Georgetown Festival 2024 - Close To You: Hiss and Arf

 

So to show my support to the festival, I actually spend my own money purchasing some tickets to some of the event. Ok, actually I only purchased one ticket for "Close To You", and value for money as it was, it was for two shows, each around 30mins, and with a 10min tour of Georgetown thrown in. This was because the two shows were being held at two different location, and it was a 10mins walk from each other. I thought that was such a cool concept! Plus for a Friday working afternoon, the tickets were not yet sold out! So I bough one for myself just a day prior! And the first show was a puppet show title Hiss and Arf.

The show was being held at Han Jiang Ancestral Temple. Again, how cool is that!

I've walked pass this temple many times before, but I think this was the first time I actually walked in!

I went early, as I usually do. So that I can explore the place. Since it was also free seating, I wanted to make sure I get good seats!

I love these old places. With it's elaborated doors looking out into the busy streets of Georgetown, and the beautiful shiny tiles and concrete floors. The moment you step inside, it's like you left the noisy world outside it's door steps. The temperature instantly cools down, and there is just a certain calm inside.

Here is another view of the beautiful doors.

An old care taker sits there looking out into the world. Some of my fellow volunteer was already there and having their lunch before their shift starts. We were always given a packet of rice before each shift. The food was always super dry. Since it was still early, it was very peaceful inside.

I took the chance to wander around to take photos. 

Capturing the beautiful features of the temple.

The ancestral hall was beautifully renovated. Many of the temple took covid as a period to repaint and repair their venue. So now when covid was over, a lot of the temple and ancestral hall actually looked pretty new!

Everything just shine! I love the colour of the dark brown wood, contrasting with the shinny gold and red colour.

Here is an artistic shot of the alter. 

around 15minutes before the show begin, we were lead into a separate room in one of the halls. And there in the middle of the hall, was a tiny solo stage for the puppets! How unique!

The puppeteer and his two puppets. The show was rather unique as well, with some traditional and some modern concepts incorporated into it. No language was used, just sounds or Arf and Meows, lol. Very interesting performance. Very interesting stage as well. It wasn't just one stage, but multi level of stage in that one simple stand. If anything, GTF2024 showed me that the world of art is unique, limitless, abstract, and strange. You have to have an open mind to be able to enjoy everything.