JFKL Programmes

The Metamorphosis, Android Version
Theatre

Japan’s Robot Theatre Project presents a creative reimagining of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, in which the leading man morphs into an android rather than a bug. Set amidst a new backdrop of civil unrest and military conflict, this thoroughly modern play interweaves existentialism and morality with the currently-relevant themes of refugees and xenophobia.

Oriza Hirata’s adaptation of the absurdist classic stars Repliee S1, an android designed by famed roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, and Irne Jacob, who was named Best Actress at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in “The Double Life of Vronique”.

Presented in French with English subtitles.

Date: 13 & 14 August, 2015
Time: 8.30 p.m.
Venue: Dewan Budaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Admission: RM100 for Adults. RM40 for Students. RM50 for Senior Citizens, Children and the Disabled.
Webpage: https://www.jfkl.org.my/events/meta-android-version/

Bunraku Puppet Show
Puppet Theatre

Four up-and-coming young members of the Japanese Bunraku scene are set to thrill audiences for the first time in Penang with their rendition of “The Furious Love of a Greengrocer’s Daughter”, one of 160 plays written during the Edo period (1603-1868) that remain in the national repertory.

Bunraku is a centuries-old art form in which puppeteers dressed in black and visible to spectators manipulate large puppets to the accompaniment of sung narratives and traditional instrumentals. In 2003, UNESCO recognised it as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage, citing the unique nature of Japan’s indigenous puppet theatre, and praised the realism with which it portrays human emotions.

Date: 15 & 16 August, 2015
Time: 6.40 p.m.7.10 p.m.
Venue: Jalan Jeti Lama, Butterworth
Admission: Free
Webpage: https://www.jfkl.org.my/events/bunraku-puppet-show/

Partner Programme

Borak Arts Series 2015
Conference

The third installment of the region’s primary arts conference features key industry practitioners and administrators who will discuss an array of topics imperative to breaking boundaries and strengthening relationships across ASEAN communities.

Sachio Ichimura, the programme director of Festival/Tokyo, is slated to appear at Pitchpad on the second day, where ten Southeast Asian arts projects will be pitched to a line-up of festival directors and venue providers.

Time: 29 & 30 August, 2015
Venue: St. Giles Wembley, Penang
Admission: RM80 for 1-Day Pass, RM150 for 2-Day Pass
Webpage: https://www.jfkl.org.my/events/bas-2015/

Grant Recipient’s Programme

Digital Art + Culture Festival
Art

Themed “Culturetopia”, this year’s festival will seek to discover a new contemporary definition of modern heritage through dialogue between digital-based artists and Penang’s urban fabric. Programmes include art installations inspired by the sounds of George Town, a mobile projection-mapping cinema, and an exhibition that explores the presentation of history in contemporary times.

The international line-up of artists is lent a Japanese flavour with the participation of Chikara Matsumoto, who produces low-tech animation using hand-drawn cells; and Tetsuya Umeda, a sound artist specialising in found objects and unconventional spaces.

Time: 716 August, 2015
Venue: Various
Admission: Free
Webpage: https://www.jfkl.org.my/events/dac-festival-2015/