The Malay Mail
5th June 2005

THE Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) in Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh, which opened on May 25 for performance, marks another milestone in the history of local performing arts.

For one, it is a dream come true for theatre entrepreneurs Joe Hasham and wife Faridah Merican who have for years wished for a full-fledged performing arts centre in the city where stagecraft as well its appreciation could be taught.

KLPAC is a performing arts centre with state-of-the-art facilities for staging theatre works.

It also serves as an academy with studios for training acting talents and holding workshops.

Converted from a railway warehouse, at a cost of more than RM20 million, KLPAC is built on land owned by YTL Corp.

The corporate entity, under Tan Sri Datuk Francis Yeoh, also lent its expertise in designing and building the centre. Indeed, YTL Corp has been in the forefront where the promotion of local arts is concerned.

Joe and Faridah, of The Actors Studio, serve as the creative director and executive producer, respectively.

Yayasan Budi Penyayang is the other partner in this novel gesture to bring Malaysian performance arts to greater height.

KLPAC scores high in aesthetics when viewed from the outside. It sits snugly on a sprawling lawn – it used to be a golf field – with a little lake by the side. When the breeze blows, the scenery would make one’s heart flutter.

Trees, both old and new, (some newer transplanted trees are still without leaves) could be seen in strategic areas around the buildings.

Into its foyer, one is immediately struck by its simple bistro towards the right, with comfortable-looking chairs and tables.

The people at the KLPAC feel that a food-and-beverage place is needed for theatre people. It lends a more relaxed and jovial atmosphere to the place.

Furthermore, it is usually over the table that the most important ideas are born.

The bistro extends to the outside, with tables and chairs on cemented flooring. An area near here is marked for traditional performances such as the wayang kulit or mak yong.

To the left of the foyer is a glassed section for set construction. Patrons of KLPAC will be able to view designers and craftsmen working on their props and backdrops.

The transparent walls are created to give that accessible feeling between theatre goers and the centre, explained Joe.

“We want people coming here to feel that KLPAC and the community is close, as close as they can see,” he told the Press during a recent familiarisation tour.

The man has high hopes for KLPAC.

“I really want to make the new centre a haven for performing arts,” he said.

He wants the whole place to be abuzz with performances all the time!

The main theatre, or Pentas 1, is a proscenium theatre with 508 varied, refreshing colours such as blue, yellow and orange.

Most of the major performances will be staged here.

The second theatre, or Pentas 2, with 200 seats, is more for off-the-beaten track experimental performances.

Both theatres have flexible and movable rigging systems to enable companies to make as much use of theatre areas for their works as possible.

“The ideas are borrowed from Japan,” said Joe.

Near to the main theatre is a green room for actors and actresses to wait for their cues in a cosy atmosphere.

KLPAC is planned to ensure patrons get the best of the performing arts experience.

To illustrate, the Press, on the familiarisation tour, was led from one enclave to another until the entire KLPAC was explored.

It was so big that it became hard to remember all the rooms in the four-level centre.

Basically, there are 10 studios for rehearsals, training and workshops. Each is named after a prominent theatre personality.

They are P. Ramlee, Leslie Dawson, Bosco D’Cruz, Mustapha Noor, Lim Beng Choon, Krishen Jit, Khatijah Awang, Usman Awang, Ismail Zain, Pak Hamzah and Gopal Shetty.

There is even a room specially for children to gather and have fun when they are not training.

A resource centre filled with the latest books concerning stagecraft is also found on the ground floor.

As the centre would also conduct regular workshops for those interested in the appreciation of theatre art, there are also special rooms set aside for this purpose.

Any foreign group performing at the theatre is also provided with a special office for its administrative functions.

Besides these, the centre has Internet facilities, an IndiCine (a 100-seater studio for independent films), merchandise shops, pre-function foyers (exhibitions, displays, etc), wardrobe room, laundry room, conference room and VIP room, among others.

Game for the “real” Malaysian theatre experience? Head for the KLPAC for the following performances:

• June: French Arts Festival, Mew and her Muses
• July: MDF 2005 (dance), Jalan Impian (Musical), Remembering Krishen, Road to Mecca (Drama), Night, Mother(Drama)
• August: Piano Fest (Music), Romi and Juli (Musical/Comedy), Animal Farm (Drama), En-Body-Men (Dance)

For more information, call (03) 4047-9010.

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