Strangely there were 2 types of leaflet with a photo of the PM's head on with the words DRUGS, Public Enemy number one. How daft, does someone really think when some kid sees this he will avoid drugs ? It's clearly an election advert trying to associate the PM with a tough line on drugs. The thing is you can fold the paper to get rid of the word drugs and you get the PM's photo with the title Public Enemy number one underneath.

Didn't go the film night cos I had seen all except : 18? by Danny Lim (Who's spraying the number 18 around the city? What are they trying to say? Are Malaysians running out of spaces to express themselves? (18min))

2. Hisham Rais - shocking, but not rational. He said the government shouldn't restrict/interfere in peoples lives. E.g. Shouldn't stop sodomy.
You could say rape is a private thing, but the government in the role of acting for the people has the right to stop it. And if a government is elected on a basis that something is going to be banned then people should respect it. The problem lies in the democratic process, probably an honest majority of the public would not vote for banning sodomy.

3.Anne James from drama group "Take 5. pretty dry talk about " difficulty in getting permission to perform in non-theatres. Interesting story of old Majestic hotel - Beautiful building abandoned

AWAM had an afternoon activity in Merdeka, about making the streets safe for women, but only 300 people max maybe cos 25Rm

2.Al-Baqarah by Saiful Razman Quran. Can't remember
3.Majidee by Azharr Rudin Two strangers at Puduraya struck up a conversation while walking to Klang Bus Station. What do you know – they are from the same hometown! (15 min)
4. The Big Durian by Amir Muhammad In 1987, a soldier ran amok with an M16 in Chow Kit. It triggered rumours of racial riots. Suddenly, over 100 political dissenters were arrested under the Internal Security Act. The film speaks to real and fictional Malaysians to uncover the facts and myths surrounding this event. (75min)

I trekked way out into the suburbs where underneath an apartment block is a theatre space called Dram Lab. Instead of conventional style audience + stage it's a black room with stools, so the performance moved around the room. There were 4 playlets (2 in Malay 2 in English) and a discussion afterward.

1. Hospital worker (Malay) - regrets when he came to work with HIV patients he treated them badly not wanting to touch them etc, now he respects them as human.

The comment about AIDs patients being Fallen leaves is particularly relevant. People think dead leaves are useless, but in a natural situation the fertilize the tree to sustain life.

2. Looking back on how he got into drug use Schoolboy runs with bad crowd etc used young actors

3. Remembering uncle in Malay. His ill uncle gave him his label clothes. When he found his uncle had AIDS he burnt the clothes. Now he regrets insulting his uncle. His colleague tells him "we all make mistakes".

4. About life in the hospice : life goes on, they talk play games, have to rest cos of illness etc

Discussion : It started as a drama therapy group in the Welcome Community Home for male HIV patients.

I thought the Entertainment value was not great, low emotion, not much happens. We didn't laugh or cry so didn't move emotions. - director said wan't to keep it raw so didn't put extra emotion.
OK this is OK for drama therapy, but not for a public show then you need to RESPECT YOUR AUDIENCE.. There the performance has to be "super real" magnifying real life and being entertaining.

I like the way it was an open performance with no stage and actors moving around as I have seen before

Director claims life is about problems and difficulties. The stories come from peoples lives not made up. Ah I understand it was workshopped so less clear messages, than a play which has been written to give a message. Though there is one message - You can live with AIDS it's not a disaster.

He said it's not a death sentence. I think he's going too far; I understand HIV patients shouldn't give up on life, and might sometimes get back to HIV negative status, but life itself is a terminal illness and on average HIV positive ends quicker.

He said it changed the actors lives, gave them something to live for. There you go ! there 's an interesting story with a good message. That's a good play : they should perform their own story. A bunch of men are pretty depressed and they find something they enjoy, that helps them understand, that grows into something that brings them back into the world of normal people, playing their part as they educate the public there is life after HIV.

2 ideas
1. Tell their own story of getting into drama as it's more interesting than their re-enactments
2. Discussion in circle instead of AIDS patients aren't sat far from audience

2. A 1984/ Brave New World - well made student film no new ideas though

3. Bukak Api - by Osman Ali
A drama which seems to be a safe sex educational video.

Actually apart from the moments where it seems to give a serious message about safe sex - it does stand up as a drama, but not a great great story as there is no conclusion life goes on. The production and acting are good. It shows the life in the house of prostitutes in Chow Kit. Some tranvestite/transexual, some female prostitutes and the older one who makes money from dressmaking.

compared to a normal MY video where kissing is banned this one shows people in the bedroom.
We see -

• tranvestites getting real boyfriends who love them, but still carry on working
• transexuals goal of saving for an operation.
• a woman giving money to her idle boyfriend and getting beatup when she refuses
• difficulties in getting customers to wear a condom
• jealousy and bitching against each other
• Enjoying themselves dressing up and making shows.
• using heroin to ease the pain
• Social workers helping them and getting them to do outreach work (the social worker points out to the madam, if her workers get sick she loses money.)
• one taking risks being drunk alone and getting gang raped

In the end the police raid, beat them up test them for drugs and if they can't prosecute them they pass them to the religious police.

They go back to work and the pregnant one has a baby girl.

Seems in MY prejudice & lack of social welfare traps people into prostitution. The transvestites can't get normal jobs cos of prejudices. The women are poor with families to support so trapped into prostitution by lack of social welfare. There is a large supply of customers cos Malay can't have sex before marriage.

I believe you can find ways of having more exciting debates, by moving a way from all liberal or all Taliban and including the opposition. Then by finding the Common Ground on things all agree on, real changes can be made. Idea for exciting debates the Chocolate Challenge

Then to Peter's hopefully he will have his back catalogue available from his website soon.

I see domino.exe & zssp211.exe appear to be webcam programs