having today.”

This rather moralistic interpretation (a defensive strategy perhaps) — with the use of the word “destructive” — does not square with the free-play of meanings that the performance actually expressed.

“Tanda”, at its heart ,is not a simple morality play. (Though in tackling the question of environmental degradation it does come close to a one-dimensional view-point.)

Its maturity comes from precisely the space it creates between images, text and their interpretation.

When an actor speaks the “truth” while standing on his head, you’d be excused if you didn’t accept the literal meaning of the text.

Sometimes the truth expressed through the body outweighs truths that are spoken. Not always, but sometimes.

Good art has always acknowledged, and indeed, celebrated this slip. It plays with it and forces its audience to become critical, as child might learn that others tease and joke. After all we (almost all) learn to tell a joke with a straight face.

The explanation of the academic in question, who some blame for the controversy, is available on his blog.

None of the arguments by the academic are new or fresh. He trots out the notion of “Asian values” (“nilai ketimuran”), Asian society (“masyarakat timur”), the good name of his institution (“nama baik institusi”) and makes little distinction between being and representing (ie. an actor might play at being a corrupt politician, but should never to be mistaken for one).

The academic seems “enthralled” by one pairing, and despite what must have been a 30-second series of actions, he gives what I think is a loving account of their intercourse. He picks this “couple” out from (one wonder why he names the male actor, but not the woman) the larger orgiastic group, which includes depictions of hetero- and homosexual relations, “drowning in sin” (“tenggelam dalam noda dan dosa”).

Boys and girls, boys and boys and girls and girls, he details. But it is in the specific actions of a heterosexual “couple”, which he details with pornographic delight, that everything turns: simulated fellatio and “hip-grinding action.”

“Pelakon wanita mula mengusap tubuh Amirul dan kepalanya turun ke pelvis Amirul dan melakukan gerakan menghisap kemaluan Amirul. Kemudian Amirul merebahkan pelakon wanita itu lalu meraba dan melakukan gerakan ‘penetration’ dan henjutan ke atas tubuh nya (kedua-dua pelvis mereka berlaga, gerakan missionary)… Amirul berbaring dan rakannya duduk di atas pelvis Amirul sambil melakukan henjutan (riding) sehingga menuju ke klimaks.”

God forbid! I said to myself as I read his description. No child should read this (nor are they likely since they are not part of The Malaysian Insider demographic).

And in the true to the spirit of censorship I have also deprived those unfamiliar with Bahasa Malaysia with the pleasure of that extract. However, the words “pelvis”, “riding”, “klimaks” and “missionary” should suffice to conjure a hellish image in your mind’s eye.

At any rate he tells us he did not bore the director of the academy with these details. He said simply said that the scene was “inappropriate”. Such is his personal power.

The academic tells us he was called “stupid” in the academy’s carpark. He also tells us that a scrawl on a website calling into question his apparent “open-mindedness” finally relieved him of his worry. This matter of being “open-minded” is of little concern and he laughed it off.

(“Dan barulah saya tergelak dan tenangkan diri. Ohh rupanya itu tuduhan mereka. Tidak mengapalah bagi saya, semua itu kecil sahaja. Apa saya nak risau dan saya anggap tuduhan itu bukan untuk sayalah.”)

He concludes with a curious reference to the pornographic classic “Deep Throat.” For him it normalised porn and unleashed a wave of enthusiasm for pornography in American society (apparently, many young people there want to become porn stars when they grow up).

And with this he leaves his readers with this clinching argument:

“Kalau hari ini kita menerima perlakuan seks eksplisit sesuai itu di hadapan khalayak, apakah jangkauan kita pada generasi akan datang?”

If you accept depictions of explicit sex in public, what is it going to be for the next generation, he asks.

At this point in time it is clear that he is willing to use his institutional, rather than persuasive, powers to determine the response of the next generation.

The problem for him is that the cast and crew (and perhaps some of those who came to watch, listen and think) are clearly forging their own path and in staging their play, resisting those, like him, who are in power.

Sharaad Kuttan is a journalist currently rummaging about the cultural baggage gifted to us by decades of authoritarian rule.

Kokok Kokak Mencucuk

Buku baru di Frinjan Shah Alam, sabtu ini..

Buku ini akan dilancarkan oleh Zahiril Adzim pada jam 10 malam.

