Theatre production 'Tewas', showing at KongsiKL from Nov 6-9, confronts the painful realities of bullying in Malaysian schools. Following its Penang premiere, this deeply affecting work now takes the stage in KL. Photo: JDEV Studios
As the year winds down, November marks the final stretch of the Klang Valley’s performing arts calendar before the busy festive season takes over.
It’s a month of meaningful conversations – from community-led works and socially conscious plays to musical tributes and an intergenerational drum festival.
There’s still plenty to catch on stage and beyond this month.
Shadows in the classroom
Tewas: No Light At The End Of The Tunnel looks set to transform Kongsi KL (a warehouse-tuned-indie arts centre along Old Klang Road in KL) from Nov 6-9 into a space of reckoning and empathy. Presented by KL theatre outfit JDEV Studios, this socially driven theatre work confronts the realities of bullying and its lingering impact in Malaysian schools.
Produced by Sidhart Joe Dev and Ruthra Devy, Tewas is directed by Hilyati Ramli, with choreography by Izzardzafli Padzil and sound design by Kamal Sabran. It played in George Town, Penang last year.
Blending theatre, exhibition, and post-show dialogues, Tewas, co-written by Hilyati and Sidhart, explores how silence and shame perpetuate cycles of harm, inviting audiences to reflect rather than just watch.
For JDEV Studios, Tewas is both a mirror and a message – showing how stories of pain can become calls for change.
The show at KongsiKL (free seating) is suitable for audiences aged seven and above due to its mature themes and graphic content. Entry is through RSVP and community donations.
A warrior’s legacy
Teater Panglima Garang brings a tale of loyalty, love, and courage to the Auditorium Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur, from Nov 7–9. Written by Kamarul AR and directed by Yusry Kamaruzaman, it revisits the legend of Danang, a warrior embodying the spirit of Malay heritage.
The play, in Bahasa Malaysia, delves into the man behind the myth, exploring honour, betrayal, and the weight of legacy. With lavish costumes, silat choreography, and rich musical arrangements, it channels the grandeur of classic Malay theatre.
Starring Aim Zackry, Siti Sarah Jamil, Zack Kool, Panglima Aduka, and Along Eyzendy, with a special appearance by Roslan Madun.
Sharing the same rhythm
For Hands Percussion, camaraderie is the comfort of knowing someone is by your side, the spark when strangers become friends, and the rhythm that connects teacher and student, father and daughter, colleagues and companions.
In that spirit, its Camaraderie concert series at Stage 1, PJPAC, 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya from Nov 14-16 looks back to move forward – a live spectacle celebrating the bonds that shape the group’s illustrious journey.
On stage, audiences will see more than percussion – intergenerational stories, mentors and students, and friends creating across cultures and experiences.
Through reimagined classics and bold new works, Camaraderie honours where Hands Percussion has been and where its headed.
Two new works – Kenangan (a gamelan-inspired set composed by Teuku Umar, founder of Gangsapura Gamelan) and a piece drawn from Teochew heritage – are highlights, while duets and cross-cultural collaborations bring together gamelan, cello, guzheng, martial arts, and DeafBeat performers on one stage.
The first half of 'Ravel 150' features Celestine Yoong (pic) and Thai virtuoso Harit Chunhanantasap performing Ravel’s 'Rapsodie espagnole' and 'Ma mere l’Oye' (Mother Goose). Photo: KLCO
Big on Ravel
Classical music lovers can look forward to Ravel 150, a special KL City Opera (KLCO) concert celebrating the 150th anniversary of French composer Maurice Ravel. It will be showing at Nero Event Hall, PJPAC on Nov 15 and 16.
KLCO has had a stellar year, with standout productions like The Golden Age Of Broadway and Young Mozart Voyager earlier in the season, followed by the opera Don Giovanni last month. Ravel 150 now adds another highlight to the company’s 10th-anniversary celebrations. The double bill at PJPAC features Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose), Rhapsodie Espagnole, and the whimsical opera L’enfant et les sortileges (The Child And The Spells).
Directed by KLCO's Danny Chen and conducted by Andre Ng Hong Liang, the production showcases Ravel’s imaginative brilliance through lush orchestration and lyrical storytelling. Charmaine Gan stars as The Child, joined by Angie Cheah, Renna Kim, Irma Lailatul, and others, with the KLCO Orchestra Ensemble and Chorus.
Young talents from KLCO’s Opera for Kids and Teens programme look set to add a spirited touch to the performance.
