Georgetown Festival 2024 - A World In The City

My last task as a volunteer was helping out on the last show of A World In The City. It was a night time performance, and I was rushing there after my first shift at University Science Malaysia. I didn't even know what the performance was about. I just knew it was held at the Majestic Theatre, and I was excited to be able to go inside the beautiful venue!

This is what the outside of the Majestic Theatre looks like. I've never been inside of it before in my life, but I've walked passed it many time on my way to Chowrastar Market. Finally, I was able to go inside on this day!

I reached there early, and the dances were rehearsing on the ground. At that time, I didn't know that the floor was actually the stage! And that the stage areas was actually where the audiences were going to be seated. I guess artist and the creative people like to turn the expected into the unexpected. I bet they get a kick out of it too.

One of my task was to usher people in before the performance start. Above is actually the entrance to the show. Yes, I know, looked like some half baked construction in progress site. That would be what most people think too, until they go inside and saw that the stage looked similar to this as well. 

Above is the actual stage, with all the steel stairs and scaffolding all over the stage. It reminded me of some modern American musical. Maybe Chicago?

Anyway, it was a contemporary dance performance. It was that exciting really, but there were one or two pieces that was pretty cool. I did enjoy it, but I was standing at the back most of the time, trying to stop people from video taping or photographing the performance. 

 

The cast after the show. It ended pretty late, and the audience took even longer time to exit after the show. When we were finally allowed to leave, I walked to Chowrastar bus stop to catch a bus home. But unlike Komtar, there wasn't many people there, and the place looks kinda sketchy too. So I decided that since this was my last day of duty, I would treat  myself and called a Grab taxi home :)

I would like to share a sample of their performance, but I can't seems to find anything from Youtube.

Georgetown Festival 2024 - The Story Traveller and Sortilegio

 

On weekends, I was assigned to Armenian Park to help out with a story telling event for kids at the community hall there. Again, I went with an open mind, and had so much fun there. 

First of all, this even forces me to go explore Georgetown. 

Next, the park was transformed into a huge creative playground for kids and adult alike. Everyone was free to go play there, or draw, or just watch. So many kids where these just enjoying themselves. When there wasn't any performances, I would just stand outside and watch people play. Some of the kids also came and played with us. I was on duty with another young student who told me she was 'socially challenged'. She was a bit strange, but she got on well with the kids. 

The performances we were helping out with was a story telling even for kids. I just love how their organised the place, and the poster they put out. Perhaps I was out of touch, or was often not involved in such art event before, I just find everything so fresh and creative. 

There were stories for English, Mandarin, Malay and even Hokkien session. We the volunteers actually begged them to let us in for the last performance as we were both curious how the story telling was conducted. 

To give you some clue, above is what the stage of the performance was like! Audiences were lead in during starting time from the faded yellow door at the far right, and lead up the stage. So the story telling actually happened behind the stage! And since it was catered to kids, they were all given snacks to eat during the performances. It was interesting, no doubt. 

Here is the main story teller with the kids after the performance. Apparently he is quite well known to some of the kids. Perhaps they listened to his YouTube channel to learn mandarin from it? 

At the same site, there was also this weird Italian looking puppet show being held call Sortilegio. I was really curious about it, and wanted to purchase a ticket to watch it. 

But then I saw how the puppet show was being carried out and chicken out, lol. You see, it's performed to only one person at a time. And although the audience who saw it seems pleased with it at the end of the show, I find it rather intimidating to watch a 1-on-1 show. What if I don't like the show? What it I got bored? So many what if! I decided to skip it. My introverted self just can't accept it even though I was curious about it.

I finished work around 630pm, and took a lovely walk to Little India to catch a bus home.

My light dinner of overnight oats with bananas. I was given a fan/fan of the story teller. It was worth around 5rm maybe? But it was a nice gesture that they gave it to the volunteer. Thank you! I wish you all the best in your career!

Sample of their performance:

Georgetown Festival 2024 - House of Mask and Mime

 

The assignment for the volunteer was rather exciting itself. I often did not know what I was assigned to until the early morning of the day itself. One of those day, I was assigned to Komtar Auditorium to help with a mime show. Getting to the Auditorium itself was a challenge as I had to Google Search how to get there. Thankfully someone provided a YouTube video of it! I didn't even know there was an auditorium in Komtar's government offices!

I was there early, so I went in to watch their rehearsal. I was so glad I did. The performance was so interesting and touching. And it was all done without a word! It consist of a few short sketch performed with props. And every single one of them was so unique.

The sketch itself was also full of symbols, and some were so touching that it almost brought me to tears. Very beautiful performance! And I would not even know anything about it if I wasn't volunteering here. That's the weird thing about these art festival, you don't really know what the performances is really all about. And to spend money to see them, it's really a hit or a miss. But with volunteering, although I don't get to watch to full performance, I do get to watch some of it and have some idea what it was about. After a few performances, I realise that as long as I kept an open mind, all the shows were rather interesting and artistic, and creative, and really mind blowing!

After the show, audiences were allowed to take photos with the cast. The above cast were made of different nationality, but they all came together to perform this show with such dedication. Kudos! I really enjoyed their show!