Buku berharga RM10-00 dan sudah mula boleh didapati pada hari pelancaran.




Pengantar oleh Rahmat Haron

Kokok Kokak Mencucuk

(i)

Tanggal 7 haribulan Mac tahun 2008, dalam keseorangan di hentian Puduraya sementara menunggu bas untuk pulang ke kampung membuang undi sempena Pilihan Raya Umum Malaysia yang ke 12, seorang pemuda sempat lagi mencatatkan tentang karenah orang ramai, barangkali dia berasa pelik, hairan atau benci menyampah, dia mengakui pula dirinya macam sampah yang boleh dikitar semula - suatu pancaran sikap murninya yang ingin hidup dengan hasrat menjadi manusia berguna, biarpun hanya sampah - dia menjadi sampah yang boleh dikitar semula. Pemuda tegap ini menaksirkan kota tempat dia tinggal, mungkin dalam bahang panas kehangatan wap hentian Puduraya, bau diesel, asap dan nafas pengap, dia bertanya erti sebuah Kuala Lumpur dalam hubungan indah sejarah hidupnya - mengimbau kenangan, sebuah kampung halaman dan wajah ibu bapanya. Dalam kekeliruan, entahlah barangkali ada terlalu banyak hal dan perkara yang difikir, renung menungkan anak muda ini, dengan raut wajah resah, kening berkerut, dahi meleleh peluh, badan kepanasan, lecah lembap berkeringat dia menulis dengan huruf besar, diakhiri tanda tanya dan tanda seru sekaligus mengakhiri catatan puisinya di hentian Puduraya itu, lambang ikonik Kuala Lumpur, bagi warganya yang asli dan mendatang, dalam kesementaraan, begini dia menyeru tanya - STABIL UNTUK SIAPA?!

Kemudian di bulan Mac juga, tak pasti di mana dia mencatat, yang penting dia menulis puisi yang berakhir dengan jeritan atau kokokan panjang tentang jangan ada sesiapapun mempersoalkan dirinya, kerana dia benar-benar yakin hanya Tuhan saja yang berkuasa semuktamadnya untuk mempersoalkan dirinya. Meskipun begitu, entah apa yang dibuatnya di Dataran Merdeka pada 19 haribulan Mac 2009, dia jadi keliru, barangkali dalam kemurungan atau pengaruh bahan-bahan khayal atau gangguan perasaan, dia bertanya, tidak pasti juga pada siapa dia bertanya - adalah tidak mustahil kalau ini merupakan latihan dialektika untuk mengasah tajam pemikirannya - dan pertanyaannya jelas cuba menggambarkan suatu desakan untuk lari daripada sebuah permasalahan atau kenyataan yang tidak digemarinya, apabila dia mencatat, "sial aku ingin ke ruang vakum, terapung tanpa suara; apakah aku terlalu bodoh dan dungu atau hidup memang seharusnya begini?"

Menista hina dinakan diri sendiri atau meragui diri sendiri adalah suatu gaya atau strategi seni atau di tahap-tahap melampau menjadi kefahaman atau daya gerak atau dorongan tingkah laku yang pada diri orang-orang tertentu, tokoh-tokoh seni atau sastera dunia misalnya, selalu bermain dengan bentuk kesenian dalam jenis menghina diri sendiri. Jikalau ianya suatu permainan atau pertandingan atau perlumbaan, pemenang dipilih bukan berdasarkan siapa yang paling pandai, tetapi siapa yang paling bodoh. Ataupun bukan siapa yang paling mulia melainkan siapa yang paling jahat. Ia memberikan tanda, suatu kiasan atau cerminan tentang kenyataan dan keadaan hidup yang melingkari dirinya. Makanya, dia memilih untuk menghadir wujudkan dirinya dalam gambaran atau pengakuan penuh kehinaan, sebagai menunjukkan bahawa semua orang juga hina sepertinya, tanpa segan laksana gagahnya langkah jaguh ayam sabung di medan laga, dia dengan penuh yakin menulis, "syok sendiri, suka membutohkan diri sendiri."

