gold rain and hailstones

Photos from Gold Rain & Hailstones 2006

2006-09-14T03:13:00.000+08:00

Here are some photos from the show! Thanks to Utusan photographer for allowing us to use them. Photos show Jit and Lin in various characters... more to come!

ONLY FOUR SHOWS LEFT! DON'T MISS IT!

MID-WEEK SPECIALS

2006-09-10T03:50:00.000+08:00

TUESDAY 12TH/WEDNESDAY13TH/THURSDAY14TH
MID-WEEK SPECIAL
EVERY TICKET IS 50% OFF (not including the RM2 KLPAC ticketing charge)

Come and enjoy GOLD RAIN & HAILSTONES

Call 03.4047.9000 (KLPAC) or 03.2094.9400 (TAS@BSC) for tickets!!!

Starring Jit Murad & Lin Jaafar
Directed by Zahim Albakri

The Show...

2006-09-10T03:46:00.000+08:00

Its been a great show - we are all having a wonderful time. The play seems to really inspire people - we have seen quite a few repeats. Thank you to those of you who have come - we appreciate your support of Dramalab and of Malaysian theatre!

Here are a few very shakey photos taken during the dress rehearsal - better ones will be posted tomorrow (promise!)

Please come and experience Gold Rain & Hailstones with us!

Our bump in...

2006-09-10T03:27:00.000+08:00

Havent posted for a while - the show is in full swing! Here are some pics of our bump in ... so you can see the people (and things) behind the show.

Jit and Lin wait backstage while all the technicians prepare the lights, sound and projection.

Backstage is where all the lights are stored when not in use

Mac Chan climbs to the gods (with a bit of help) to adjust a light.

You probably dont know this, but Sidney Tan sits backstage on his computer during the entire show, and runs the graphic projections (he hand rendered them).

More Gold Rain

2006-09-05T18:50:00.000+08:00

By RUBIN KHOO

THIRTEEN years ago, the then budding theatre personalities Jit Murad and Zahim Albakri left the highly successful Instant Cafe Theatre to set up Dramalab. The company, which was made up of just the two, was to have a different direction. Their aim was to focus on local original works.

Its very first production, Gold Rain & Hailstones written by Jit, went to receive numerous accolades. Since then, of course, there have been many others including Visits, the award-winning Split Gravy on Rice, A Flight Delayed and last year’s Separation 40, staged in collaboration with Singapore’s The Necessary Stage.
Dramalab will kick off its latest production by revisting Gold Rain & Hailstones, starring Jit Murad and Lin Jaafar.

Despite these successes and although it is made up of two of theatre’s most prominent individuals, Dramalab has always been low key compared with its counterparts The Actors Studio and The Five Arts Centre.

But the company is ready to consolidate its position with its latest production A Season of Origins and Originals, which will feature a mixture of old plays and new writings.

“We (Dramalab) have been very low profile but if you look at our resume, it is pretty impressive,” says Jit Murad during a recent interview. “So it’s about restating our mission statement, which is about nurturing and creating indigenous works only.”

What better to kick off the season than with the production that started it all? Gold Rain was written 13 years ago.

Having returned from the United States a couple of years earlier, Jit, like many others who had returned from studying abroad, was searching for his niche in the world and adjusting to life in Malaysia after being away for a significant amount of time.

The play, which centred around four best friends who studied in America who returned home, played to packed houses when it was first staged as well as when it was restaged in 1998.

But more than a decade has passed since it was first written and the question is: do the same issues still apply?
The play begins with Aminah (Amy) – a Malay woman who has been in the States for 10 years – returning to Kuala Lumpur. With her return, her friends Man, Nina and Jay start reminiscing about experiences and how their lives have changed since they returned.

“It’s a young person’s play,” says Jit. “The contents are very callow. It’s about identity, acceptance and to be honest, though, I don’t feel like that anymore.”

“However, there are many who are still searching for their identity,” says actress Lin Jaafar.

Jit and Lin who also played the characters in the previous two stagings reprise the multiple roles. The characters are young and while the actors now are a lot more experienced, stepping into the role once again doesn’t seem to be a problem.

“We know more so we are finding deeper observations of the character,” says Jit, “but the thing is not to play them with our knowledge. We’ve got to be just as naive and young.”

Lin who is back from Hong Kong for the play says: “I didn’t realise how much I missed my characters.

“They are wonderful and they speak in such clear voices. This is one of Jit’s talents as a writer.

