Front Row

What happens to ordinary people when freedoms begin to narrow and uncertainty becomes part of everyday life? That is the question at the heart of No Particular Order, a dystopian play by Singaporean playwright Joel Tan. Told through shifting timelines and fragments of everyday lives, the play explores how people navigate fear, responsibility, and survival in a society that feels uncomfortably close to our own. The Malaysian premiere, presented by Theatresauce, places audiences inside an immersive world where the boundaries between observer and participant begin to blur. Joining us are two of the performers bringing this story to life, cast members Anne James and Kamini Senthilathiban.

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A new theatre production is inviting us into a story about family, loss, and the complicated bonds between siblings. Mati-mati (J’aime Ma Mère) is the second part of a trilogy by Christopher Ling and Arsyad Azrai, following the sold-out Saccharine. To tell us more about the show and how it builds on their earlier work Saccharine, we’re joined by writer Arsyad Azrai and cast member Muhammad Ibrahim.

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From playful marches to cinematic finales, wind symphony music has a way of telling vivid and unexpected stories. An upcoming concert titled The Ambitious Plan brings together a wide range of works, including a world premiere by a local composer, while also marking an important milestone for BELIA’n Wind Symphony. Joining us to share more are Ho Chee Kiang, Music Director and Conductor, and Aaron Foo, Vice President of BELIA’n Wind Symphony.

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What happens when young theatre makers are given the freedom to experiment without playing it safe? The Young Blood Experiment under EJKLS Seni does exactly that, spotlighting bold new voices and ideas on stage. We speak to Yanu, director and writer of In Conversation with God, and Yuthes Umadevi Navarathinam, director and writer of  Yel! or A Compendious Lecture on the Reign of Sultan Paduka Seri Mahadewa Rahmatullah Al-Bara’ III (1784-1834), about their work, their questions, and what it means to create theatre right now.

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What does it mean to grow up under pressure, and what happens when systems meant to help us quietly cross a line? Those are some of the questions explored in two new plays coming out of The Young Blood Experiment by EJKLS Seni. We speak to Adelia Khalid, director and writer of Mary/am, and Hanna Lee, director and writer of Lapar, two emerging theatre makers whose works invite us to look closely at faith, morality, and the cost of conformity.

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Malaysia is often described through slogans, policies, or headlines, but rarely through the messy, contradictory voices of everyday people. Kami Penipu Tapi Kami Tak Menipu flips that around, taking candid street interviews and transforming them into a 60-second snippets that form a full length contemporary dance performance, one that blends movement, text, multimedia, and live music. This is not a neat or polished portrait of the country, it’s cracked, chaotic, noisy, and defiantly alive. Joining us to unpack how this production came together, and what it’s trying to hold up to us as a mirror, are choreographers and collaborators Mohd Nur Faillul Adam and Mohd Nuriqram Azhar, who are also performing in the production.

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The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) has kicked off 2026 with its 28th concert season, one that blends classical storytelling with cross-genre collaborations and crowd favourites. With programmes ranging from Verdi and Mozart to anime, film, and Broadway, the season reflects an orchestra constantly rethinking how it connects with audiences. We catch up with Gerard Salonga, the MPO’s Resident Conductor, to talk about the music, the musicians, and what makes this season such an exciting one to experience live.

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BUKA 2026 is a space for opening up. Through solo works in theatre and dance, it brings forward stories of identity, belonging, and emotional truth, and asks what it really means to be seen without defences. Joining us to talk about the production are producer Hoe Hui Ting, and performer Yon Lynn, who is the solo actor for the piece called “Kenapa Tak Tukar Nama?” - which explores love, faith, identity, and the pressures that come with navigating bureaucracy as a Muslim convert. We also hear more about the other two pieces, the dance performance Me Nari, and the theatre piece Denganmu Ibu (DEBU).

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There are some conversations that only come with time, shared history, and a lot of lived experience. God’s Waiting Room feels like one of those conversations. Opening klpac’s 2026 season, this new play looks at old age, companionship, and the strange in-between space of waiting, through characters who are funny, irritable, vulnerable, and deeply human. It is written and directed by Joe Hasham OAM, with Dato' Dr. Faridah Merican returning to the stage in a role that feels especially close to home. We spend some time with both of them to talk about the play, their journey, and what it means to keep telling stories at this stage of life.

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Anime music, a full symphony orchestra, and over 120 musicians on one stage - that’s the promise of Encounter: Anime 2.0. Presented by AOrchestra, this community-driven concert brings iconic anime themes to life through brand-new orchestral arrangements, featuring music from Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, Studio Ghibli, and more. We find out more from producer Alvin Ong, the Founder of AOrchestra, and violinist Justin Lai, one of the show's conductors, and a member of AOrchestra.

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