FACES Interview (Unpublished)

S'kali The Movie is featured in the latest issue of FACES magazine. Unfortunately due to space constraints, an interview with the retard is not featured. She thought it was an interesting set of questions and that it would provide an nice opportunity to show what makes her tick, so here it is for the benefit of the curious.

I've also thrown in a video clip, a sequence recorded from the Broken Bridges press preview held late last month. Featuring the unapolagetically suave Tony Eusoff in the musical number, 'KL In A Nutshell', his larger-than-life performance is one I always look forward to. (Look out for the 'walking sugus sweet' in pink.) Big thanks to Nazrul for the link!

1. Being a model and actress makes it important for you to look your best at all times, do you agree? If yes, can you explain the photos on your blog?
(I thought this would be a funny/personal question, but if it is offensive please don't answer the 2nd bit and sorry! - No worries. Offensive? I know no such word. )

Looking pretty is just another part of the job - I will invest time and effort into it if I feel it suits an occasion. But for the most part, I am the 'rebel of conformity' who you see on my blog. I've seen how society's perception of attractiveness can damage people, so I'd like to inspire people to believe that it's the inside that always counts no matter how you look. Plus, looking like an idiot is heaps more fun.


2. Which was your favourite and how was it different, acting in S'kali, The Flowers Beneath My Skin and Broken Bridges (musical)?

It would be impossible for me to pick a favourite. All three have challenged me on completely different levels. 'Flowers' is an experimental black-and-white silent film with very complex, unconventional roles, so it was tough to tackle it professionally and convincingly as a rookie actor. S'kali rides on themes which really hit home for me, and I dug into a plethora of emotions both new and familar to flesh out Sze Huey's character. Being in a musical demands an insane amout of time, energy, focus, discipline and devotion to performing arts, but all that only magnifies the feeling of accomplishment.


3. How do you find the time to work on so many projects at once while maintaining an assistant event manager post?

By getting less sleep! Whenever my full-time work peaks at the same time that my outside projects do, my loved ones start praying for me. Haha. There's a lot of sacrifices that I've made in order to do pursue my passion whilst maintaining financial stability. Being kept on my toes is a good thing but not for prolonged periods, so once the havoc from my current projects is over, I'm planning to go comatose for a while.


4. What is your best memory from working on S'kali?

Being committed to the production for one and a half years before shooting, working with the exuberant Perantauan team and bonding with the most amazing group of cast members any actor could wish for, is one whole mind-blowing memory in itself.


5. Judging by Naomi's Death petition which you wrote and submitted with over 230 signatures, you're definitely an animal lover. Any shoutouts on that?

Treating animals with respect is a notion that's relatively unheard of in our culture, but it's comforting to know that animal activists in Malaysia are being a lot more vocal these days. Their efforts are paying off, judging by the rise in animal cruelty cases that have been highlighted in the media. The Death To Naomi Petition received some news coverage too, I'm glad it's made an impact. To those who want a new pet, adopt one! Don't encourage unnecessary pet breeding for aesthetic's sake, when there are thousands more potential friends that still live on the streets.


'KL In A Nutshell' (Tony Eusoff, Douglas Lim, Ho Soon Yoon & Ensemble)

Broken Bridges The Musical

Broken Bridges The Musical
19th August - 3rd September 2006
Time:
8.30pm (Sunday shows @ 3pm, no shows on Mondays)
Ticket Price:
RM80 for middle aisle
RM60 for side aisles RM40 for students, disabled & senior citizens (all tiers)
Venue:
Pentas 1, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre

Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 03-40479000 (KLPac) or 03-20949400 (The Actors Studio, Bangsar).

Showtime is one week away and I'm just about recovering from a nasty bout of flu that has kept me out of rehearsals for almost a week. And now my weakened lungs will be running on steroids for the next month or so. Not good, but the show must go on.

Rehearsals have lately consisted of brushing up on physical movement and positioning and vocal diction and expression, whilst strengthening our character development. Splitting our attention between a choreographer, a vocal coach and a director can produce a slight dizzying effect.

I've been taking too many pictures to mention, but while I sift through them I could keep you entertained with a few shots taken from the shoot of the poster itself.

Costume designer Yeow, Stage manager Bebe and Janice (portraying female lead role Mei Ling) exemplifying the aforementioned 'slight dizzying effect'.


