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Farewell My Concubine!

August 5, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Farewell My Concubine! is a famous Chinese Peking opera which is set at the end of the Qin Dynasty. The ruling emperor during that time, Emperor Er-shi, has lost control of his nation. The people who have been oppressed for a long time, senses his vulnerability and has joined forces with the rebels against this evil ruler. In this time of chaos, a few individuals have taken the opportunity to try to win the nation for themselves. Among these individuals are two great military leaders: Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, and Liu Bang, the King of Han.

While engaging in a crucial battle with Liu Bang, Xiang Yu found himself caught in a dire situation. With supplies running dangerously low for his troops, the team is further demotivated when they hear their native song being sung by the enemies that are surrounding them. They become convinced that their homeland has been occupied and their fellow countrymen have joined sides with Liu Bang. Feeling that his end is near, Xiang Yu beckons to his favourite concubine, Yu Ji and drinks with her for the last time. Yu Ji performs one last dance for him before committing suicide. Filled with grief, Xiang Yu fights down to the very last man before taking his own life.

Leslie Cheung

The late Leslie Cheung played the role of a Beijing opera star, Cheng Dieyi. The film was awarded the highest prize during the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d’Or.

This well-loved Chinese classic will be performed at The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 by Lee Wushu Art Workshop. Yu Ji’s passion and her undying love for Xiang Yu has greatly inspired Lee Swee Seng, the choreographer for this production. Lee is the founder of this arts theatre as well as the company’s Wushu director. Lee has been in this field for the last 15 years. Himself a winner of numerous tournaments and other titles, Lee soon realised that he should not be limited by martial arts and chose to expand his talent into dancing and Chinese opera. He later introduced integrated elements of all sorts into his Wushu arts theatre.

Farewell My Concubine! is scheduled to perform at The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 on the 26th till 28th August 2011. Tickets are priced at RM 35 for adults and RM 23 for student and disabled. Below are the performance time:

26th August 2011 @ 8.30 pm
27th August 2011 @ 3.00 pm and 8.30 pm
28th August 2011 @ 3.00 pm

For more information, please call 03 2142 2009 / 2143 2009 or log on to http://www.theactorsstudio.com.my/

Photos (c) d’n’c, Albeniz1981

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Masters of Horrorwood at Sunway Lagoon

August 11, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Horror films are definitely not made for the faint-hearted. Though some of the monsters that make up the integral part of the story are not physically horrible looking, more often than not it is the symbolic representation of that monster that scares the audience. In the period between late 1800s and the early 1900s, horror films were mostly based on classic literature of the gothic/horror genre such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. However, with the passing of time the definition of a horror film has changed. What was once considered as horror may now be categorised as thrillers, reserving the term ‘horror’ for movies that display more gore, jump scenes and scares or supernatural content.

Bela Lugosi

Bela Lugosi was best known for playing Count Dracula in the Broadway production of Dracula

Many may remember the classic monsters like Frankenstein or Nosferatu, also known as Dracula, which undoubtedly became the source of many people’s nightmares in the early days. Back then, horror films relied more on employing scare tactics using monsters of all types to give its viewers the thrill that they seek in a horror movie. Many of these monsters became the iconic Universal monsters that we have come to know today. Since the 2000s, a recurring trend is the choice of using psychology to scare movie-goers, instead of real monsters. Shows like The Others, starring Nicole Kidman and Insidious, starring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne have proven that one does not need scary monsters to provide the chills to the audience.

Frankenstein

Boris Karloff was best remembered for his portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster

Though the current horror movies have evolved to become much more than just slasher and gore films, it is those very films that still remain a huge favourite among fans of horror movie. Films like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and Halloween are so influential that many movies have parodied scenes from them over the years. There are even Halloween costumes designed after horror figures like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. If aliens, zombies and creepy dolls are your favourite thing, then make sure you head on to Sunway Lagoon’s Scream Park to catch their upcoming addition, the Horrorwood Studios. Would you like to know more about Horrorwood Studios? Then keep your eyes posted for more information here on Malaysia.com.

Photos (c) hytam2, twm1340

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Weissbrau @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

August 11, 2011 at 5:07 pm

Weissbrau, literally meaning White Brew, is a tribute to great German cuisine. Located at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the outlet is tucked into a corner of the mall’s Connection area and is very popular with KL-lites. It exudes a casual atmosphere, and offers an alfresco dining experience with a lovely view of the mall’s most popular walkway.

Weissbrau @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Weissbrau at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

The Pavilion Kuala Lumpur outlet is Weissbrau’s first in Malaysia and offers Malaysians an authentic introduction to German cuisine. Weissbrau’s menu offers a wide range of German delights that were selected by Master Chef Pascal Schnyder, including sandwiches and burgers, gourmet sausages, salads and soups, as well as a traditional German favourite, the Alsatian Flammkuchen.

