Playground & Library Chuo Chu Kang, Singapore July 2012

Visiting playground and library are part our days in Singapore. 

This playground look just like the one we frequented back home.

This includes the ring-shaped equipment.

Kevin Henkes's booksssssssssssssss. 

Without much ado, kids and I indulged in as many as we could. 

A lot of my friends wonder why I visit Singapore so often. NLB is one good reason. 

Every Wednesday and Friday !! EVERY WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY!!!.

That is frequent!! 

                                           

We were lucky to catch a puppet performance by Frankie Malache, an award winning professional puppeteer  and an official representative of Singapore for ASEAN puppetry festival. 

He is really good and funny. We enjoyed his performance tremendously.

Mind you, this performance is at the public library and it is free! 

                                        

Shadow dancing 17 May 2011

Directed by En. Sung by Hui.

Puppet Theatre 12 May 2011

Idea from Childhood101.

En finally has a new theatre to play with. The old ones has collapsed and was sent to recycling centre.

I got a treat to enhui's puppet show instantly.

Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones by Jeff Achtem 10 May 2011

We went for the first show at 8pm. It's such  a hillariously funny performance. Creative use of material. Never thought that light and "puppet" can bring so much laughter to me. The best part is hearing En & Hui laughed.

I love what Bunk has said in the show " Enjoy the rain, enjoy the sun. No matter how busy, how busy you are. Always find time to play"

I also like the way he prepared his puppet on the stage where the children can behold his creativity. He has so much passion in his shadow. I wish En and Hui will find their passion just like him.

Puppet Workshop with Jeff Achtem aka Mr Bunk 5 May 2011

Thursday 3pm

I was so excited knowing Jeff Achtem aka Mr Bunk was holding a free workshop for children aged 7 and above. My first thought was En is going to like this one. She admire and is fascinated by shadow. Mr Bunk's shadow puppetry is different from the usual 'Wayang Kulit' we watched. Mr Bunk performed in front of the screen whereas Tok Dalang is behind it.

Hui wasn't supposed to be part of it but I brought her along. When the children was called to the stage, Hui walked right up there without much hesitation. En on the other hand, prefer to watch from afar.

Part of the preview. He is really really funny. We 're thrown into a fit of laughter.

Hui at 4 years old, listened intently.

Mr Bunk didn't distribute material to Hui, probably knowing she is way under age to be there.

Little Hui walked right to him and got herself the material!! :)

Hui's.

Put your wrist at the edge of the paper and draw an outline of your palm.

Hui's.

Draw the face, nose - and make it real big.

The children was told to wait for Mr Bunk to check on the drawing before cutting it out. Hui said "He doesn't want to see my drawing". I said " He has so many children to attend to." Without giving up, she walked up to him. Mr Bunk commented "Too small, draw bigger "

Cutting out the puppet.

Hui asked help from Mr Bunk to put a strap on her.

En & Hui.

Hui told me to cover the light and see what happen.

She was pretty headstrong and went up to the stage uninvited, watch Mr. Bunk giving shadow making tips to 2 older children, which was selected prior

Hui had fun with the puppet on stage.

She loves watching En's shadow making and was inspired by her . En will make shadows whenever she has a chance to.

Puppet show by En Hui and the audience.

This time around, they performed in front of the stage, just like Bunk.

The Ugly Duckling 30 April 2011

The ugly duckling puppet show @Tunku Abdul Rahman, Matic, Jalan Ampang.

It was a mere 45minutes performance with no intermission.

What I love is the positive participation where exciting kids could contribute to the show.

Leaves were sprinkled from atop and the story teller got the kids to come forward and help picked them up. 

Immediately, kids(including EnHui) ran towards the stage.   

Wayang Kulit @National Craft Day 6 March 2011

We are back to National Craft Day for the second visit. This time, we came for the Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet), En's love. I drove a small car which allowed me to park right in front of the Craft Centre on top of the curb!  As for the previous visit, my small vehicle was able to squeeze in between cars within the vicinity of Craft Centre, at the corner. :)

This is the back scene view. The troop is from Kedah and this Tok Dalang delivered the show differently from the previous one that we watched who was from Kelantan.

An eye-catching coloured-shadow.

Check out the wayang kulit!

Tok Dalang in action.

This puppet costs RM20. En was holding it during the car ride home. The moment she saw light shone in, she made a shadow with it. While doing that, she uttered " waa soo beautiful. "

I wonder what made her admire shadows so much? That question made me think of what I admire. What is my passion? ehmmm..I long for the days of a true 'whaa' and 'wow'. !!

Dog & Cat 20 January 2011

Thursday 3pm

En and her shadow puppet show again.

Popcorn and tickets, with assigned seat number.

One of the posters on the wall.

The screen and the backstage.

I didn't listen to the story.. *yawn* (after an early morning at Thaipusam..)

Ramayana Revisited at Peranakan Museum. 17 January 2011

Ramayana epic is illustrated by shadow puppets, paintings on paper and cloth and photographs. It ends on 27 Feb 2011 at Peranakan Museum, Singapore.   

This is why we are here - shadow puppets. En stared at it intently. I wonder what has initiated En to have such interest and passion in puppeteering.

