Queen Ping

Cake Theatrical Productions
Singapore
11 -13 May 06, Thu - Sat, 8pm, Theatre Studio

In the bloodthirsty game of human ping-pong, only one can emerge victorious. The loser faces certain death. The queen bee sits on her throne. Watching with such intensity. She slips and slides. Watching. Watching. Her head turning on an axis, the bristles on her back erect, her sting so ready it's aching. Then... all... of... a... sudden... the a... g... o... n... i... s... i... n... g cry of defeat.

And it's all over.

The time has arrived.

The world has stopped for one person.

And the bitch begins to feast.

A deliciously dark, wickedly funny, totally irreverent piece of work, Queen Ping is about how power, identity, control and sexuality play out in the lives of four people whose paths connect and collide in present day reality and in the realm of dreams and fantasy.

Written and directed by Natalie Hennedige, performed by Michael Corbidge, Nora Samosir, Noorlinah Mohd and Rizman Putra, with multimedia designed by Brian Gothong Tan, lighting design by Suven Chan, and sound design by TINNIDUOS.

Queen Ping is part of Esplanade's Theatre Studio Season.

A must watch for Grungies!

A must watch for Grungies!
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The film I grew up watching with awesome soundtrack.

Singles

Recently, I borrowed one of Cameron Crowe's classic, 'Singles'. I was only 14, and grunge was the fad, I fell in love with the soundtrack before watching the film, in the soundtrack you could find all sorts from Jimi Hendrix, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney, Smashing Pumpkins and the legendary Mother Love Bone.

We were one of those who got into the bermudas and Dr Martens look, with flannel madness plus the dirty/smelly jeans. The power of pop culture can influence the action of the consumer somehow.

Before I discovered Jobim, I thought America had all the best music in the world, but well, I was wrong....anyway, as foolish at it gets, grunge was the centrifugal development of my youth, and I can't blame myself for that. The best is to reminisce and laugh at it, but you can't deny the fact Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger was a classic, and Grunge no matter how over-rated the hype was (and I have to blame MTV for this). It is still part of our history.

Go watch Singles or get the soundtrack, listen to Drown by The Smashing Pumpkins.

No matter where you are, I can still hear you when you drown
You've traveled very far Just to see you I'll come around, when I'm down
All of those yesterdays
Coming around
No matter where you are, I can still hear you when you dream
You traveled very far
You traveled far, like a star
And you are
All of those yesterdays
Coming around
Is it something someone said?
Was it something someone said?
Yesterday the sky was you
And I still feel the same
Nothing left for me to do
And I still feel the same
I wish, I wish I could fly
I wish, I wish I could lie
I will, I will try
I will, I will
Goodbye

Round About in Am

Round About in Am
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The Band who stole the riff from Miles Davies and made them theirs,

exploring

the exponential. Art Fission, 2003.

The Round Abouts

The Round Abouts
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

One of those rare collaborations; RoundAbout with Arts Fission, circa

2002.

Feeling 'Elvis' on An Evening By The Bay

Feeling 'Elvis' on An Evening By The Bay
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

One of those Elvis moment with Tiramisu, Baybeats 2003.

The Day we embraced New Media

The Day we embraced New Media
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The day KYTV performed in a multi-billion dollar arts centre. The

Esplanade Theatre Studio,

circa late 2003.

Random Jam at The Pete, Paya Lebar, circa 2002

Random Jam at The Pete, Paya Lebar, circa 2002
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The studio was small, but many songs were written in that micro space.

Porcelina of the Vast Ocean

The weekend was pretty healthy in some ways, some lovely angel introduced me to a near perfect delicacy. So you poor souls out there, do try it! Get some Honey Stars cereal and a good french youghurt, mix them up, you have a wholesome and healthy on-the-go food. This is what happened when you can't sleep at an unearthly hour, McDonalds make you sick and overdosage of instant noodles.

Another one of the many series of weddings on Sunday, those wicked greasy food tasted so good especially when you don't feel the guilt. Void-decked Malay weddings are famous for these, its best when you eat them with your bacteria coated hands, with innocent sweat dripping down your forehead with classic Malay wedding songs on loop. And right in front of your eyes, you could see horde of people queing up for photo taking session.

It feels like Disneyland with Nasi Briyani with Mickey and Minnie on stage, and we are all tourists lost in the conformity of an artificial space. At times, you feel sedated and think how many more of these do you have to go through? Well, this year is the year of the weddings, loads of people are getting married. Could be something about the Dog Year, and I am not referring to the doggy position. Perhaps, Dogs do bring luck or its just coincidental that these lovely couples decided that 2006 if you add the numbers it will round up to the number '8'?

The consequences of all these sinful activities will end up with a conference in the room of lonesome porceline.

An Agent to Purify

An Agent to Purify
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The beginning of Pink Phase and tacky dreams.

LaSalle-SIA College of The Arts, circa 2002.

