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How would you like to learn the history of a place, especially if it’s a tourist attraction? I mean, in a non-textbook manner. Besides heading to museums, have you ever thought of attending a live performance?  I’d love to if I get the chance. So, when I noticed in our itinerary (to Jeju Island) that the shadow show was included (courtesy of our travel agent), I did a search online but wasn’t exactly sure whether it was indeed the top few results I kept getting and staring at (We kept having to switch the places of interest – right up to the day before departure – after factoring in how much mobility would be involved). There were banners put up (outside the theatre) to promote the performers – El Gamma Penumbra of ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ fame. Immediately, I went, “Oh it’s them, they’re Filipinos.” (Through their final performance in the competition, the former hip hop group conveyed a powerful message about climate change).

The 50-minute show, during which we found ourselves thinking about wayang kulit, brought the history of Jeju Island to life. You’ll realise the significance of horses to the people of Jeju, especially after the Mongolian invasion. You’ll also know why Psy was trotting like a horse in the related music video to his trendy hit ‘Gangnam Style’ – which was, by the way, also used at one point in the show. There were several cute moments, although a little more precision would have taken the performance up a notch. Of course, there’s also a love story as part of the performance.

What I didn’t see coming was the dance performance, specifically breakdancing (Even if the programme’s sequence/number of acts were projected on-screen just before the performance, it still came as a surprise). For the dance performance, they had joined hands with D’Intensity Breakers, a dance troupe, known for their acrobatic moves and stunts (The dance troupe also took part in ‘Asia’s Got Talent’). If memory serves, they were dancing to ‘Uptown Funk’ and ‘Finesse’, associated with the multi-talented Bruno Mars. Some of the stunts were too scary for me to watch – I screamed and had to close my eyes. Thankfully, all of the stunts were as planned. All I can say is they were unafraid, despite being young.

In fact, the eight-act show included a segment on audience participation. One of the performers, who went to our row, was looking for those who’d love to join in and learn, so he actually asked if I would love to be a part of it. I was tempted to but was too shocked that he asked me. Eventually, they got hold of a boy, around 4 years old. I can safely say that most of us were amused and impressed by the little boy’s performance.

If you think that the shadow show will only appeal to the younger audience, think again. Many elderly folks were watching and it looked like they had a good time because they were overall quite happy, judging from the looks on their faces.

So, if you need a break from everything outdoors, and are a fan of theatre performances, you might want to consider watching this. Please note that any form of recording of the performance is not allowed and that there are entrance fees. Oh, and unfortunately, you don’t get to keep the tickets as tokens.

Notes: ‘Asia’s Got Talent’, which premiered in 2015, is a reality TV show that’s part of the ‘Got Talent’ franchise introduced by Simon Cowell, the Englishman known for his judging duties on several music and talent competition shows.

Wayang kulit : ‘Wayang’ to mean show but it’s also the Javanese word for ‘shadow’. ‘Kulit’ means skin or leather. ‘Wayang kulit’ is a traditional form of puppet shadow play, where there’s also a ‘tok dalang’ involved in the performance. His role is to manipulate carved leather figures between the light and screen. The one performed in Malaysia is usually the Kelantanese version. ‘Wayang kulit’, which is said to have strong Javanese and Hindu influences, has spread out across Asia.