Theatre lovers rejoice!! The Actors Studio (TAS) is BACK!

Six months since its last curtain call at Bangsar Shopping Complex, the company returns to show business in downtown KL, crowning the newly renovated Lot 10 Shopping Centre. Easily accessible via the KL Monorail train system (Bukit Bintang station), the rooftop theatre space sits 250 and is a joint collaboration between TAS (led by TAS Theatre Consultant Teoh Ming Jin), YTL Corporation (headed by Project Manager Mr Lau Eng Shinn) and Japanese designer, Yuhkichi Kawai of Design Spirits.

The interior design of the theatre is a combination of Zen austerity and minimalist sparsity , but visitors will discover that the design is made to highlight the theatre’s dramatic Hanamichi-thrust stage. Theatre enthusiasts who are familiar with Kabuki theatre will recognize the similar T-shape platform, but the thrust section here is much wider than the traditional Hanamichi stage. Teoh explained that operating a theatre in the fashion district of the city, the space is also designed with the commercial possibility of renting the stage as a runway for fashion events in mind.

The Hanamichi thrust stage

The unique stage layout and three-sided seating will provide a new challenge to directors and choreographers alike, encouraging them to be more solution-oriented. “We want more intelligent performances and directors who would push the boundaries and make good use of the given space, ” Teoh elaborated.

Wooden benches, rather than seats with armrests where audience would be segregated, hopes to create a communal feel to the space.  The seating is also designed to increase seating spaces as TAS plans to have more children theatre shows to accommodate younger audience.

The theatre is tentatively booked until December this year, evident of the trust and enthusiasm the local arts community have for this new space. Interestingly enough, many of the interested parties have yet to see the Actors Studio prior to booking. Teoh added “We’ve pre-empted them about the limitations of the space and we have a technical process that we go through to address any problems.”

Teoh also stressed the importance of having more art spaces. “If you go to any one cinema, you can choose up to 10 movies to watch in that one venue. With theatre performances, you are limited to those few available spaces. The performing arts industry in Malaysia needs more venues to create greater visibility.”

I, for one, am glad that TAS is once again located in a shopping mall. Nobody would object to those who frequents art galleries, cinemas, auditoriums, stadiums or planetariums as less “cultured” individuals. But if you were to say that you frequent shopping malls every weekend, the kind of reaction one gets from the art circle is normally one of disdain. Now there’s even more reason to spend ungodly hours in one of KL’s shopping malls. Seriously, theatre + shopping = evil genius.

In fact, it makes more sense to me that more theatre venues should be created in publicly accessible spaces where people from all walks of life can congregate, be entertained and educated. And what better way to promote national unity and instill 1Malaysia/Bangsa Malaysia/any-enlightened-concept-for-nation-building than to allocate spaces and funds for the development of more art spaces within the city. That gives a whole new meaning to “People First, Performance Now”, don’t you think?

The public will be treated to a line-up of free performances at TAS@Lot 10 starting on the 11^th. For more information, click here.

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(PL)