27 Nov 2005

10.30am – Reached Furama Riverpoint Hotel. So semangat. Ni lah semangat SM (Stage Manager).. Reached there too early, so sat at the lobby and went thru the SM cue sheet.

11am - Linked up with the rest. Found out that we could only bump-in at 12.45pm! And that means only 30 mins for set-up and all. I took it as a challenge!

1.30 pm–After confirming everything okay, contacted Lyn (Head of Front of House) for “Door Open”.

2pm – GOH arrives, but the Darul Ma’Wa kids not yet!! So, GOH had to stay at VIP holding room until further instructions. Also, the guests started filling in the hall.

2.30pm – The show begins! It was a bit mentally taxing but which SM dont feel that at work. But seems that everything was in order, with minimal disruptions, it was quite a relief. There were bounds to be some hiccups in performances, but that’ s natural. Murphy’s Law...hehee...

I think, my best moment during the function when hosting the 2nd game show – oh yeah – I doubled up as the Games Master too. Think I got the audience enjoyed it. Hehe

Also, this function was the opportunity for parents to kenal2 my best friends parents’ – Raydza, Shahril and Lyn. So touching you know!! I knew it was one of Shahril’s intention when he mentioned about having this function.


Finally, when Dad meets Dads:
With Raydza, Shahril and our dads.

Must thank Shahril for having the confidence in me in handling the SM work and as part of the Programme organising comm (and be the Games Master). Hope I didnt let you and the team down, bro.

6pm – gotta leave. Parents waiting outside. Had a jemputan to go at Jurong. My cousin, Abg Halil, had a cukur rambut function for his newborn boy.

11.30pm – Reached home. Lacked of sleep the past two nights. So, what else.....

Sat 26 Nov 2005

11am – was at Majlis Pusat for the Kirana Seni di Aidilfitri function rehearsal, which was to be held on the next day at Furama Riverfront Hotel. My tarian group is organising the Hari Raya function for the first time. The rehearsal was supposed to start at 1pm, but not everyone was there yet. Why most of them were they late? I dont know. Something cropped up, I guess? *shrug*

3pm – the rehearsal started. First time I had my team of crews to work with: Aidil at Sound, Affan as my assistant in stage managing and new-found friend, Saiful (Aidil’s friend) as utility player.

4.30pm – gotta ciao. Had to let Affan handle as I’ve got to be at Geylang Serai for the library Hari Raya function. Luckily, I drove that day, so made it at Geylang Serai at about 4.50pm, and hungry. Havent eaten the whole day. So had a quick bite at S11.

5.30pm – Link-up with SinaRaya members – Zul (replacing Ashif for the skit), Indra and Anwar. Helped around with the set-up and short rehearsal.

7.20pm – Finally got the time to run-thru the programme with co-host. We looked at the programme list, he suggested of swopping the items. Was shocked! It was 7.45pm by then and the programme should start at 8pm! But, as a professional entertainer, he should know best.

8pm – We started promtply at 8pm. First time co-hosting with a professional entertainer, Hussein Saaban esp having to know he has won several award with SURIA. I took this opportunity to learn at much as I could. And, you bet, yes I did!

12am – Show had ended at about 10pm plus but Indra, Zul and myself just finished eating at Mas Ayu at East Coast. Hey, starving, man. How to eat while hosting just now. So, apalagi, lantak Nasi Daging Merah ah!! After sending back Indra, asked Zul’s for help to recce where Furama Riverpoint Hotel was – In case, i got lost the next day. So, there we went, circling Chinatown and Clark Quay. It was like playing “Treasure Hunt”. Finally, we managed to find it!

Sun 13 Nov 2005

What a surprise to see Chris Chia in the library! Well, to be exact, Dr Chris Chia. He’s my former Chief Executive who is now MDA’s CEO. He left us to join MDA in June last year. Possibly, he was headhunted. It was really a shocking and teary news for us then.

Just managed to chat with him for a while as he was going for a function nearby - so he thought of dropping by to see how’s things. He realised that I’ve been here for awhile. Yes, Sir! 3 years plus to be exact, and still enjoying every moment of it. J

He also wondered what happened to the cafe in the library, so told him that it has been closed for almost a year. Heard that another one is taking over but only is December.