At the end of last year (2010), I reflected on what I have accomplished with EnHui for the whole year while referring to my blog and the mistakes that I have made and how I should improve myself as a mother.  And most of all, I was figuring out which direction Unschool 2011 should be heading. 

It seems like I should be going towards Performance Arts, theatres, contemporary, visual art, whatever in the name of arts and most of all, puppetry. Ramayana Revisited is the first one.   

I began to see the beauty of shadow - thanks to En.

Coloured shadow.

I forgot what En told me - something on the lighting.

Tonight, during my private session with En, a 20 minutes chat and lots of hugs & kisses and hands holding at bedtime. I told her she should hold a puppet show for the neighbours. As expected, she excitedly said "YES".

So, I added  "But they wont understand much when you have the session in English!" En pondered 'Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm'.

I said "You need to plan one in Mandarin for the benefit of those who don't understand English, like por por". En agreed to what I suggested. Finally, she remarked " I'll plan one in Mandarin". 

Related - It's important to try spending "one to one" time with your child (when you have more than one)

Wizard Show 23 November 2010

Hui is following En's footstep, in puppeteering and story-telling. They both can spend a great deal of time in doing that, taking turn being a spectator for each other.

Behind the door 'wayang kulit' 10 November 2010

Hui was entertained with a shadow-puppet story by En. The screen was pegged between the door and a bag. Torch light was put on top of stacked-up stool, shoe box and books. Puppets on the floor.

That gave me a bit of time alone, in the kitchen. :)

En's wayang kulit @Enfafrow A+ My Amazing Child Grand Finale' 14 October 2010

Thursday 9am
It all started when aunt Ling uploaded a video of En's puppetry show at home to 'Enfagrow A+ My Amazing child' contest. I didn't pay much attention to it, till she got into the finalist stage (based on voting)
When I told En, she will have a chance of winning a grand price of RM8k travel voucher. Beaming with joy,  she exclaimed " I can see snow" (Seeing snow is one of her dream).

A million thanks to aunt Ling and aunty Luisa for arranging and accomodating En's request in her preparation for the wayang kulit performance. En being the choreographer, director and creator of her version of wayang kulit.

She chose 'ao yai' (thanks to uncle fai & aunty m ling) as her costume which I think was a great choice. Here she was passionately setting up her theatre and I was her assistant. Left - a video recorder in front of theatre.

Left - The 1st prize winner - 4 year old Kah Hee, reciting 'San Ji Jing' with gutso. Right- 2nd prize winner - talented 5 year old Yi Fan, playing two tunes on the electronic keyboard. One of it, a famous classical piece, from ear memory!  

The emcee introduced En and her winning puppetry video was shown on TV.

"It's a performance by a 6 year old using shadow to tell an impromptu story which will be created at the time of its performance. The puppets and props are mostly homemade and using easy to find material at home, partly inspired by En" 

En's wayang kulit was being shot by a videographer live from a dark room, near the stage.

She won the third prize and was jumping excitedly on the stage when her name was being announced.  :)

" En developed a great interest in the art of puppetry. Couple with an active imagination, what started off as paper cuttings, slowly evolved to hand puppet theater show, and finally, migrated to wayang kulit today. She have a hand in creating and influencing the characters and the puppets that are used in the wayang kulit. Because of her passion on this art, most, if not all, of the activities here are of her own motivation and direction "

Left - all the 6 finalist  (aged from 4-6 years old, En being the only 6 year old) with their prizes.  

Right- The three winners(Yi Fan, Kah Hee and En) from the grand finale, posing with their mock cheques. En is the tallest and oldest child! 

The grand finale winners launched Enfagrow A+ Smart Camp, with the mascot, owl and Mr Roger Dallas.

En said " I am glad I came."

I thought the whole event was a wonderful experience for her. Thanks to aunt Ling. 

1st Malaysia Day Celebration @Jalan Bangkung 16 September 2010

Thursday 530pm

I was indecisive on whether to attend the Malaysia Day celebration. The last performance, "wayang kulit" at 9pm, is what En has been longing for. The show time falls on Enhui's bedtime, which means they will be extremely exhausted.

And you know what, I am thankful, I made it there. Thanks a million, aunty S Ming for the invitation. Thank you. Enhui enjoyed it tremendously and it was a valuable experience for her.

This is the first performance we watched when we arrived. boom boom

Sarawakian Traditional Dance and MyCats Kids Performance.

Suddenly, there was a tiger roaring sound and the DJ shouted "Freeze Tiger Trade". We turned around to find many people lying still on the floor, with placards displaying 'Freeze Tiger Trade'. What a suprise! And what an unique way to pass on the message. Wildlife Crime Hotline 019 356 4194 or email to report@malayantiger.net

I enjoyed this one which led to the dance below..

A humurous sketch by MyConstitution and traditional chinese lion dance.

During the Sabahan performance, Hui was taken to join the dance.. :)

Traditional Indian Dance and Malaysian singers. So many performances!

The long awaited 'Wayang Kulit' by a renowned Kumpulan Wayang Kulit Anak Baju Merah from Machang, Kelantan, led by Kelantan most popular tok dalang, Saupi Bin Isa. 

Puppets.

We were invited to watch the setting part as well.

To capture the essence of wayang kulit, many believes we should not watch it from the front. You are encouraged to move about and watch the performance of the tok dalang and his crews from behind the screen.