RASHOMON @ Pentas 1, klpac (12th -14th July 2013)

Venue: Pentas 1, The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac)

Show Dates  & Times:

12 – 14 July 2013

Light-a-Home Charity Night: 12 July 2013 *

Evening Show: 12 – 14 July @ 8.30pm

Matinee Show: 13 – 14 July 3.00pm

Ticket Price:

Night Shows: RM100 / RM80 / RM60 (adults) or RM40 (students,disabled, seniors above 65 & TAS Card)

Matinee Shows: RM60 or RM40 (students, disabled, seniors above 65 & TAS Card)

* Buy a ticket, light a home. Each ticket sold on 12 July will go towards the purchase of a solar light bulb for an orang asli home.

About the show:

Kuala Lumpur, 15 May 2013 – From the Academy Award-winning film comes an equally acclaimed stage production. The Actors Studio’s RASHOMON, presented by JTI Malaysia in collaboration with The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) and HANDS Percussion, will play for a limited run from 12 to 14 July 2013. The film catapulted Akira Kurosawa to international fame and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Award. The Actors Studio’s own adaptation was staged thrice and won Best Lighting Design, Best Original Music, Best Set Design and Best Costume Design at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards 2003.

This July, three visionaries, each considered to be the best in their field, will come together to take this masterpiece to new dramatic heights. Director Joe Hasham OAM, Music Director Bernard Goh of HANDS Percussion and Production Designer Paul Loosley collectively weave a gripping story of lust, greed and honesty. Against the backdrop of modern-day Osaka where seedy side streets, sake bars, love hotels and shady characters are aplenty, the search for the truth is not so simple after all. Director Joe Hasham says “We took the classic route in the past but this time, we decided to modernise the setting. The raw and gritty feel of a bustling city like Osaka truly heightens the drama. We are fortunate to have top-notch actors like Doppo Narita, Patrick Teoh, Michael Chen and Anrie Too. Together with Loosley’s stunning design as well as Goh’s haunting music composed with Susan Sarah John that will be the pulse of the show, setting the scene and accentuating the climaxes, we are excited to unveil this new RASHOMON.”

Managing Director of JTI Malaysia, Robert Stanworth, adds, “JTI is truly honoured to be part of this artistic journey and bring the famed Rashomon back to Malaysian shores. This partnership between JTI and The Actors Studio not only promotes the Japanese arts and culture, but more importantly, performances like Rashomon, provide a platform to strengthen ties and build cultural understanding between the Malaysian and Japanese communities in Malaysia. This, in our view, is a significant element in promoting healthy, positive development of performing arts in this country. This year, the partnership is even more special, as we are also collaborating with MyKasih Foundation for the Opening Night to bring hope and light, literally, to the Orang Asli homes via the ‘Light-a-Home’ project.”

So famous is this piece of work that a term called the “Rashomon effect” was named after it. In this adaptation, a heinous crime takes place leaving one dead and another traumatised. A yakuza steps forward to claim responsibility and a trial is set in motion. The witnesses are called to testify. The only problem is that each testimony contradicts the other. What really happened on the day of the crime? RASHOMON originated from two short stories written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa almost a century ago. The fact that it was the very work that introduced Kurosawa and Japanese films to the West, that it has survived all these years and that it continues to be studied today is a real mark of Japanese talent and ingenuity. The Actors Studio’s production pays homage to this renowned masterpiece. The opening night of RASHOMON in Kuala Lumpur on 12th of July is dedicated to MyKasih Foundation’s Project ‘Light-a-Home’ made possible by JTI Malaysia. For each fundraising ticket sold at RM100, one solar light bulb will be donated to the orang asli community.

For tickets or information,

Box Office 03 4047 9000 (klpac) or 03 2144 2009 / 2143 2009 (The Actors Studio @ Lot 10), 04 899 1722 / 2722 (penangpac)

Also available at PJ Live Arts box office, iLasso HQ (Phileo D’sara), TBreak Café, KL Live Management and via online www.ilassotickets.com

Website www.klpac.org | www.theactorsstudio.com.my|