Persoalan tentang bagaimana membutohkan diri sendiri atau pakai butoh siapa, bolehkah butoh sendiri membutohkan diri sendiri, tidaklah diceritakan dengan panjang lebar dalam siri catatannya yang diletakkan akronim seperti CANGANG untuk Catatan Bangang atau CATAT untuk Catatan Pantat. Gubahan atau rakaman dialog-dialog yang berwatak dan tidak berwatak, menyuguhkan gagasan intelektual dirinya selaku seorang seniman bahawa situasi dan dialog hanyalah dekonstruksi dari realiti dan mengangkat moral dirinya bahawa IDENTITI ADALAH DELUSI.

(ii)

Bagaimanakah menulis sebuah pengantar buku puisi dan catatan berjudul Stabil untuk dirinya seorang seniman bernama Fared Ayam ini? Apakah yang hendak dikenalkan dari nama dan sebuah buku puisi ini? Kenapa aku yang diminta menulisnya pula? Siapa pula aku ini? Aku dalam kata-kata NISTA nya adalah seorang pelahap bangkai merenangi lautan sampah, menangguk rezeki dari kebusukan hidup - belajar menerima hakikat kewujudan sementaraku. Jadi biar betul mamat ni? Nak mintak aku tuliskan sebuah kata pengantar - kata pengantarpun aku dah tak pasti macam mana rupa atau strukturnya - ketidaktentuan melanggar bentuk, memecahkan bingkai makna, takrif dan taksir yang tidak lagi mutlak, tunggal, selagi kita membicarakan tentang kita-kita juga. Kemutlakan hilang. Datang keragaman membawakan berencam rencah rasa suatu kehidupan.

Fared Ayam, manusia ‘provincial’, anak ladang Felda, di 'luar bandar' membesar dengan - lengan yang juga tambah membesar - diajar mengait buah kelapa sawit. Seorang anggota kugiran ‘underground’ L.S.D - sebuah band dengan persembahan ala-ala Jim Morisson atau The Fugs - kemudiannya pada tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini aktif menggiatkan seni persembahan teater dan puisi, lantas Fared Ayam memberi nafas baru berserta ungkapan-ungkapan yang baru juga dalam teater dan puisinya, ternyata kita sedang membaca gema pekikan atau syahdu bisikan suatu suara baru. Suara seorang seniman muda yang berjaya melepaskan dirinya dari lingkaran kebosanan dan kemurungan dan kebanalan kehidupan anak muda di tanah Felda, dengan kegiatan yang tak dapat nak diangkat seperti berkaraoke pada tengahari bulan puasa, atau di tembok duduk bersidai, simpang tiga jalan menjadi ruang pusat kegiatan muda-mudinya. Suara kokokannya adalah suara seorang seniman yang merasai pengalaman pedih sedih dan indah riang politik pembangunan di Malaysia.

Jalan hidup jarang-jarang mencapai titik stabil dalam geometrik jarak di antara dugaan, halangan, sekatan dengan persilangan janji, harapan angan-angan, hasrat perancangan dan cita-cita. Apakah Fared Ayam bakal menjadi ayam laga pemenang sabung, atau ayam semahan atau makanan yang lehernya nanti disembelih untuk hidangan kerakusan? Semoga Fared Ayam tidak menjadi mangsa hikayat yang diciptanya sendiri, dan kalaupun dia menjadi mangsa, kita akan sentiasa mengenangnya sebagai seorang juara laga, melayah sayap melompat menaji kegagalan, mematuk keangkuhan, menelan bisa, merebahkan kesombongan.

Bacalah tanda-tanda yang ada, jangan ambil mudah, tak ambil kisah, memandang sambil lewa, berjaga-jagalah, Fared Ayam telah memberikan amarannya, "kembalikan kesemulajadian atau akan aku mulakan hasutan!"

Mac 2010

taman halaman

Apocalypse: The signs of 'Tanda'

Photo credit Timothy Cheng

Hazlan Zakaria (Malaysiakini)

If the adage about life imitating fiction holds true, then Rumah Anak Teater (RAT) artistic director Shamili Abnan's play 'Tanda', is a dark foretelling of a doomed Malaysia.

In his work, Shamili 39, better known as Nam Ron, reflects on the apocalypse that many claim will occur come the 'galactic alignment' of 2012.

Indeed, the jealousy and institutional constipation that caused it to be staged it at the PJ Live Arts Centre - away from its original venue at the National Arts Academy - is a tale worth telling, another time.

The rest of the article is here.