Saving Kuala Lumpur Through The Story Of Ah Loy
By Ong Yi Lyn
The Story of Ah Loy features 'Ah Loy' as the titular character that would save a dystopian Kuala Lumpur from destruction.
KUALA LUMPUR, 20 NOVEMBER 2018 - The Story of Ah Loy, a street puppet theatre about saving dystopian Kuala Lumpur was recently performed during Urbanscapes 2018.
Presented by MUKA Space and the Malaysian Puppetry Association over three consecutive weekends from 3-18 November, there were 12 shows altogether, with two shows performed each day at 4.30pm and 6.30pm respectively.
Each weekend featured a different location near Urbanscapes House - starting from Segitiga Bersejarah during the first weekend, Medan Pasar during the second and culminating at RIUH River of Life during the third.
Directed by Easee Gan, the story featured “Ah Loy” - a triangular-shaped, patchworked puppet as the titular character who traveled back into the past to save Kuala Lumpur from imminent destruction.
It combined elements of environmental consciousness - growing more plants for a “greener” Kuala Lumpur while proudly displaying Malaysian heritage and culture through iconic buildings, local food and traditional wear on some of the puppets.
The Story of Ah Loy could be said to be an abstract form or modern take of puppet theatre, with the puppeteers themselves sometimes becoming performers and breaking the fourth wall by interacting with the audience.
Paige Chan and Ng Yuan Ci deftly navigated their roles of being both puppeteers and performers for The Story of Ah Loy.
The puppet show started with the puppeteers, Paige Chan and Ng Yuan Ci playing a cheery tune on their ukuleles; their nimble movements and upbeat demeanour commanded the audience attentions.
Both Chan and Ng brought The Story of Ah Loy to live using various types of puppets such as glove, string and rod puppets, as well as miniature sets and props made out of cardboard, felt, cloth and other materials to enhanced the telling of the story.
Although the show did not feature any dialogue, the story was relatively simple to follow and the creative use of dramatic sound effects and upbeat music composed by Lee Yueh Yi added to the experience.
Malaysians would certainly be familiar with the tune of traditional folk song, Chan Mali Chan that was also incorporated within the music.
Another element that made the puppet show stand out were the quirky, blue coloured costumes worn by the performers that were designed by renowned Malaysian couture fashion designer, Beatrice Looi.
Suitable for all ages, the puppet show charmed the hearts of both young and old alike and many were seen watching the show attentively and laughing along during the more lighthearted moments.
The Story of Ah Loy is supported by ACX Productions, Beatrice Looi, Dominant Music Studio, Maroon Art & Design, PuppetKu's Theatre and The Actors Studio.
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