Local take on French play comes to Penang
EVIDENTLY, Le Tabouret, meaning The Stool, is not your typical theatre production. It blends surreal glove puppetry with the spirit of Eugene Ionesco's original absurdist work, creating a visually striking and emotionally resonant experience.
It is co-produced by Penang's Noise Performance House and Ombak Potehi (Wave-breaking Puppet Theatre).
Directed and written by Dylan Yeo, the production also features Marcus Lim as Potehi coach and music/sound designer, and Siew Thung in the lead role as Chen Yu Lian.
The cast includes Lee Chin Kuan as Zhang Ming and Li Jun as the Medium. Live music is performed by Marcus Lim, Kang Su Kheng and a group known as Lofi Shanghai.
The journey began in 2021 with script development, followed by a 30-minute preview in 2022. In 2023, it evolved into a full-length show, supported by the Krishen Jit Fund. Since then, it has picked up accolades, including Best Leading Actor (Theatre) at the 19th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards and three ADA Drama Award nominations.
'This is our first time touring the full show. Penang was a natural choice. When I first staged it in Kuala Lumpur, Ombak Potehi was the first to support me. It felt right to bring it home to them,' Yeo told theSun.
Ombak Potehi is a collective of young, multi-ethnic Malaysian artists committed to reviving the endangered art of glove puppetry. Trained under the renowned MingYu Feng Puppet Troupe, they specialise in puppet manipulation, narrative chanting and Minnan opera, while innovating with contemporary theatre storytelling techniques.
Yeo found merging Ionesco's post-war themes with traditional Chinese puppetry challenging at first. However, he soon learnt that what was needed was some adaptation.
'Learning to perform Potehi live was tough. But the story's structure was surprisingly compatible,' he said.
Despite the story being written over 70 years ago, the play's central theme of loneliness and quiet disappearance remains relevant today.
'It echoes the slow fading of traditional arts, the quiet exits we see in life. Letting go is painful, but it is also necessary if we want to move forward,' said Yeo.
The show lasts for 80 minutes, without intermissions. This production is suitable for viewers aged seven and above, and will appeal to anyone who is interested in walking down memory lane into the yesteryears of puppetry acts. The dialogue plays out in a blend of Mandarin and Hokkien with English subtitles provided throughout.
Le Tabouret will be performed at Komtar, Penang for three days from tomorrow to this Sunday. The first performance will be held tomorrow evening at 8pm, followed by two shows on Saturday at 3pm and 8pm, with a final show on Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are priced from RM45 to RM100.
For those curious about cultural mashups and the future of traditional art forms, this is one performance not to miss.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
33 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Senior singing competition to promote entertainment tourism
Published on: Friday, June 13, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 13, 2025 By: Wu Vui Tek Text Size: Eliza (fifth, right) and Irene (centre) with the organising committee members. Kota Kinabalu: Over 100 people will descend here to compete in a senior citizen solo singing competition dubbed 'Voice in the Shadows – Our Concert'. 'Although this is a small event, I believe it has a big impact on the tourism industry,' said main organising chairperson Datuk Eliza Goh during a press conference at a hotel here. Advertisement She said such a competition could be developed into an entertainment tourism product to promote Sabah. 'We try to promote tourism in many ways, including through the music video of the songs, which will be released throughout Malaysia and can be viewed overseas,' said Eliza. The competition, which is open to Malaysians aged 40 and above, aims to foster friendship among those who love to sing from Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsula, she said. 'We want to attract people from this 40-and-above age group to explore Sabah, as many still do not know much about the state,' she said. 'We want them to see that Sabah is actually quite modern now, and we have a lot of products to offer them,' she added. 'So as a Sabahan, I would like to do this as a contribution to the state in helping the tourism ministry attract more visitors.' She added that the competition also has the potential to boost domestic tourist arrivals, as the state cannot rely solely on international travellers. The competition will feature 50 singers, each bringing along supporters – about 50 in total – who are expected to take the opportunity to explore the state's tourist attractions. Co-organiser and Malaysian songbird Irene Tan said the event will be held on August 16 (preliminary round), followed by the finals on August 17 at the Putera Theatre Ballroom in Bukit Padang here. 'The competitors can select their own songs in one of three languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, or Hokkien,' she said. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew is expected to officiate the concert. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hype Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Hype Malaysia
HK Celeb Couple Kenneth Ma & Roxanne Tong To Make Special Appearance In KL This Month
Great news for fans of TVB stars Kenneth Ma (马国明) and Roxanne Tong (汤洛雯)! The celebrity couple recently announced they're coming to Malaysia later this month for a special appearance for Eucerin! Eucerin Malaysia recently shared details for the meet and greet event featuring Kenneth and Roxanne. The event is part of Eucerin's pop-up promoting its Spotless Brightening Booster Serum and the Eucerin Epicelline Serum. The pair will greet fans at the Blue Atrium in Sunway Pyramid on 28th June 2025 (Saturday). The event is open to the public. In an earlier interview, Roxanne and Kenneth expressed excitement for this upcoming event because it marks their first brand event as a couple since tying the knot in 2023. Roxanne also said she's looking forward to meeting everyone in Malaysia, evoking joyous comments from the local fans. Additionally, Malaysian stars Siti Saleha and Kamal Adli will also hold a meet and greet for the Eucerin pop-up the day before, on 27th June 2025 (Friday). The two talents recently made waves with their hit drama, 'Dia Imanku', so their appearance at the event will be a treat for fans of the show. If you're interested in meeting all four celebs, here are all the details: Kenneth Ma & Roxanne Tong Meet & Greet With Eucerin Date: 28th June 2025 (Saturday) Time: 1pm Venue: Blue Atrium (LG2), Sunway Pyramid Mall Siti Saleha & Kamal Adli Meet & Greet With Eucerin Date: 27th June 2025 (Friday) Time: 3pm Venue: Blue Atrium (LG2), Sunway Pyramid For more information on the celebrity appearances and the pop-up, you can contact Eucerin Malaysia's official social media pages. Are you excited to meet Kenneth, Roxanne, Siti Saleha and Kamal Adli? Sources: Instagram (1)(2) What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Taiwanese tourist sorry for criticising M'sian food
Compiled by DIYANA PFORDTEN, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN A TOURIST from Taiwan, who drew flak online for claiming that Malaysian food was not fit for human consumption, has apologised, Sin Chew Daily reported. She explained that she had wanted to convey the message in a light-hearted manner, but now regretted her choice of words. 'I wanted to make a funny post once I returned home about how Malaysian food did not suit my palate. However, my poor choice of words led to a misunderstanding,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I bear no ill will and did not mean to attack anyone. I apologise to all Malaysians!' It was reported earlier that the woman had said she never wanted to return to Malaysia due to the awful food, and that she was glad to be back in Taiwan so that she could enjoy food 'fit for humans'. Her post drew a wave of criticism from Malaysians, many of whom urged her to respect the culinary culture of other countries. 'Many people say they love Malaysian food. If it does not suit your palate, there is no need to belittle another country's food. 'Respect and politeness are things everyone truly needs to learn,' one Internet user wrote. > The daily also reported that a man in China's Yunnan province started seeing sea creatures like octopi and jellyfish in his living room after consuming wild mushrooms but recovered thanks to quick medical intervention. On May 20, a man surnamed Hu bought lurid bolete mushrooms from the market, cooked, and ate them. Soon after, he began hallucinating octopi, jellyfish, butterflies, and even a phoenix in his living room. It's believed that other toxic fungi resembling lurid bolete were mixed in his mushrooms, leading to accidental poisoning. The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a, it denotes a separate news item.
