Educational Kit: Bangsawan Gemala Malam by Teater Ekamatra (SG)

Arts House Limited Organises

BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM

by Teater Ekamatra (Singapore)

2 – 3 Jun, Thu – Fri, 8pm 4 Jun, Sat, 2pm & 8pm Victoria Theatre

EDUCATION KIT For ages 13 and up

2h, no intermission Rating: Advisory (Some Mature Content) Performed in Malay with English sur-titles.

In a merry night of theatre, Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra remakes Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream, inspired by the splendour of Bangsawan opera and Nusantara.

BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM SIFA.SG

In its heyday in Singapore in the 1930s and 40s, Bangsawan, a form of Malay operatic theatre, would regale audiences with its fantastical characters, and its mix of drama, music, and dance.

HOW TO USE THIS KIT This kit is designed for deeper engagement and discussion with the SIFA programme.

Divided into four sections, it comes with guiding questions, suggested activities and links for further exploration on the subject and themes presented in the show:

BEFORE THE SHOW Pre-show preparation to understand the context

Now, Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra presents a lush, contemporary take on Bangsawan, in its highly-original adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s beloved plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Promising to be the most whimsical of love stories, this comic tale follows four lovers as they escape to the forest, only to be bewitched by fairies in a deceptive game of love and fantasy.

Now set against the exuberance of Nusantara, Bangsawan Gemala Malam revisits Shakespeare’s magic-infused world with music, set and costumes celebrating the region’s cultural vibrancy.

Conceived by Artistic Director Mohd Fared Jainal and directed by Aidli Alin Mosbit, Bangsawan Gemala Malam stars Aisyah Aziz, Rizman Putra, Munah Bagharib, Fir Rahman, and Vanda Miss Joaquim, amongst many other brilliant talents, along with costumes by local fashion designer, Max Tan.

DURING THE SHOW Questions to think about while watching the show

AFTER THE SHOW

A reflective exercise to jot down thoughts

POST-SHOW ACTIVITY For further exploration on the subject, topic or themes

Arts House Limited Organises

M

BEFORE THE SHOW

BANGSAWAN is a form of Malay theatrical opera that combines story-telling with dance choreography, singing and acting. It is indigenous to Southeast Asia and is an important part of Singapore’s cultural heritage.

LET’S READ UP MORE ABOUT IT HERE: Bangsawan

The Theatres of Bangsawan

Click or Scan here

Click or Scan here

WHAT INTERESTING THINGS HAVE YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT BANGSAWAN?

Write down your thoughts.

Describe what the performance was like.

What did you enjoy the most about this performance?

Arts House Limited Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

SIFA.SG

HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED A BANGSAWAN PERFORMANCE, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. LIKE A PLAY?

BEFORE THE SHOW

NOW, WATCH THIS VIDEO to find out more about the history, culture and practice of Bangsawan in Singapore:

Click or Scan here

WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF BANGSAWAN? Try adding on to the Bangsawan stage below with what you have learnt from the video.

CHARACTERS

DESIGN, PROPS E.g. Tasmat (Special effects)

SIFA.SG

E.g. Orang Muda (Hero)

LANGUAGE

THE MUSTHAVES IN BANGSAWAN

ANYTHING ELSE?

E.g. Pantun (Rhyming quatrains)

Arts House Limited Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

BEFORE THE SHOW

WHAT IS THE PLAY ABOUT? FIND OUT MORE HERE: Article

Video

Click or Scan here

Click or Scan here

is a comedy-play written in the 16th century which is still very much enjoyed centuries later by audiences today.

Plot out what you have discovered about Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the space below: It is about..

The characters are..

The plot goes like this..

SIFA.SG

What do you enjoy most about the story of A Midsummer’s Night Dream?

Arts House Limited Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

BEFORE THE SHOW

BANGSAWAN GEMALA MALAM is theatre company Teater Ekamatra’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, retold as a Bangsawan performance.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW

with Director Aidli Mosbit and Artistic Director Fared Jainal as they share their thoughts:

Key elements

Can be found in.. (Circle your answer)

MAGIC

Bangsawan

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream

FANTASTICAL CREATURES

Bangsawan

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream

OPERA

Bangsawan

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream

SENSE OF AWE

Bangsawan

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream

SIFA.SG

Click or Scan here

BASED ON THE INTERVIEW

and what you have found out so far about A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream and Bangsawan, can you figure out which key elements can be found in each?

HAVE A QUICK DISCUSSION WITH YOUR FRIENDS

about Bangsawan Gemala Malam.

What are you most looking forward to seeing in the performance?

Arts House Limited Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

DURING THE SHOW

READ THESE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY before the performance starts, and remember to pay close attention while you are watching so you do not miss out on any details:

1

What are your impressions of the stage and the actors when the performance starts?

In what ways do they tell you about the story you are about to watch?

How do they help you identify the different characters and their character traits?

3

Listen to the rhythm and sound of the dialogue exchanged in the performance.

How would you describe them?

In what ways are they similar or different to the way you and your friends talk?

Arts House Limited

SIFA.SG

2

Look at the costumes and props that the actors use, and their movements on the stage.

4 5

Notice the set design and backdrop of this performance.

In what ways do they help set up the scenes in the story?

Which is your favourite part of the performance and why?

Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

NOW THAT THE PERFORMANCE IS OVER,

AFTER THE SHOW

SIFA.SG

Write down what you have noticed to answer the questions above, or a simple reflection of your thoughts about the performance.

Arts House Limited Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

EVEN THOUGH

BANGSAWAN

IS DEEPLY-ROOTED IN MALAY CULTURE, it is also multicultural in its stories, which are sometimes drawn from diverse sources from other cultures. We have seen how English stories like A Midsummer Night’s Dream can be performed in Bangsawan.

A

TITLE: ____________________­­­__________

• What is the story about, and who are the characters?

• Where does this story take place?

POSTSHOW ACTIVITY

• How does the story start, progress and end?

B

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO THINK OF A STORY TO BE TOLD IN BANGSAWAN! What stories do you think would be suitable?

Remember the key elements that a Bangsawan needs to have, such as a Hero and magic or special effects.

PICK ONE STORY THAT YOU THINK IS SUITABLE TO BE TOLD IN BANGSAWAN, AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT:

NOW IMAGINE YOUR STORY PLAYED OUT AS A BANGSAWAN PERFORMANCE: • How would the characters look, and what costumes would they wear?

• What props would they use, and how would the set look like?

• What would their dialogue be?

C

BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND, DRAW OUT A NINE-PANEL STORYBOARD BELOW TO TELL YOUR STORY IN BANGSAWAN. USE THE TEMPLATE BELOW AS A GUIDE:

SHARE YOUR STORYBOARD WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND EXCHANGE YOUR BANGSAWAN STORIES!

SIFA.SG

Arts House Limited Organises

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

WORDS THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU INDIGENOUS

CHARACTERISTICS

ADAPTATION

Not foreign; not from outside an area; native

A noticeable or typical quality of something or someone.

Something produced and adjusted to suit different conditions or uses.

IMPRESSION

DIALOGUE

CHOREOGRAPHY

Movements used by dancers in a performance.

IDENTIFY

To recognise someone or something, and prove who or what that person or thing is.

SCENE

Conversation that is written for a play; conversation between characters in a story.

SET DESIGN The creation of scenery by placing furniture and other items on a stage to represent the time and place in which the action of a play is going to happen.

SIFA.SG

A part of a play where the action stays in one place for a continuous period of time.

Idea or opinion abbout soemthing; the way something seems, looks or feels.

FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION Teater Ekamatra

Arts House Limited Organises

Click or Scan here

Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) As Singapore’s annual pinnacle performing arts festival, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) presents captivating and diverse works across theatre, music, dance, film and visual arts. First launched as the Singapore Festival of Arts in 1977, the festival has gone through several evolutions and inspired generations of arts lovers and practitioners.

Under the helm of Festival Director Natalie Hennedige from 2022 to 2024, SIFA will focus on performance and creation in the physical and online space, around the theme The Anatomy of Performance.

Today, the highly anticipated festival is a high point on Singapore’s arts and cultural calendar.

SIFA continues its festival mission to champion the creation and presentation of Singaporean and international works.

Arts House Limited (AHL)

#SIFA2022 We can’t wait to welcome you at SIFA. Share with the world (and us!) what you are most excited to see at this year’s festival, or your photos and videos of your favourite SIFA festival moment. sifa.sg

artshouselimited

sifa_sg

artshouselimited

sifa_sg

sifa.sg

Arts House Limited (AHL) is a not-for-profit organisation committed to enriching lives through the arts. AHL is the cultural place manager of Singapore’s Civic District. It manages two key national monuments – The Arts House, a multidisciplinary arts centre with a focus on literary programming, and the Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall, a heritage building that is home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. It also runs performing arts space Drama Centre as well as three creative enclaves for artists, arts groups and creative businesses – the Goodman Arts Centre, Aliwal Arts Centre and Stamford Arts Centre.

AHL organises the Singapore International Festival of Arts – an annual pinnacle performing arts festival; as well as the Singapore Writers Festival – a multilingual festival presenting the world’s leading literary talents.

In addition, AHL manages Our Cultural Medallion Story – the showcase on Singapore’s Cultural Medallion recipients at The Arts House. AHL was set up in 11 December 2002 as a public company limited by guarantee under the National Arts Council and was officially renamed Arts House Limited on 19 March 2014.

For more information, visit artshouselimited.sg

Bangsawan Gemala Malam Education Kit

TICKETING INFO FOR SCHOOL BOOKINGS

Engage your students in the arts at SIFA with our special deals for schools.

CONCESSIONS SIFA offers 20%* off ticket purchases to local and international students. *Applicable to selected ticket categories and programmes

TOTE BOARD ARTS GRANT For selected programmes, government schools may enjoy subsidies up to 50% of the ticket price. Applicable for Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, Centralised Institute and Institute of Technical Educations (ITE) levels.

Special Education Schools may use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 70% of the programme cost. For more details on school bookings or Tote Board Arts Grant, please email sifatickets@artshouse.sg.

SCHOOL BOOKING DEALS For every 20 students tickets purchased, 1x complimentary ticket provided for the teacher.

CONTACT US

For further enquiries on programmes or education kits, please contact meganlee@artshouse.sg.

For group bookings, please contact sifatickets@artshouse.sg.

Arts House Limited Organises

To read more about the Tote Board Arts Grant, visit tinyurl.com/nac-Tote-Board-Arts-Grant.

For more information on the festival, visit sifa.sg.

Arts House Limited Organises