How would U Rate this?

Be it Shakespeare or contemporary theater, performance art has to be immediate and 'alive'. A good show is when audiences get to see themselves in the art piece, or manage to connect emotionally with the characters in a play. After all, theater is fictional. It is about seeing.

In theater, there's the playwright, the drama conventions and language used, actors, director, producer, designers, and not to forget, the critics or viewpoints they give. In order to come around, it goes around first.


When I was at HangZhou, I watched a magnificent play gracefully entitled The Romance of The Song Dynasty.


Cast and Crew.

The plot of this melodrama doesn't flow smoothly. Granted the director knows what he's doing, but the playwright seems to be too greedy by incorporating everything he knows about experimental theater into his piece.

He focuses more on lighting design, and relies too much on the colors and patterns of lights to lead or trigger a change of scene. A good play should rely on the script itself and not moved by lights or music.


We have lanterns coming down above our heads.


Ritual and theater.


Religion, ritual, and theater.


Dancers / performers emerging from the back front stage.


Very royal.


Costumes are magnificently done.


There's even Lumiere (the candlestick from Beauty & the Beast) showing off HER acrobatic moves.


Just as I wonder what has all that gotta do with Emperor Song, the story emerges.


There is real fire burning inside the theater.


A fuckin' real galloping horse on stage!!! I think I hear everyone's eyeballs fall out.


And so he dies and here comes his wife bathing him in her priceless tears.


And now he has the energy to continue the battle. @@"


The story should end here, but I think the team came to a conclusion earlier that they were reluctant about ending the play so soon.


The history of Ying Long Cha (Tea) plantation.


Human size pixie and elf.


Hujan atas pentas.


There's even waterfall in the theater! Can you imagine how they manage this? No one gets wet during the show and it IS real waterfall~!


WTF something is being sent from heaven.


There's a butterfly dance.


Spinning lovers. How to have sex liddat? Tipu lah!


Sailing on air.


I can't remember what are these women for.


Bollywood dance. I'm SERIOUS.


Korean dance also got.


Audiences participation. All for the sake of pleasing each and every individual tourists from different countries and cultural backgrounds.


It says, "Give me a day and I'll give you back 10000 years."


How many out of 5 stars do you think you would give this performance? I mean, certainly the terribly elaborated costumes and lighting techs deserve some credits..... =P

Hello, Star!

Since when did Malaysia become a universe of constellations. Last week, we talked about Pluto (Perlis) and today, we journey to a pretty little Star call Alor Star!

Who's from Kedah raise your hands!!! Hahaha... I bet this looks familiar to you?


Menara Alor Setar - Alor Star Tower. Apparently, this pencakar langit is the 19th tallest telecommunication tower in the World! Don't play pray man~

***

My parents and I stayed in a nice and neat hotel room which looks like this :


I obviously had the whole bed on my own~ Yeee HAA!


The name is Starcity Hotel.


NOW, it is TIME to look for FOOD! There are 4OUR places in total that I shall share with you today...


In the car we go~ (Tho I HATE wearing seat belts at the back of the car, but oh well... Whatever~)

***

1. TRADITIONAL Nasi Kandar

This kopitiam is OPPOSITE Wisma Sentosa; a few steps from UMNO Kedah's building. Remember? Can remember or not?! If cannot please go get your paper and pen cause you'll never know when you wanna travel North and know not what to eat!


This place sells TRADITIONAL Nasi Kandar (I emphasize on the word tradisional) because it's not the BEST NK, but if you wanna to go for a more fragrant taste-from-the-good-ol'-days gulai, go to Kedai Kopi Kim Bee Chew. See how the cloth is wrapped on the lid to lock-in the moisture of this Briyani rice?

Ahhh~ You must try this particular shop because we do have good NK in KL... But where do you find nasi kandar tradisional? Hieh hieh hieh!


Choose your prefered lauk, boys and girls~! It's more AWESOME than F I swear.

***

That was BREAKFAST. Since Pekan Rabu was just opposite the road, we took the jejantas and took a walk at the market to digest our food FASTER.



Despite being named Rabu, it is open EVERY DAY.


Lunch was only 2 hours apart from breakfast. However, since this tour was ALL ABOUT jalan-jalan cari makan, I thought doing so was even better as it felt more 'productive'... Thanks to dad who did all his research for us! lol~

And please, I beg you, you CANNOT miss this one!!!!!


2. Central Nasi Padang

Mati-mati also MUST find okay~ It is located OPPOSITE the PPNK building.


It is the famous Kedah Nasi Padang that tastes so so gooooood.....! My dear readers, it is seriously damn good till I am clueless of how to explain to you anymore!


With many devilicious lauk-pauk to choose from.


That was my beloved Lunch Part ONE I have to part with now. As there's another continuation awaiting us my God...


3. No. 8 Fish Head Curry

No. 8 Fish Head Curry is located behind StarCity Hotel, Jalan Tambang Badak. <--- See my dad sooo semangat he kept reminding me to catat all the EXACT locations for you but sorry lahhh naik lorry; sometimes I'm too lazy. =P


Or perhaps I was wrong. Our lunch Part TWO turned out to be just our dessert. Seketul fish head for dessert. Hmmm... Doesn't sound so right, but apparently this place sells food so tasty; everything was sold out by the time we reached there --- except for only TWO fish heads left! WTF///


Sunnies agen~! See; even my mum wears sunnies. So must you! XD


Who used to bite T-shirts collars when they were young RAISE THEIR HANDS! C'mmon~ I know you DID.


Unsatisfied, we advanced to Lunch Part THREE. Dad drove both us ladies to Sg. Petani سوغاي فتني, Kedah to :


4. TRADITIONAL Steamed Rice Shop (NON-HALAL)

This is how it looks like from the outside.


Inside...


What it's famous for.


Home made babi sausages and char siew!!!


Traditional style steamed rice,


Stir fry dishes ala kampung~


The guy behind is the Taukeh Tua.


The following is our real dessert this time ---> Ice Kacang! But I shall not number this one; because the one at Penang is SO MUCH better.

However, if you ARE at Kedah, I bet you won't think so much. Therefor my friends, this ice-kacang / tau fu hua stall is just outside the sausage restaurant so you can't possibly miss it unless your bak jiu ko tio sai.




I'm very full now.

While looking at these pictures might make my tummy grumble rumble, remembering how full it felt could (possibly) turn the story around. Haha!

So if you are a Kedah-ian or if you happen to know any other nice places to eat which I haven't mentioned, please feel free to share with me - Cause my family and I would love to *Update our compiled list. Thank you! *;D