Supported by Yayasan Lim Yee Hoh, Ravel 150 promises an evening of musical wonder in tribute to one of classical music’s great visionaries.
A rehearsal session for the theatre show 'Siapa Cacat?', which is set to play at Five Arts Centre in GMBB, KL on Nov 22 and 23. Photo: The Star/Chan Tak Kong
Challenging stereotypes around disability
On Nov 22 and 23, theatre show Siapa Cacat? takes the stage at Five Arts Centre, Level 9, GMBB Kuala Lumpur – the first public performance by Teater Untuk Semua, a new disabled-led collective. Created and performed by deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artistes, the work boldly reclaims the word “cacat” as a source of empowerment and pride.
Set at a bus stop where characters wait for the ever-absent accessible Bus 801, the story blends humour, reflection, and solidarity. It highlights the everyday frustrations – and hopes – of navigating a world that often overlooks inclusion.
The show, co-directed by Ho Lee Ching and Jazzie Lee Jin Jye, features eight performers drawing directly from their lived experiences, reframing disability as culture, aesthetics, and creativity, while challenging stereotypes and confronting the stigma surrounding disability in Malaysia.
With surtitles, Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM) interpretation, and audio description integrated into the performance, Siapa Cacat? ensures that every audience member is part of the journey.
For ballet lovers
Singapore Ballet returns to Malaysia with a captivating selection from its Ballet Illuminations 2025 repertoire, curated to enchant audiences of all ages. The programme at Pentas 1, KLPac from Nov 21-23 blends the timeless magic of Cinderella with the refined brilliance of neo-classical works by the late Singaporean choreographer Choo-San Goh and internationally acclaimed Edmund Stripe.
Delight in the comic antics of the stepsisters and the grandeur of the royal ball in Act II of Cinderella, where the heroine meets her Prince. In Singapore, Cinderella - staged by Janek Schergen - had a sold-out run.
Be moved by the lyrical beauty of Stripe’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 102, set to Shostakovich’s stirring score. The evening also showcases two of Goh’s most celebrated works - Fives and Momentum - both recently featured at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Ballet Illuminations 2025 is presented by Singapore Ballet and KLPac, with support from YTL Corporation Berhad and the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
Arts and science playground
The inaugural KL Seni & STEM Festival 2025, happening at Plaza 20008 in KLCC Park from Nov 21–23 promises a dynamic fusion of two worlds – arts and science.
Organised by Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP) and Petrosains, the free three-day festival is themed “Where Arts, Heritage and Science Unite,” with an engaging family-friendly weekend programme on the cards.
Visitors can explore craft markets, science demonstrations, and performances that highlight the interplay between tradition and discovery.
Petrosains will host interactive activities such as Hue Done It?, Circular Fuel Show, and workshops like Light Works and Bottle Beats – offering the public a taste of the science centre’s hands-on innovation at KLCC.
Together with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, DFP has also staged a strong season of arts and culture showcases this year.
At the upcoming festival, audiences can look forward to pop-up live music performances that spotlight the richness of traditional arts.
The KL Seni & STEM Festival 2025 will run daily from 10am to 10pm.
Laugh till you drop
Comedy fans can catch SKiTs at SoulCity Hub in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 21 and 22, where Pop Up Theatre returns with a new anthology of short plays written and directed by Scott McQuaid.
Featuring four comedic vignettes – Guillotine Jam, Headshrinker, Hold The Ketchup, and Die Smiling – the production thrives on eccentric characters, witty dialogue, and absurd situations.
From a medieval executioner’s daughter questioning her father’s profession to a therapist facing a chaotic client, every story dives into the humour of human nature.
Performed by Pop Up Theatre’s ensemble, SKiTs delivers a blend of satire, slapstick, and clever writing, making for a night that’s as unpredictable as it is entertaining.
Love, disguise and delight
On Nov 22 and 23, Twelfth Night returns to Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) in Petaling Jaya as KL Shakespeare Players revive one of the Bard’s most enduring comedies. Following a shipwreck that separates twins Viola and Sebastian, the story unfolds into a joyful tangle of mistaken identity and unrequited love.
After earning praise at KLPac earlier this year, this restaging also adds a local flavour with beloved Malaysian radio classics like Getaran Jiwa and Belaian Jiwa, giving Shakespeare a familiar, heartfelt twist.
Performed with minimal props but boundless creativity, the show highlights the group’s talent for blending humour, poetry, and performance.
The cast features Lim Soon Heng, Lim Kien Lee, Zul Zamir, Nurul Sofia, Teoh Jun Vinh, Jane Tee, and Tharwa Karina.
