Kekasih hitunglah mimpi yang membunuh realiti dengan syurga ilusi
Dato' Usman Awang
To those who knew him intimately, he was affectionately called 'The Tango King'. To others he was referred to as Doc Ismail; his trade-mark pipe always within reach, no matter what the occasion. Tun Dr Ismail, the 'third man' of Malaysian politics, was a true nation builder committed to bridging the gulf of ethnicity and religion in this country. The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) pays homage to this great Malaysian in ISMAIL the last days. In an unprecedented move for a Malaysian musical production, the use of original writing and musical composition has incorporated the remarkably beautiful and socially-conscious poetry of fellow Johorian and National Laureate Dato’ Usman Awang.
A love story about one man's love for the people in his life and his country, ISMAIL the last days is a dramatisation of real events in the history of Malaysia and does not in any way seek to present its material as historical fact. It only seeks to remain true at least to the spirit of Tun Dr Ismail and his time.
Why did we fight for Merdeka? So that the different races can be divided? That can't be the way, right?... Something is wrong... Why are we building Malaysia? What Malaysia are we building? What kind of symbol is Malaysia supposed to be?
Tun Dr. Ismail
Written by U-En Ng
Music by Dato' Johari Salleh
With the poetry of Dato' Usman Awang
Musical Director Mervyn Peters
Choreographer A. Aris Kadir
Executive Producer Dato' Faridah Merican
Director Joe Hasham
Production / Set Design: Loh Kok Man & Caecar Chong
Lighting: Lim Ang Swee & Sandee Chew
Costumes: Dominique Devorsine
Inspired by: Ooi Kee Beng's The Reluctant Politician (Best Non-Fiction Book, Asian Publishing Awards 2008)
View the trailer for ISMAIL here! Click here to read the official blog of ISMAIL!
Some ISMAIL press previews here:
NTV The Breakfast Show (21 July): Catchup tv (Skip ahead to Part 6)
Star R.Age (22 July): Doc Ismail on stage - Yam Phui Yee
Sunday Star (27 July): The stuff of heroes - Andrew Sia
New Sunday Times (27 July): The Sound of Music - Aref Omar
The Edge, Options (The week of 28 July):
Capturing his spirit - Anandhi Gopinath
Notes from the top - Anandhi Gopinath
TV3 Malaysia Hari Ini (31 July)
New Straits Times (3 August): Essence of a statesman - Sharifah Arfah
The Sun (6 August): In praise of Tun Dr Ismail - Bissme S
KLue Magazine (August): My Klang Valley - Didi Ramlan
Blog Radio 24 (6 August): Ismail - Tan Su Lin
8tv Quickie (13 August): Watchout - Ismail The Last Days
The Edge Daily (19 August): Tale of a patriot - Anandhi Gopinath
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