Couldnt chat any longer as he was going for a function and I was doing by counter duty. So, we shook hands and parted ways. All the best, Sir, in leading your new organisation to a greater heights.

Earlier on in the day, another surprise too. I was chasing for the traffic light before it turned to red – so that I could cross over to the train station, but somehow, my left shoe gave way. The sole came out and so, I was walking with my right leg “higher” than the left one....what a sunday! Hahaha.

Debate and Theatre: Any Link? - Part 2

Some excerpts from my piece during the debate:

“ ... On TV, there are many programmes especially on violence, hooligans, rapes, hitmen, heist etc. But do these influence the similar crimes that happened in Singapore?

No!! These violence are already in existence even before the coming of the global media. For eg, the racial riots in the 60s and the secret society triads during the colonisation of Singapore. And how is the situation right now?

We live peacefully as the crimes are under control. Why? Because it is our social beliefs that make us stay that way – forming up crime-busting teams like the Neighbourhood Watch by residents, for instance. We do not fight when we watch soccer at stadiums as often as reported in the media in other countries. Well, at most, we shout “Referee Kayu” but it was all for fun...”

Hahaha...the audience laughed when I mentioned “Referee Kayu” ... And that was the point! Which was to inject some humour in the usually-serious debate. The debate was scary, initially. But I guess, once the audience started laughing and enjoying it, it eased me.

Jing Jing did very well earlier when she managed to grab the audience’s attention and created some light-hearted moments with the witty rebut of the motion with words like, “..that is multi-tasking!”.

Jeremy did extremely well in concluding the debate, when he rebut all the three speakers from the Proposition side. And overall results? We won!! Can you believe that?

Some of my fellow classmates congratulated us. Some liked my stunt in appearing in the traditional costume. My lecturer smiled and thought it was some kind of tactics in wearing that.

Well, in a way, it was. A psychological tactic – or in theatre terms “... the sense of PRESENCE has to be there”. And it worked!

One of us even offered me to be his spokesperson if he ever opens up a political party!! It was mentioned that the way I presented the points was more like a malay politician speaking in a rally rather than in a debate. Haha!! That’s cool!

Well, as far as the debate thingy in concerned, especially for a non-debate person like me, having prior involvements in theatre (and that had undergone its trainings) really helps a lot.

Debate and Theatre: Any Link ? - Part 1

Debate on Friday?? That was my reaction when my lecturer, Rob MacPherson, mentioned it during the 1st day of our Communication and the Media class on Tuesday.

And..oh, by the way, yes, Ive finally started my school term - a part-time studies for the Bachelor of Arts (Communications and Media Management) under the University of South Australia through Asia Pacific Management Institute at the International Plaza. Depending on the schedules, the university lecturers will fly down from Adelaide to conduct the classes each time. Oh, man, I am a student again!!

Anyway, back to the debate thingy, it constitutes about 15% of the overall grades for this module. And to think that I am not really a debate person, it scares me! True, I am a theatre person, having involved in various productions and hosted in several events and functions, but debate is so much different! It involves thinking on your feet – not just that but to think of points to rebut the opposition instantly, well, almost.

Since Tuesday, I had some sleepless nights...thinking too much about the debate.
The motion: Global media flows erode the local cultural identity.
And I would be, the second speaker of the opposition side.

Nevertheless, I had helpful and knowledgeable team members in the likes of Annie, Jing Jing (1st speaker), Jeremy (3rd speaker) and Eunice. Each of us contributed ideas and we shared those points as we embarked on the debate preparation journey.

And on the way home on Thursday nite, Jeremy asked whether we should be wearing anything formal. I said maybe not and was suggesting to wear something arty farty...and when suddenly, an idea came! “Let’s wear traditional outfit! Something cultural. Moreover, it suits the motion.” And if you had guessed correctly, I wore a baju kurung with the songkok! Haha!

I know I was not a debate-type of person. I mean, as a person, I dont usually like to argue with people when I am putting my points across.

So, for this particular class activity, I really had to draw my theatre experiences (in terms of skills and the elements) that I have acquired - presence, posture, poise, confidence! - and put them into use.

So, when it was my turn to speak, I stood up from my chair, moved towards the rostrum which was situated in between the two groups, looked at my opponents in their eyes, smiled, and then looked at the audience. I breathed in, adjusted the mic and started to say my piece.

To be continued...