Weissbrau Menu

The various dishes displayed on the extensive menu

For those unfamiliar to this dish, think of it as a very thin circular crepe masquerading as an Italian pizza. Choose either the Original, with sour cream and roasted onions or the Italian Touch, with a touch of tomato flavour, baked with mozzarella cheese on top. All Weissbrau’s flammkuchen come with a variety of toppings, from the more traditional ingredients like mushroom, bacon, honey ham and parma ham, to more exciting flavours such as smoked salmon, seafood and even light curried chicken! Do not fret if you cannot decide on what toppings you want, as you can get order one that offers all toppings in one flammkuchen.

Alsatian Flammkuchen

The delicious Alsatian Flammkuchen. Pizza lovers will fall in love with this creation!

Bavarian Bacon and Cheese

The Bavarian Bacon and Cheese burger of Weissbrau. Each bite is heavenly!

All Weissbrau’s burgers are pork burgers, and taste absolutely lovely! The homemade pork patty is succulent and juicy, which is great as most burgers tend to be a bit dry. The remaining ingredients that accompany the patty in the burger complements the meat, ensuring that each scrumptious bite will be savoured and remembered. Weissbrau offers three types of burgers, the Bavarian Bacon Cheese, the Swiss Mushroom Cheese and the Frankfurt Meister.

Weissbrau Pork Burgers

Some fries to go along with the lovely Weissbrau pork burger

No German food experience would be complete without sausages, and Weissbrau offers some great sausages, both local and imported. Beginners should start with the classic all pork Frankfurter and explore other varieties like the Smoked Garlic Sausage and the Emmentaler, a pork and emmental cheese mix. Mixed meat sausages include the Schwiez Cervela – ground beef and pork, wrapped with bacon and cheese, and the Veal Bratwurst – pork with veal. The biggest sausage that Weissbrau has to offer is the Schublig, made of beef and pork, which is lightly smoked. Most patrons, especially those in groups, favour the sausage combo as a shared appetiser before starting on their main course.

Combo Sausage Platter

The various sausages offered by Weissbrau

While classic German fare featuring pork like Crispy German Pork Knuckle, pork ribs and schnitzels (fried breadcrumb coated porkloin) are popular at Weissbrau, the outlet offers other European delights such as beef lasagne, hungarian beef goulash, Australian rib eye and even chicken cordon bleu. Most of the main dishes are served with various side dishes, including the French inspired rosti, shredded potato strips pan-fried in clarified butter, and sauerkraut.

Weissbrau Pork Knuckle

The main course, Crispy German Pork Knuckle. The dish comes with some rosti and sauerkraut

Like any true German restaurant, Weissbrau offers an extensive selection of beer, including local favourites Carlsberg and Hoegaarden. But what sets Weissbrau apart from the rest would be the availability of specialty beers, including Schneider Weisse’s line of wheat beer. Our visit to Weissbrau @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur coincided with the launch of Schneider Weisse’s beer at Weissbrau, so we had the opportunity to sample an old German tradition. Weissbrau now offers three types of Schneider Weisse beers – the Unser Original, Mein Kristall and the Meine blonde Weisse. The Unser Original is brewed to the original recipe of Georg Schneider,the brewery founder of 1872, after he acquired the rights to brew wheat beer from King Ludwig II. Mein Kristall is the lightest of the three beers, and is a perfect companion for light dishes, while Meine blonde Weisse strikes a balance between the other two beers, and possesses a refreshing and soothing flavour.

Schneider Weisse Beers

The Schneider Weisse beers (left to right) – Mein Kristall, Meine blonde Weisse, Unser Original

If you have an evening to spare and enjoy beer and pork, we definitely would recommend that you check out Weissbrau @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur!

Weissbrau at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Interior

The cosy and elegant interior of Weissbrau @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

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World’s Best Movies

August 12, 2011 at 2:00 pm

It is that time again for fans of international films to keep a date or two free in their appointment books, for The Actor’s Studio will be screening two classic films come 15th and 16th August 2011. The screening of these movies will be held at the Indicine theatre located at Level 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre at Sentul Park. The movies that have been selected for viewing are as below:

The Hunter (2010) (Showing on Monday, 15th August 2011 at 8.30 pm)
Running time: Approximately 88 minutes
Iran/Germany film, Colour
Directed by Rafi Pitts
Story:
The Hunter, a thriller starring writer/director Rafi Pitts tells the story of an ex jailbird, Ali. Recently released from prison, Ali is forced to take on a lowly paid job as a night shift security guard, which robs him of quality time spent with his wife and daughter. After discovering that they were accidentally killed in a shooting during a political demonstration, Ali exacts his revenge by shooting at a random police car that was passing by. He finds himself being pursued by two policemen and escapes into the woods. The three men soon find themselves lost in the woods, and Ali must now find a way to escape this relentless manhunt in order to survive. The movie received a good mix of reviews, with some claiming that its minimalistic dialog approach making the movie rather dull, while others felt that Pitts have managed to strike a lingering note among the audience with this movie. The movie was co-produced by Iran and Germany and is loosely based on events that happened during the 2008 government protests in Tehran.

