Two new productions, Mud the Musical and Fantasy Rainforest, have recently opened up, adding to the already long list of must-dos in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. Colorful and well-choreographed, both are a dazzling showcase of great Malaysian talent.
MUD THE MUSICAL
Many people know that Kuala Lumpur began at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, but only a few know about its remarkable history. Mud the Musical is an artistic storytelling of how fascinatingly KL grew from a small settlement into a multiracial megacity that has surpassed hardships and disasters. According to the production’s team:
The show was created by the Enfiniti Team, headed by Ghafir Akbar and Chedd Yusoff. MUD, The Musical is produced by Tiara Jacquelina and the team that produced award-winning musicals like Puteri Gunung Ledang, P. Ramlee The Musical and The Secret Life Of Nora. The original show was directed by Amsalan Doraisingam, and director-choreographer Pat Ibrahim was brought in to create version 2.0 last September. This new, improved “3.0” version is directed by Tiara Jacquelina.
The Story of Kuala Lumpur: Mud the Musical is a story of survival, of not giving up in the face of adversity. But more importantly, this latest version is a celebration of the triumph of the human spirit. It seeks to reaffirm what we KLites know to be truly deep in our hearts, that there is so much that we can achieve if we put aside our differences and work together hand in hand. In these difficult times, perhaps we all need a little reminder of the importance of friendship and unity.
Mud the Musical is presented twice daily at the Panggung Bandaraya Theatre in Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For more information, visit mudkl.com.
FANTASY RAINFOREST
Fantasy Rainforest begins in the Malaysian rainforest, a place where the aboriginal people and wildlife live harmoniously. But the peace is later stirred by the arrival of a hunter who sets up traps to poach the endangered animals—tigers, monkeys, and peacocks—and hunts even the hornbill, Malaysia’s national bird. These actions cause much anger among the aborigines.
The hunter, however, suffers the consequences later on when he gets caught by one of the traps he has set up himself, giving the aborigines opportunity to capture him. However, with love and harmony within their nature, they decide not to hurt the hunter but to forgive him. Filled with remorse, the hunter puts his gun down and decides to become part of the big rainforest family, living together peacefully.
A 60-minute spectacular packed with gymnastics, somersaults, and magic, Fantasy Rainforest encapsulates the concept of love and tolerance, and represents harmony in Malaysia—people of all races living together in peace and accepting each other’s differences.
Fantasy Rainforest is presented twice daily at the Putrajaya International Convention Center. For more information, visit fantasyrainforest.com.