Studio 2002

Studio 2002
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The BA studio, we cultivated habits of bringing back junk. Circa 2002

Dislocating Strategies

Dislocating Strategies
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Performance entitled: 'Amuse, Amusing, Museum', finding new extensions.

Part of a mini performance festival, 'The Thin Line'. Circa 2002.

The Fine Arts Class of 1999

The Fine Arts Class of 1999
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Observe this photo, you can see the bunch of bandits at the back. Circa

1999.

Me and mummy, Jackie Brown

Me and mummy, Jackie Brown
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Every Singaporean child would have this photo taken

with their parents or sort. Me and mummy, circa 1979.

Run Baby Run

I was born in 1978, the year punk broke...grew up in an estate called Brickworks. I enjoyed my childhood so much, sometimes how I wish I could re-live that memory. As I grew older I realised it is not possible at all, sometimes I do teleport myself there but only through my mind.

I love to run, so when I was 8 years old, I represented my class in 100m sprint, well...I got in second, probably my legs were too short. The boy who had legs looking bamboo sticks won the race. The plastic trophy became a prize possesion for a while. Drawing was my other love, I was caught frequently from doodling nonsense in my textbooks.

During my adolescence, I got fascinated with the activities of bad company. We established a meeting place which was called 'Under The Bridge' (RHCP was the rave back then), I picked up smoking and spraying vulgarities on to the walls of that hippest place. It was a canal...

Now, reaching the third decade, I still think I have that 'child' in me (I'm not pregnant), in my heart probably, at times I do break into this spasm of animated rejoice. Then things will go back to normal again. I always thought at this age, I would probably be somewhere in the Central Business District walking in my crisp shirt and sleek tie with a briefcase. Not sure, a businessman or sort.

Where did I get that image? Probably from current affairs programme on TV or some vision created by teachers or parents. Of course, a female companion and a pet would have been ideal. No matter how much we envisage our life to be the way we wanted it to be, along the way, there is always some kind of hurdle. We would fall and trip, then we get up, we get injured and raptured, we still carry on not sure why.

Let's run again today...

Dead Squeaks in Confrontation

I discovered some random writings back in 1999, it was something I wrote to a friend; I am still trying to figure out what its about.



In where the souls, freed from the grasp of
twilight.......I like to play with those ornamental candles........
free from where.....like Jimmy and Janga......and Kadoodle---....
winter merry.....come work at KK factory......make plastic components...the digital of the West....where the Fat Lady works in
flatted factory....dignify the verified.....like code words......
talk to your heaven....talk to your husband.....
bleeding gums on the loose.....sprinkling body odour.....love..is love..we try to compensate amongst the tortured souls.....like lipsticks...
from Seremban to Skudai....I move like a crocodile....
hoping....hoping....which rag that radiates....in cool fridge....
or musical composer pulling cork screw.....tits for dads...he watches
porno in a view-cam..
like a boy in the bag...slowly ....slowly.....behold the truth....
slowly we liquify from her western trade...brutality of eastern consumer.....
he likes to drive in his big yellow vehicle...like a King...with his lifesaving jacket.......come doodle in your diddle.......tinggle the tangle.....twinkling the wankling......hate that Disco Brat.....a cultured disease of desire...for people who-don't-know-how -to...
cushioned seats for Dingos......Transit the island with tight seats like sexual perversion.......galore for the perverts of the new wave......
thanx....gracious to melody and Harmony.......

Spontan Pix Monday Blues

Spontan Pix Monday Blues
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Ten Dark Ones, Monday, Thirteenth February 2006, 15:13 hrs, sunny, U2 ,

Beautiful Day.

Mr Anarex: In the name of sleep

Anarex (at least in Singapore) appears to be a combination of Paracetamol and Orphenadrine, not just Orphenadrine alone. Orphenadrine is a muscle relaxant, so would be included with paracetamol for conditions such as back or muscle sprains to reduce spasm and improve movement.

Dead eyes...dead eyes... are you just like me? Twist and turn in my pillow sea, applying a childhood method, visualise a dream...imagine you are in heaven (it used to be an erotic date with Samantha Fox)...anarex dehydrate me internally, rapid eye movement feels like a conscious attempt to retire.

Lethargy has been given a new birth, the neighbours' tree chickens have woken up...still cringing in foetus position like a tired ringworm. Someone was whispering to me, I think its Annie Lennox, she said "Baby talk to me, like lovers do." Then I told her sweet dreams are made of these in their whiter shades of pale. Geez.

from The nocturnal being of becoming.
12th Feb 2006.

Dream Instruction No.1

The road is less rigid when you are wearing your jelly boots. An indecisive terrain, if you fall make sure you have your helmet on, it will be ideal if its made of fibreglass. Eventually, the walk will lead you to a place with sea monkeys with spades. Talk to the chief who wears polka dot underwear on his head.

Take your time to think, wait patiently for the next ride to your merciful fate. In the meantime, draw two circles in the air with your smelly fingers. Your heart is beating really fast, do not be afraid. Take it out from your chest, hang on to it.