The show ended around 10pm or so, and by the time I took the bus from Komtar, it was almost 1030pm. I was at first worried if it would be safe for me to take the bus home. But after seeing the crowd at the bus stop, I felt relief and took the bus home along with everyone else who worked the night shift. When I was younger and living in Penang, I never felt safe going out at night. Nowadays, I latest I went back was almost 1230midnight after having supper with a friend from KL! 

Sample of their performances

Georgetown Festival 2024 - Double Bill of Jingju Magic Chinese Opera

Finally, we were told of our main role during the festival. Interestingly, I was given the role of artist liaison to a Taiwanese Opera group. I mean, although I did say I could speak mandarin, I wasn't expecting to be taking care of around 40+ Taiwanese artist! And although it was called Georgetown Festival, the opera group was actually performing in University Science Malaysia, which was quite a distance from Georgetown itself, and for me, almost a 1.5hrs bus ride away! But instead of complaining and rejecting the assignment, I decided to take it day by day and see how it goes. 

And so I reported for duty at USM, taking two buses to get there, and walking uphill too! I've been to USM many times before when I was studying. No I didn't study there, I mainly went there got chess tournaments, lol. 

The venue of the performance. I didn't really have much to do really. So I spend it sitting inside watching them rehearse on my first day of duty. I have met their Taiwanese liaison the day before at their hotel while they were checking in. The only task I performed on my first day there was helping one of their marketing lady find her lost wallet. I must say, simple task like that does push me out of my comfort zone. 

First day duty ended once we collected the lost wallet at the nearby campus police station. After the troupe has gone home by bus, I too went to catch my bus home. As luck would have it, the first bus that arrived at the bus stop was 102, direct bus home! Woohoo!

During their performance day, I was there during their last performance. It was fun having access to the backstage. Nobody really care who I was. I was able to walk everywhere with my volunteer pass on. I also had my free lunch together with the troupe at the backstage.

The troupe was from Taiwan, and their company name was called GuoGuang. 

One of the task I helped them with was finding stools for them so that they can stand on while preparing the costumes. I was assigned to help with the costume team. The task felt like being a personal assistant to a celebrity. There is no clear description of the task you are supposed to perform, except to help them out in anyway you can. So it was quite fun and challenging when they ask me to do something. Although I don't know how to get it done, I would just say ok, and walked outside to figure it out. Luckily, I am resourceful and persistent, and I used my charm to get what needs to get done! Lol. In some way, I learned more about myself in those few days helping out at the festival!

I also helped them attend to their merchandised booth, did some logistic for them. 

At the end of my work with them (since they only did two performances), I was given a free folder of the group as a 'thank you' gesture. I was so happy! I actually have back-to-back shift on my last day with them, so I even got up the courage to ask for a free ride to town on their bus so that I can get to my next duty venue faster. It was so fun! I didn't really get to watch their full performance, but I did managed to watch one half of it on my first day there. It was a typical Chinese Opera, but with English subtitle. But it was hard to watch and understand, what with the subtitle, and the very chinese chinese. Very interesting experience indeed!

Sample of their performances:

Georgetown Festival 2024 - Pre-Festival Goodie Bag Prepping

One of the things I wanted to do when I have time, was to do some volunteering work. I initially registered to volunteer for the Penang Hill Festival 2024, but guess what, I was rejected because of overwhelming volunteers! Ha! Penang people very free hor? And that was how I ended up volunteering for the Georgetown Festival 2024. My main goal was to try something new, to earn some free meals, and maybe get to see some free events?

The volunteer HQ was at Magazine Road just opposite of 1st Avenue. To be honest, I needed some push factor to get me out of the house more. I am the type that can stay at home forever if it wasn't for friends who come visit me and forces me out of the house, or when the rubbish started to grow some flies that I force myself out of my house. Lol. I am just very comfortable at home. So here I was, attending briefing and meeting new people. I volunteered for the pre-festival due to some personal reasons at home I had to attend to during the festival period....

I am a pure science student and have always worked in technology field, so I don't really know why I like the arts so much. Most of the volunteers were young and was studying or involved in some art related field, or some just taking a break before they start studying again etc. I was probably one of the oldest volunteers there!

My first tasked assigned was to Lava Mansion to help with goody bags. I was assigned together with a young Malay student who was on holiday. It was first time I've ever been there, or even heard of this beautiful place by the sea. One of the organiser was kind enough to drop us there in her car, as well as picking us back to the HQ after our brief assignment there.

I guess Lava Mansion was a restaurant, or an event place where you can booked for holding your wedding by the beach, or birthday parties? The place looks elegant enough. I especially love that their compound looked straight into the sea at Northam Beach. Unfortunately I was too busy with my task to actually go out and enjoy the view. Heck I didn't even get a chance to go out and take a photo of it.

The sponsors were quite generous for this event, and there were boxes of goods we needed to sort out and pack into individual goodie bags. These bags were going to be distributed during the opening ceremony to the VIP guest attending at this very same venue. 

Here is a sample of the content in the bag. I especially like the pink tote bag. I wish they have given some to the volunteers. We did get a festival t-shirt though, which was kinda cool to. And we got a lot of those Himalayan sweets! Those were easily the most available sponsored products in any event during the festival!

A shot taken outside the hall of Lava Mansion with their beautiful (but fake) flower arrangement.

We finished our job quite early, so I was able to make it back home before sunset and made a glass of lychee soda for myself as a reward. I've also earned myself a 10rm lunch meal for volunteering on this day. It was quite rewarding really, and this was just the first day!