“Some writers tend to write for their characters the way they speak, but here the characters speak in their own voices and it comes across very clearly.”

While Lin loves playing her characters Amy and Nina, she admits that she doesn’t really identify with either of them. She could never be as fearless as Amy and she’s certainly not the conservative Nina. “I would say I am a composite of all these characters, even the male ones.”

Even as a young playwright, Jit knew that when writing, he wasn’t interested in creating characters that were one-dimensional.

“I like characters that are like us – contradictory and ambiguous – think they know all the answers but actually don’t.”

Gold Rain was originally staged at The British Council and then restaged at The Actors Studio in Dataran Merdeka. This time around it will take place at the plush KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPac).

The venue has allowed director Zahim to present the production with a fresh perspective, using graphic animation from Sydney Tan and Crystal Woo, as well as sound design by Two AM Music Studios and lighting by Mac Chan.

“This time around we have a fuller budget and access to more trained theatre people. It enables us to create a different experience for those who have enjoyed the play before and a more highly technical and professional show for those who are seeing it for the first time,” he says.

Gold Rain & Hailstones takes place at Pentas 1, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) from Sept 7-17. Showtime is 8.30pm with 3pm matinee on Sunday. Tickets are priced at RM92, RM72 and RM52 and are available at 03-4047 9000. There are also ticket promotions available. For further info, visit goldrainhailstones.blogspot.com.

Bump In

2006-09-04T16:54:00.000+08:00

We have bumped into KLPAC Pentas 1 today. The stage is pretty much set (THANK YOU to Enfiniti Productions for assisting us with the projector and to Paul Hasham for building the arch).

Actors are rehearsing at the theatre, and production people are busy chasing cats, trying to sort out the innumerable details of a major production like this.

Will try and post photographs tomorrow!

For those of you coming to watch the show, here is a map on how to get to KLPAC:

http://www.klpac.com/Welcome.asp?c=venuelocation

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Last few rehearsals...

2006-09-02T22:57:00.000+08:00

We have been having our last few rehearsals at the Dramalab studios. Jit and Lin are going through run-throughs of the play. Lots of people have been watching - Zahim and Zalfian (Director and Assistant Director), Pia (Producer), Wyn (Production Manager), Mac (Lighting Designer), Crystal (Costume/Production Designer), Pat (Stage Manager) and Hamidon (Assistant SM). Clothing and props are almost set - its fun to see Jit and Lin try on different things, and transform. Its going to be interesting to watch on stage - its all about quick changes, and morphing into different characters. What a fascinating process! And our furniture arrived from Fiske yesterday - absolutely gorgeous! Thank you Fareed. Make up session with MAC artist has been done, and we only have a few more bits and pieces to put together. Bump-in starts on Monday - we are going into the big theatre at KLPAC - lights have to be rigged and plotted, the arch and backscreen have to be set up, the projector (for the animation and graphics) has to be installed, and once all that happens, we have to go through technical and dress rehearsals! And then ... Thursday night, Opening Night! We will fill you in as the project goes on, and hopefully take some pictures of the actual bump-in.

Dont forget to get tickets now! Some of our special discount offers still apply - Senior Citizens, Students and Astro Subscribers get substantial discounts. Please call KLPAC at 4047.9000 or Actors Studio at Bangsar Shopping Centre at 02.2094.9400 for tickets. You can pick up tickets at either KLPAC or Bangsar Shopping Centre!

Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Sound and Music

2006-08-29T10:19:00.000+08:00

Stella and I just did a soundcheck at KLPAC yesterday. We've since made our notes and changes, and things are starting to form a whole now, rather than individual sound clips and songs.

Recorded dialogue with Jit and Lin last Friday, and it was absolutely hilarious to see (and hear) the two acting out cheesy movie scenes from The Bamboo House of Dolls and Hati Wanita. In case you didn't know, ALL the off-stage dialogue is also acted out by the two, which, in my eyes, is quite appropriate.

It's all looking and sounding quite nice.

flying ideas

2006-08-24T01:19:00.000+08:00

some ideas for the set, sketched by Sidney Tan

Gold Rain & Hailstones Photos

2006-08-16T13:38:00.000+08:00

These are the latest production photographs from Gold Rain & Hailstones... The first photo is of Jit and Lin in their four major roles in the play (from left to right) ... Jay, Amy, Azman and Nina. Amazing how one piece of clothing, and some really good acting can change a person into a totally different character, eh? The second photo is of Jit and Lin. Love this photo because you can really see the sayang, and the trust between the two. This is critical for their ability to do such a challenging piece such as Gold Rain ... they really have to have a synergy and trust to morph between the multiple characters. All photographs were taken by the talented Pang Khee Teik, and are copyright Dramalab. If you use them, please credit, and link back to our blog! Thanks.

