Kompang activity today… Self mutilation?

Went to West Spring Secondary School to practice kompang immediately after Malay class. Took a taxi there. Nice enough school, modern and good facilities but without the old world charm of older schools like Hwa Chong or Raffles.

For the benefit of those who aren’t familiar with Malay culture, Kompang is a traditional musical instrument of the Malays. A membranophone struck with the palm. The instrument is made of a woodend frame and a rather large piece of animal skin, presumably cow or goat’s skin. The most interesting part is the stubble on the skin. Seems like the cow was not well-waxed. Hehe.

Anyway, there are only two tones taught to us. One higher and the other lower. We are supposed to make the kind of music you hear during Malay weddings by manipulating the tempo, with only these two notes. But the really difficult part is the repetition of striking the instrument forcefully with the palm. My middle finger and blade of the palm is still swollen when I wrote this. Looked out of proportion and discoloured. Not a good thing, I would say.

Anyway, still have 6 more sessions to go. Maybe by the end of this, there will be so much calluses that you don’t feel anything… Otherwise, how do the Malays do it so often????

Have to go now. Will update ASAP.

黄城夜韵

Went to watch a drama perfomance by 黄城 last Sunday, seems like it was their graduating show. I shall discuss about it in Chinese.

今年的黄城夜韵，分为三个部分。背后的宏观主题都周旋于爱情和社会中人们普遍的想法。

就聊聊我最喜欢的部分，题为“等巴士”。 大部分人日常生活中的一个重要环节。莘莘学子到校上课也要等巴士，踏入社会后去上班也要等巴士，家庭主妇上市集也要等巴士。。。利用一个人们都熟悉的举动作为题材，在平凡中显出传奇不容易，可是这此的演出做得不错。

这一段主要讲述几个青少年还有一个中年的家庭主妇在等巴士时的情形。

两个互相认识的青少年在巴士站等巴士，突然一名中年妇女出现，想要搭巴士回家。这名妇女的所作所为相当本地化，而且贪小便宜。妇女走后，一名穿着老土且显眼的少女出现，似乎是失恋了。以夸张的举止吸引观众的注意，两名青年查问了失恋女为什么这么颓丧时时常斗嘴，突现出了青年男女小小的摩擦。过后见得青年男子原来暗恋男人婆，之前的吵嘴只是年轻的玩闹还有对于爱情的羞涩，对于爱情的不敢于表现。可是，男子还是没有像男人婆表明心意

接近剧终的时候，中年妇女无意间发现了流浪汉就是她的丈夫。她的丈夫在三年前因为好赌而欠了一笔债，逃走了。那位妇女用心良苦，带了饭菜来给她的丈夫吃，可是那名流浪汉却爱理不理，只随便吃了几口。还好，经过一段时间，流浪汉对妇女的戒心渐渐减少了。他答应和妇女一家团圆。

另一边厢，那名失恋的少女打扮得比较现代了，打算与前男友和好。她来到巴士站，少年男子也在那里。而男人婆和失恋女的男友在马路另一边的巴士站。失恋女请少男帮他打电话给男人婆，请男人婆告诉失恋女的男朋友一些事情。就在这种间接传话的情况下，他们和好了。这一点又体现了青少年缺乏直接示爱的勇气。少男也对男人婆表白了心意，他们成为了情侣。

这个部分在巴士站开始，也在巴士站结束，产生了一种对称，一种平衡。结局是这样的。妇女和她的丈夫，男人婆和少男，失恋女和他的男友各站成一对。这个结尾，把剧中一些人间的残酷现实综合了，把这部剧以现实和童话结合，我觉得非常的好。

Sabbaticals.. Drama Perfomance on Sunday

I had been on sabbatical from Monday till now. It will end tomorrow. I joined a Mathematics course, mainly because I am desperate for Maths ACE. Haha. The course (supposedly) teaches us many methods of problem solving so that we can apply it in our everyday lives and during maths lessons and tests. The problem solving methods taught are mostly useful. With the exception of one (”Guess and Check” a.k.a “Trial and Error” a.k.a “Tikam”), which I think wastes time and is quite lame, provides us with alternative ways to solve problems quickly.

I will take a written test shortly afterwards which will decide the number of ACE points I am awarded. Another deciding factor will be my score in tomorrow’s math games competition.

Tomorrow marks the end of my sabbatical and also the end of this term. I will be going back to Malaysia and return on Sunday for a drama perfomance at Victoria Theatre. It was supposed to be on Saturday night, but the Chinese Drama Club Secretary recently contacted me to “inform” me that I am supposed to attend this perfomance. Hope the drama will not dissapoint.