The Mamak is something quintessentially Malaysian. Of Indian Muslim heritage, the Mamak stall usually serves murtabak, roti canai and nasi kandar, is usually open to the street, and is usually open late or all night. Affordable food, unpretentious atmosphere, and extended opening hours have made them even more popular than Starbucks as a place for Malaysians to hang out with friends and chat.
Big Nose Productions from KL have taken this ubiquitous and familiar scene as the backdrop for their new production, Tales From The Mamak. Ten stories are told in an on-stage Mamak, stories with touch on society’s dilemmas, political intrigue, pious hypocrites, racial ambiguities, pandas & camels and many other typical Malaysian preoccupations. These stories aim to provide powerful insight into the lives of ordinary Malaysian and to inspire other Malaysians to talk about life in Malaysia and Malaysian values. True to life, the stories are told in English, Bahasa, Manglish and a bit of Hokkien and Tamil.
The cast of 18 actors and actresses (Charles Roberts, Kyuu, Prem Varijakzhan, MC Teoh, 3Kupang, Anson Neoh, Prabakaran Anthony, K.Anand, Ida Suhaini, Celine Soosai, Aloyah Bakar, Damien Lem, Lisa Yong, Simran Kaur, Satnam Kaur, Sharmen Balachandran, Malini Nagarajah, and Monica Mohan) come from all walks of life, and include a banker, a lecturer, an editor, a doctor, a teacher, a personal wellness guru, a student and retirees. The youngest member is still at primary school.
Veteran award-winning journalist, R. Nadeswaran – best known for his bi-weekly “Citizen Nades” column, which had a reputation for “telling it as it is”, is scheduled to make special appearances in penangpac’s lobby during Tales from The Mamak. Arguably Malaysia’s foremost, investigative journalist, Nades, who was once called by a former Judge as “the nation’s conscience”, will meet and greet fans fifteen minutes before each show.
The writer and director of Tales From The Mamak, is Fa Abdul, co-founder of Big Nose Productions, and winner of the Boh Cameronian Kakiseni award for her production of Shakespeare Goes Bollywood in 2016 and of many other awards including Mercedes Benz Creative Excellence Award, Festival Director Award, Best Director, Best Script, Best Overall Production and Audience Choice Award.
Performances will be held at penangpac, Straits Quay, on Friday 15th September at 8.30pm, Saturday 16th at 3pm and 8.30pm, and Sunday 17th at 3pm. Tickets cost RM 35 and are are available from the box office at penangpac, or at http://www.ticketpro.com.my/theatre/comedy/2126173-penangpac-Tales-From-The-Mamak.html
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