Creative Consultations...

2006-08-15T23:03:00.000+08:00

Crystal, Mac and Sidney deep in consultation (about GR&H, we hope!) at La Bodega Lounge, upstairs from La Bodega Deli, during our Press Conference. La Bodega sponsored the PC (thank you so much!)... and the brain trust of our creative team were obviously deep into the process ... Working soooo intensely lah! Cant wait to see what you all come up with! :P

First Day of Rehearsals

2006-08-15T22:54:00.000+08:00

First day of rehearsals... Zahim arrived from PGLM, and it was wonderful to see Jit and Lin back together again. They did a read-through of the play...finding the cadences and characters, recognising places where the script had not recorded changes or hadnt kept lines of dialogue. It was great to watch. Took a few pictures which are included here. The rehearsal took place at the studio in Taman Tun Dr Ismail which Dramalab shares with Five Arts Centre. The studio, and our offices are supported by Astro (thank you!) ... and as you can see, its great to have a space where we can work and act, and create theatre. The second picture is taken against the mirror, and shows Jit and Lin doing the read through, and Zahim watching. Will be posting production pictures soon!

Tickets are onsale now ... and DISCOUNTS are available until September 1, 2006. Get yours soon!

Creative Team Meeting

2006-08-15T19:34:00.000+08:00

We have just started rehearsals ... Very exciting (images to be posted soon) ... but first, thought it would be cool to showcase some of the behind the scenes genius that makes a production come to fruition. Here is Mac (lighting designer) and Wyn (Production Manager) as well as Sidney and Crystal (production designer and graphic animators). These photos were taken at a Japanese restaurant during a production meeting. We have decided on the layout of the show, as well as some of the animation. Fiske ... the MOST amazing furniture store on earth ... has agreed to loan us furniture. Things are moving ... and its all exciting!

The day we start rehearsing.

2006-08-09T03:13:00.000+08:00

We have entered the month of August now, we started the month with full excitement.
First thing, of course is to get paid, but the first thing for the production is the ARRIVAL of Lin Jaafar.
I've never meet Lin before, somehow by reading her email I imagine that she has a fun and hip personality. True enough when we finally met on Sunday night, we just start having conversation without any usual 'warm up' process that we usually need when meeting strangers. To me is a good sign. It's because this production brings people together, this is a reunion of Jit, Lin, Zahin and Pia and more. YUM SING!

Today, oh, it was yesterday now, is our BIG day!
REHEARSAL HAS STARTED!
Jit, Lin and Zahim and friends next door (Pesona Pictures family) spent some time catching up, I can't help it but was affected by their excitement. Then Jit and Lin started script reading, wow. It is amazing to watch, so much privity, so good to feel old friends together. I am curious how Lin felt about reading the script again, after years? Is it like meeting long lost old friend?

In the evening.
Our PHOTOGRAPHER - savior of the day - Pang Khee Teik. Pang help us for the photoshoot and did a great job for us, thank you Pang.
The photo shoot session was fun. Lin loves her make up, Jit was having his burger and telling joke to her while she was shooting, the joke was hilarous, we laugh so hard. Zahim had his hair cut before the shoot, and Pia has her nice peace color blouse for the shoot and before the minute Pia was leaving, Pang spot her and asked her to take some more shots in her usual black outfit with her 'changgih' sunglasses & coolest handbag and an waxed paper umbrella and....
Hey, how come she turn up having the best photos? (hahaha)
We did have some fun and should keep it!

Our flier from G&H

2006-08-08T02:46:00.000+08:00

This is the flier designed by Bright Lights at Midnight - Fahmi and his brother...It reflects the iconic nature of the production. We are really beginning to rev up - Lin has arrived, and rehearsals start today (Tuesday). Pang is doing a photoshoot...and our Press Conference is on Friday (thank you La Bodega!)...

Ticket Promotions

2006-08-03T15:58:00.000+08:00

Early Bird Specials - Purchase your tickets by September 1, 2006

Groups of 10 or more - 20% discount

Buy 5 tickets, get 1 free

_______________________________________________________

Student and Senior Citizen Discounts - 50% with presentation of a valid ID
LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE - Please purchase early to ensure discount

_______________________________________________________

ASTRO Subscribers
Please present your JULY Astro Bill at the ticket office and receive a 10% discount on tickets.

