HALLOWEEN HANTU BALL 2: KLPAC SYMPHONIC BAND
Venue: Pentas 1, KLPac
Date: Oct 28-30
The season of spook is here. And KLPac’s Symphonic Band is all set for the fright fest-themed weekend playlist with its Halloween Hantu Ball 2 concert series.
At the Pentas 1 hall, the lights will be low and creepy enough and the mood “scary chilly” to welcome visitors to Halloween Hantu Ball 2, which will feature music such as Dance Of The Knights from Romeo And Juliet, Unquiet Spirits, Oodles Of Noodles, Funeral March Of A Marionette, Tanz der Vampire, Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, Danse Diabolique, The Night Before Christmas and more!
The 62-strong KLPac Symphonic Band, dressed in their favourite Halloween costumes, will be serving up the eerie spine-tingling tunes under the baton of Cheryl Mah as well as guest conductors Kevin Field and Dr Low Chee Meng.
To make it an Insta experience, audience members are also encouraged to dress up in their Halloween best.
More info here.
GHOULISH MOVIES BOOGIE BASH
Venue: GMBB, KL
Date: Oct 29-30
Yet another event for Halloween thrill-seekers. This Saturday, kickstart your day by joining Kuman Pictures – a film production outfit that specialises in low-budget horror and thriller movies – at the Grey Box, GMBB creative arts mall for the “Ghostly Short Film Challenge” viewing parties and discussions with filmmakers.
From 11am to 6pm on Oct 29, you can get quench that bloodthirsty feeling with 30 creepy short films that will be divided into three viewing sessions by Kuman Pictures. It’s an hour-and-a-half per session, and you can walk-in for any session.
If local horror floats your boat, this is the place to be this weekend.
The GMBB community is also coming out in full force to participate this Halloween by organising several hands-on activities like Halloween Clay Making, a Skate Choreo Practice, Face Painting and Deadly Disco.
The “Halloween 2-Day Clay Workshop”, organised by The Handicrafters, features the making of spooky-themed clay figurines. The ticketed sessions will happen on Oct 29 and 30.
A list of participating creative arts shops is also available on GMBB’s Instagram, @gmbb.kl where the public is able to dress to scare and do some trick-or-treating from store to store.
More info here.
A new portrait work from comic book artist Arif Rafhan, which is featured in the 'La Naturalis' exhibition at The Ledge Art Gallery in Petaling Jaya. Photo: Handout
EXHIBITION: LA NATURALIS
Venue: The Ledge Art Gallery, 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends Nov 6
Arif Rafhan, a comic book artist, is not a name you would usually find in an exhibition that explores the wonders of the natural world. In the La Naturalis group exhibition, now showing at The Ledge Art Gallery in Petaling Jaya, Arif joins 10 other artists in celebrating the green world and more.
Arif contributes a series of portrait works to the show, while doodle artist Sarah Salim is showing her colourful and detailed owl series. For botanical art lovers, Renee Moi's paintings are a sight to behold. Curator/artist Emily Wee's new collection Batik Choraq is also an exhibit highlight as it gathers flora and fauna motifs set against a contemporary batik backdrop.
Diversity is a big part of this independent show, with more than 120 artworks spanning contemporary art, illustrations, doodles and tattoo art.
More info here.
THE GODOWN ARTISTS MARKET
Venue: The Godown Arts Centre, KL
Date: Oct 29-30
The Godown Artists Market is back this weekend with another installment of curated art, prints, crafts, fashion, plants and gifts. It’s a day-out to discover new trends and newcomers in the visual art and creative scene.
Workshops lined up for this month’s market include Bob Fang (The Daring Ninja Photographer) with his tips and tricks in Mobile Photography 101 and a glow-in-the-dark painting workshop by Aina Mardhia.
The featured artists of the month are Shuhufan Shukard and Amirul Hakim.
Shuhufan, an illustrator based in Kedah, will be selling the second batch to his zine Caretakers this weekend, which blends together in an art nouveau inspired style with AR technology.
Amirul, on the other hand, is joining on the Halloween fun with his dark and melancholic “Halloween” art series Beelze-bum. It serves as a outlet to rediscover his inner child and favourite horror and fantasy kicks.
Free admission to the market.
More info here.
Comedian Kuah Jenhan is set to join the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra on stage on Oct 29. Photo: The Star/Filepic
HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR
Venue: Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, KLCC
Date: Oct 29
Who is afraid of the dark? Join Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra on the scariest night of the year with Japanese conductor Naohisa Furusawa for a one-night special of spooky classical favourites!
Furusawa, who will be pushing the MPO to the dark corner's of the music universe, will be relishing how the creepy strains of the Poltergeist theme will keep the crowd on the edge of their seats. Other favourites include the Harry Potter themes, the X-Files theme, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom, and an assorted mix of classics from Wagner, Stravinsky, Grieg and Respighi.
Comedian Kuah Jenhan is an added - devilish- attraction as he joins the MPO on stage.
"I’ll be doing stories and jokes while they do literal magic," says Kuah.
A symphonic Halloween party awaits as witches, ghosts, and unexpected guests look set to haunt the DFP stage.
More info here.
A scene from the theatre play 'Opium At Closing Time' at DPAC. Photo: Chan Kien Ming
THEATRE: OPIUM AT CLOSING TIME
Venue: DPAC, Petaling Jaya
Date: Oct 27-30
New theatre company Amberjade Arts has hit the ground running with its debut production Opium At Closing Time, which addresses issues such as memory loss, family and national history.
Yen, a woman of many triumphs - is starting to forget. Or has she already forgotten? Her son Chai is trying to help her, but what can Chai do when his Ma is stuck in the past? Did she actually go and see Sudirman’s concert, or was that his funeral?
An exploration of a disquieting human condition - Opium At Closing Time is an unflinching dive into the often disjointed experiences of those suffering with Alzheimer’s and those who care for them. It’s also a story of Malaysia, of pivotal history experienced on the personal scale. Of the choices that were made, and the consequences we must suffer.
Put together by the writer/director Tarrant Kwok, this authentic story, draws from his experiences as a caregiver.
This production was also a recipient of the BOH Cameronian Grants for New Productions 2022.
Free seating, the show – featuring mature themes – is recommended viewers 15 years old and above.
More info here.
DANCE: KONTRA : ASIRVATHAM
Venue: Pentas 2, KLPac
Date: Oct 28-30
The Actors Studio Seni Teater dance series KonTra: Asirvatham, or “blessing” in Tamil, celebrates the idea that, in life, everything is a blessing – whether in dance form or musical elements.
Reimagined with folk dances with contemporary touches by award-winning Malaysian choreographers, the series showcases a dazzling array of traditional Indian dances such as bharatanatyam, kathak and odissi while exploring elements like abhinaya (expression), mudras (hand gestures), and talam (the rhythm of beats).
Conceptualised by the Actors Studio’s resident choreographer Zhafir Muzani, the director aims to experiment with a combination of folk, classical and contemporary genres.
It boasts a line-up of six award-winning choreographers, Agnes Rhythm Dance, Ealbie Breandent, Harshini, Iqram Company, Kishore Krishnan and Mamad Samsudin, each bringing something different to the show.
More info here.