Do 5 cartwheels in the liquified bubble, run in a loop, devise a lame conversation with your shadow, sing Stairway to Heaven backwards with knees facing towards river Ganges.

Pain of A Million Ants

The first of the collaborative effort for the year 2006.

Noor Effendy Ibrahim, Cyril Wong, Rizman Putra & Koichi Shimizu (Singapore & Japan/Thailand)
Pain Of A Million Ants
2 March | 3 March 06
8pm
Various spaces at The Substation
Pay-as-you-want Event

Like ants to honey, the four artists will be seeking out various unconventional spaces at the Substation as a metaphor for finding their response to injury, sacrifice and healing.

Noor Effendy Ibrahim now creates performances with the katak kudung collective that he initiated in 2003.

Cyril Wong is the Young Artist Award-winning author of four poetry collections and a not-so-classical countertenor.

Rizman Putra has been actively working since 1997 in cross-genre experimentation, is a founding member of KYTV (Kill Your Television) and front man of local music group, Tiramisu.

Koichi Shimizu has produced and remixed some of Bangkok's best indie rock bands such as Goose and Modern Dog.

http://www.singaporefringe.com

Machina Thursday

Machina Thursday
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Create a machine by using your friends as materials. So we have a

chopping machine on the left and a fairy plane on the right.

The Ants

The Ants
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The Atom Ants : Catch them in March 2006.

Download Tiramisu 'Live' Tracks

Get a gist of Tiramisu here:

www.purevolume.com/tiramisu

Spontan Pixelates

Spontan Pixelates
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Ten Dark Ones: 6th February 2005, 23:43hrs, chilly, Jazzanova.

Match Point is a must watch!

Man A fell in love with Woman B who is the sister of Man B.
Man B is engaged with Woman C.

Man A met Woman C, lust over her.

A few years later, Man A got married to Woman B. Man B broke up with Woman C.

Man A met Woman C, they had an affair. Woman B is trying hard to get pregnant, instead Man A made Woman C pregnant.

Man A got really confused with everything. He killed Woman C. He got away, because he's lucky.

There's more to it, I am just re-sorting out the plot, its more complicated than this and I think Woody Allen is a genius. So go and watch Match Point!

Finding Billy Elliot

Yesterday, I had to struggle all the way to Northern part of Singapore in a neighbourhood school to teach students how to appreciate dance/movement, and this is going to be a routine twice a week for me for the next 12 weeks or so. But nevertheless, though I was tired, I enjoyed myself, showing them the basic method of stretching. For all the classes I asked them all the same questions.

Anyone of you love to dance?
No, they are for gays and sissies.

Is walking a form of dance?
Some say yes and some say no.

What do you want to learn from this programme?
Hip hop and break dance.

When I was in Secondary School, I wish they had this kind of programme, I knew I was active in some sense but the only way to understand the body was from boring Physical Education classes. Well I guess that is why our energy all wasted in making teachers cry and giving them high blood pressure.

When you were a teenager, the only form of understanding a real dance was definitely Ballet and men in tights, as we grow older we realised that we have been so ignorant all our lives. We stop appreciating anymore. Art like life is always difficult to be appreciated, we are always caught up with all our worldly needs.

Let me wake up and breathe some good air, or it will be too late too soon.

Alexithymia and Jogging

On alternate days, jogging seems to be the highlight of my life, with ONETWODELTA and my Ipod. I find it stimulating, normally I will put the tracks on shuffle, and depending on the situation, sometimes you get the sedated Vincent Gallo on and your pace will be slowed down. Then, it will just kickstart to Asian Dub Foundation, the pace then will get more intense.

I beginning to feel the pain in my knees, probably because of my weary joints, I need to drink lots of milk perhaps. The mind still thinking about the Army days where we could easily do a 5 -7 km run. Its different now, we have to really take it slow.

That's the thing about Siglap, you can run to the Beach within 15 minutes or so, and enjoy the scenery of couples in their intimate sessions, families chomping their chili crabs, Bangledeshi workers drinking their Todi, odd low-riders and of course the traditional dog walkers.

The journey towards a calm mind is what I am heading towards, no matter how chaotic the situation around me is, I want to be at peace with myself. The observer observing the observed, or a voyeur of life. Learning how to detach myself from situation that I don't want to be in. I may sound like I am all shrewed down to a minuscule soul, but I think this is a form of re-invention.

The book that I was talking about is 'Nothing's Wrong: A Man's Guide to Managing His Feelings', yes I know, the title sounds cuckoo, but I read it at one go. Only when I feel the book is good, I will do such a thing. Anyway, this is something from the book I would like to share which I have learnt.

Alexithymia:
"Difficulty in describing or recognizing one's emotions..." The word is "used to describe persons who define emotions only in terms of bodily sensations or behavioral reaction..." - Psychiatric Dictionary

I guess we are all Alexithymias, more apparent for artists and performers alike, we store it, then we react to it in a form of expression. Well I guess that make all of us artists and performers.