Please note that you may only take advantage of one promotion at a time.

We look forward to seeing you at Gold Rain & Hailstones!

brainstorming...

2006-08-02T16:15:00.000+08:00

After our creative meeting on Saturday afternoon, at the evening meeting a KLCC, Sidney & Crystal has an interesting idea of tictactoe with outlines of different icon as our creative theme. I like this sketch myself.

Creative Meeting

2006-07-29T23:14:00.000+08:00

Saturdays are our Creative meeting days ... we go through all the various elements of the creative side of the production. Today Fahmi showed us the poster and flier ideas, we met the 2am team who will be doing sound for us, and talked further with Mac, Sid and Crystal re the staging and design. After meeting this afternoon, and continuing the meeting over dinner at KLCC, we have hopefully gotten some of the set design sorted out... Its looking really cool! Beautiful images, clean lines, iconic furniture and props ... nothing too overwhelming, but at the same time, layering the production values and adding to whats already there!

Lin comes on Friday... And rehearsals start on the 8th! Wow.... Its all moving so fast!

2006-07-28T15:55:00.000+08:00

presents

GOLD RAIN AND HAILSTONES

written by Jit Murad
directed by Zahim Albakri
produced by Pia Zain

played by Jit Murad & Lin Jaafar

SHOW TIME

7th ~ 17th September 2006
8.30pm
3pm (sunday matinee)
*no show on Monday.

Pentas 1, KLPAC.

RM92, 72, 52.

Tickets call ~ KLPAC - 603- 4047 9000/
TAS@BSC - 603- 2094 9400

If you need further information please contact us at:
Dramalab office: +603 7725 3802 or info@dramalab.com.my
Visit www.dramalab.com.my for full details.

2006-07-26T23:58:00.000+08:00

here are some references we've been looking at. Gotta love dat pose! --sid&crystal

2006-07-24T23:17:00.000+08:00

Jit, Jit, Jit...

"Jit Murad is a genuine humourist, a master of the internal clock of comic timing." New Straits Times, Nov 1998

2006-07-24T21:32:00.000+08:00

"Poignant (at times), funny (the rest) and bloody clever (all of it), Gold Rain is the best play I've seen this year." Day & Night, Aug 1998

Jit and Lin

2006-07-24T21:04:00.000+08:00

Jit and Lin in 1998

2006-07-24T20:57:00.000+08:00

Jit in Gold Rain & Hailstones 1998

2006-07-20T00:55:00.000+08:00

Its interesting how much research goes into a production. Recently, we have been trying to figure out what happened in Malaysia during 1993, when GR&H was first performed, and when the play is actually set...

Here are some interesting links we came up with:

Wikipedia does a great synopsis of every year...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993

Some guys who travelled to Malaysia in 1993 and posted their photos - check out the cars!
http://www.traveller.org/malaysia/1993/index.html

Britannica gets specific - what happened in Malaysia in 1993!
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9115186

2006-07-16T18:29:00.000+08:00

Yesterday we had a great creative production meeting. Mo, our intern, presented his research of music and icons from the 80's. It was a wild trip down memory lane ... Remember Moonlighting, Remington Steele, and Scarecrow and Mrs. King? How about Wham!, Madonna's Like a Virgin, or the Talking Heads? Heh. We had some great presentations from the creative teams as well - Crystal and Sidney gave us some brilliant ideas about the projection and images, and Fahmi talked about the graphics for posters and fliers. I think the key word for this production is iconic ... and I love that concept because it talks about memory and enables people to imput their own memory into the process.

This next week is all about sponsorship and bringing the disparate elements of the production together into one working whole. Wish us luck ;)

2006-07-16T18:17:00.000+08:00

Dramalab is pleased to present Jit Murad's iconic Gold Rain & Hailstones. This funny, moving and illuminating story is about four friends who return home from university in America, and charts their individual processes of adjusting to life back home in Malaysia. Jit Murad and Lin Jaafar reprise their roles - playing 33 different characters between them.

Gold Rain & Hailstones will be presented at KLPAC from September 7 - 17th 2006. Please join us for a journey back into time ... when we were young, and hopeful.

This blog will trace the journey of the production - and we hope that you ask questions, and pop back often for a look at what each cast and crew member feels about this important production.

Thanks for visiting!