Do not mess with THE Joanne Kam Poh Poh.


Sungei Wang once again proves that it is the one place to find anything and everything.


Yeow in the midst of creating a beehive hairdo without the aid of a wig. Enough back-combing to require a full bottle of conditioner afterwards.


Ensemble members Carol and I comparing hemlines.


Douglas Lim, full of sexy pimp goodness.


Thanks and to all who are coming, thanks for your support and hope you have a rollicking time.

Special thanks to the following bloggers for coming to the special preview!
Kaki Cucuk Langit
Jasiminne
Bryan Chin
Asryaf Lee
Shaz

Screenings: 'Flowers' & 'S'kali' Trailer

Hey everyone,
Just to let you know of the following events that are happening back to back.

The Flowers Beneath My Skin public screening

DATE: Sunday, 6th August 2006
TIME: 3pm
VENUE: IndiCine, Level 2, KL Performing Arts Centre (Map)
ENTRANCE FEE: RM10

For more info, check out the notice on Kakiseni or the official website.

"You know what's worse than an arthouse film? A FEATURE-LENGTH arthouse film." - Glaring Notebook

A warning to the conventionally inclined: Flowers is severely abstract. I discovered that the only reason why I even only vaguely understood what was going on during the first screening was because I personally knew the director's intentions (or at least some of them). If you manage to catch this one and would like to discuss your thoughts, feel free to drop me a comment and we'll dissect.

* * * * *

S'kali trailer screening

EVENT: Malaysian Shorts series by Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia
DATE: Monday, 7th August 2006
TIME: 8pm
VENUE: Theatrette, HELP University College (Map)
ENTRANCE FEE: None

Amir Muhammad has offered my director Arivind the chance to show a hint of what audiences can expect of our upcoming film. Q&A will follow. For more info, check out the notice on Kakiseni or the Production Blog. By the by, Arivind and Associate Producer Bahir were interviewed on The Breakfast Show on NTV7 this morning to promote the film. Release dates are just around the corner, will keep you posted.

That's it for now. Will post up updates on Broken Bridges in a separate entry soon. Once again, thanks to everyone for your support.

Fann-cy the odds

Nicholas, my ensemble mate from Broken Bridges, was driving us to rehearsals in indecisive weather. Me feeling worn out as usual, my head remained glued to my seat as I gazed into clouds in hues of beige and grey, as they performed their motionless tango with invisible winds, my dreamscape interrupted with the occasional flash of arrogant palm tree.

My eyes trailed down to a lower angle until they were met with a familiar vision.

A fair Asian woman greeting a mirror, hair loosely pulled back, a makeup brush sweeping the high cheekbones of a bright, sweet morning face.

If I were rewarded the benefit of a 48-hour beauty nap prior to a date with Joaquin Phoenix, the fresh eagerness of applying blush in such a circumstance would have probably fit the bill for such an appealing ad.

In fact, it would have fit the bill too much for comfort.



Despite the woman's all-transending beauty contradicting my own, I could not help but wonder: Had someone used my face on a billboard without my consent? And if they did, how did they manage to get a retard posing in such a ladylike manner and amazingly cheat the power of mental recollection?

I had barely opened my mouth to voice out my curiosity when Nicholas got to it first.

"Hey, is that you?!?"

A few days later, I tried to approach my boyfriend about it, quite an obstacle for a woman whose only concise knowledge about roads in Malaysia are the ones situated within a two minute's driving radius from her house.

"Hey, do you know this... er... I'm not sure of the road but er... I think it's either called the NKVE or the LDP, i'm not sure... it's the highway that's between Eastin hotel and... my house? There's a bill-"

"Billboard that looks like you? YEAH. I passed it the other day and I almost wanted to tell you off for not telling me that you did it."

For it to fool even one who knows where to poke me for most comedic sound effect, curiosity dissolved and in its place, contempt for a girl of such audacity as to impersonate me for profitable gains and more insultingly, leave my boo in a befuddled state of suspicion that his happy tree friend has ditched him to be a residential suite endorsement diva.

Therefore, pretty girly-girl billboard girl, I the fearless retard challenge you to a

DOPPELGANGER SHOWDOWN

Fann "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got" Wong

VS

Disco "I like to moovit moovit" Very

Gimme a ring when you're feeling lucky.