The Hunter (2010)

The Hunter (2010)

The White Balloon (1995) (Showing on Tuesday, 16th August 2011 at 8.30 pm)
Running Time: Approximately 81 minutes
Iran film, Colour
Directed by Jafar Panahi
Story:
It is the eve of the Iranian New Year, and soon all the shops in the market will close for the holidays. We see a little girl and her mother hurrying through the market place, trying to get all the necessary shopping done before closing time. A fat goldfish with elaborate fins catches Razieh, a seven-year-old’s eye and she immediately has her heart set on buying that fish. She desperately pleads with her mother, up to the point of nagging to buy the fish. Her mother refuses, saying that the money is better off spent buying necessities, and even her brother sneers at her, saying that with that kind of money, he could go for movies twice.

Ultimately, Razieh’s persistence wins and with the help of her brother Ali, (whom she had promised to bribe him with a white balloon), they head to the market to buy the fish with a 500-toman banknote in her hands. In the marketplace, she gets side-tracked by two snake charmers who tries to con her out of her money. She drops the money in a cellar grate and is determined to retrieve the money. Here we see a variety of characters who offers to help her – a shopkeeper that does not want to be bothered, an old lady who helps Razieh retrace her steps to where the note fell, a young soldier who tells lies to gain the girl’s confidence and a balloon seller who helps her retrieve the money.

The White Balloon is an engaging story that does not need to rely heavily on a plot to succeed, simply because the actress, Aida Mohammadkhani, is such an endearing character. We see the story unfold through the eyes of a seven-year-old, where her views of a person are taken at face value. The story has won numerous awards in international film fairs including the Prix de la Camera d’Or at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival and was listed as one of the 50 best family films of all time by The Guardian. The movie will be screened in Persian with English subtitles.

The White Balloon (1995)

The White Balloon (1995)

All tickets for watching the movies can be purchased by donation. For more information, log on to The Actors Studio’s website or call 03 2142 2009 / 2143 2009 for The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 or 03 4047 9000 for klpac @ Sentul Park.

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Durian Fest @ KL Tower and Telekom Museum

August 13, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Durians are very much an acquired taste. Either you love it, or you hate it. And much to the chagrin of durian ‘haters’, the average Malaysian loves durian. For those of you who do not know what a durian is, it is a seasonal fruit that grows in tropical climes, especially in the South East Asian region.

The spiky exterior of durians form a natural protection for the fruit.

Why the fuss about durians? Firstly because of its shape, which is covered in spikes, much like the business end of a morning star. But durians are also known for its scent, which to some, smells like animal droppings, and to others, brings the promise of a much enjoyed treat.

To love it or to hate it? That is the question.

Most Malaysians, as has been mentioned, love durians so much that durian season is a highly anticipated ocassion. This local delicacy is much sought after, and certain types, those with a particular creamy taste and texture, are highly prized. Some of these durians can fetch up to RM20-RM30 a kilo, spikes and all. Which puts those durians out of reach for your typical Malaysian. Or does it?

A FAMA official stacking up the durians at the Durian Fest at Kuala Lumpur Tower.

Thanks to a collaboration between Kuala Lumpur Tower, Telekom Museum and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), durian lovers can enjoy as much durian as they want at a bargain price during the annual durian season. For a number of days every year during the durian season, Kuala Lumpur Tower and Telekom Museum organise the annual Durian Fest with the assistance of FAMA in order to share in the celebration of the King of Fruits. The Durian Fest takes place at the Kuala Lumpur Tower and Telekom Museum yearly, and not only offers the King of Fruits but also other Malaysian fruits, including mangosteen, rambutan and cempedak. The highlight of this annual event is, of course, the all you can eat durian buffet. Although the dining area is pretty basic, most durian lovers do not seem to mind as they tuck into this delightful delicacy. The 2011 edition of the Durian Fest offered the buffet at only RM20 per adult, and included other fruits like mangosteen and rambutan on top of the free flow of durians.

Several cempedak lying side by side. The Durian Fest also offers other Malaysian fruits, including cempedak, rambutan and mangosteen.

The Durian Fest is the perfect opportunity for any adventurous visitors to get a real taste of the various fruits that Malaysia has to offer. Mind you, the King of Fruits, like all royalty, might be a bit too much to handle for those unaccustomed to it. But whether you like it or hate it, no visit to Malaysia would be complete without an audience with the famed King of Fruits!

An ice sculpture that contained a durian that was used during the launch of the Durian Fest of 2011.

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