Festival Highlight
Causes
Kids
Bird Call
Day 1: 1.00 pm - 1:30 pm
Day 2: 1.00 pm - 1:30 pm
Kids Tent
“We believe this is a first-of-its-kind live puppetry performance locally” – BIRD CALL team.
KL Shakespeare Players (KLSP) in collaboration with School of Improvisation, Acting and Puppetry Arts (SIAPA) Theatre, and artist-sculptor, William Koong will be creating a giant bird puppet specially for BIRD CALL, a celebration of live puppetry and interactive theatre which will premiere at YSDAF 2023.
Focusing specifically on native Malaysian birds and using only upcycled and recycled materials, BIRD CALL tells an inspiring story of a tiny voice that became the loudest one heard. It begins with a story of a beautiful land filled with life, birds flying free, trees, shrubs and plants greening everything. Then the exploitation, and eventually the destruction and pollution. The birds are forced out of their habitats.
The performance will also be accompanied by some 20 medium sized puppets.
Besides the performance, there will also be Bird Making workshops for children and parents (separate session in the studio).
About the Artiste / Group
KL Shakespeare Players is undertaking this performance in collaboration with SIAPA Theatre, and artist-sculptor, William Koong. KLSP was formed in 2011 and to date has staged more than 30 productions. SIAPA focuses more on performances with puppets, allowing both to collaborate and tapping on our various strengths. William is a full-time artist-sculptor.
KLSP’s productions in 2022 include ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘Macbeth’ (both play and storytelling), and 4 online productions performed a total of 16 time to public primary schools. These were folk tales from around the world, following its storytelling of ‘Sang Kancil’ tales in 2021. Most recently KLSP traveled to Milan, Italy to perform its reimagined ‘King Lear’.
Language
English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin / Other dialects e.g. Cantonese, Hokkien
Team
Co-directors and dramaturg: Lim Kien Lee & Helena Foo Costume designer and puppet-maker: Malin Faisal Puppet-maker: William Koong Project manager and performer: Lim Soon Heng
Puppeteers: 20 in all, some still to be engaged
