THEATRE
1. ‘The Filtered Truth’
We live in an era saturated with filters, AI retouching, deepfakes, and fabricated news. This 70-minute hybrid performance directed by Lee Yee Han asks audiences: are our eyes still reliable – and can we really trust what we see today?
2. ‘Belle Chapter 2.0’
This reimagining of a beloved classic fairy tale combines a six-course dinner with live singing, storytelling and a dramatic show just inches away from your seat.
- When: (English) April 3-5, April 16-19; (Chinese) April 9-12, April 24-26
- Where: AStage Tearoom & Theatre Dining, Selangor
- Tickets can be purchased here (English) or here (Chinese).
3. ‘Jo Kukathas and Friends: Together Forever’
Veteran actress Jo Kukathas returns with her five unforgettable alter-egos, Ribena Berry, YBeeee, Puan Badariah, Judge Mental Singh and Curry Spice, for a night of monologues, satire and gut-splitting comedy.
4. ‘Shakespeare Demystified: The Merchant of Venice’
To help a friend, Antonio turns to Shylock, who demands a pound of flesh if he cannot repay him. This 100-minute abridged production of Shakespeare’s classic is told through selected scenes, supported by narrative transitions in contemporary English.
- When: April 16-19
- Where: Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), Sentul
- Tickets can be purchased here.
5. ‘Emily of Emerald Hill’
Written by Stella Kon and directed by veteran theatre practitioner Chin San Sooi, the most-performed play in Malaysian and Singaporean theatre history returns.
Seasoned performer Pearlly Chua steps once more into the role of Emily, matriarch of Emerald Hill, who tells the story of herself, her family members, and her colourful younger days.
- When: April 16-19
- Where: Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC), Empire Damansara, Selangor
- Tickets can be purchased here.
6. ‘Budak Bola: Sorak!’
This outdoor Malay street theatre performance tells of a meeting between Budi, an aspiring 16-year-old footballer, and 30-year old Zul, an ex-sportsman trapped in the dark world of gambling. Adapted from the film “Budak Bola”.
- When: Apr 18-19
- Where: Gelanggang Futsal Pangsapuri Puchong Permai, Selangor
- Tickets can be purchased here.
7. ‘Lady M’
Masakini Theatre Company’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s bewitched Scottish play focuses on one of Macbeth’s most misunderstood characters. Is it ambition and greed or naivete that imbues Lady M with an insatiable urge for power?
8. ‘Pewaris’
A matriarch begins to lose her memory and, with it, the ability to cook the signature dishes that once defined her. Consequently, her family is forced to confront the question: what do we truly inherit from the people we love?
This site-specific play at Petaling Jaya’s Temu House stars Muhammad Ibrahim and is directed by Gavin Yap.
- When: April 23-26, April 28-May 3
- Where: Temu House, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
- Tickets can be purchased here.
9. ‘A Song of Crossing to the Southern Sea’
Puppetry, narrative singing, live music and theatrical storytelling combine to tell an evocative tale inspired by the history of Chinese migration to Nanyang.
Performed in Bahasa Malaysia, Teochew and Hokkien, this production builds on an earlier staging by the Smile Narration Singing Group (Taiwan).
10. ‘當然，沒關係 It’s OK’
Set in an actual café, this intimate production examines intimacy, billing itself as “a playful yet honest romantic comedy about flirtation and the courage to try again”.
- When: Apr 24-26
- Where: Midsummer Night Café, Kuala Lumpur
- Tickets can be purchased here.
11. ‘The Little Explorer: Somewhere Only He Knows’
This student production by Class 8 of Sasana International School is the story of a cartographer who meets a young explorer, who in turn shares stories of his journeys and the unusual people he has met.
12. ‘Handsome and the Beast’
Another immersive theatre dining experience with a popular fairytale and a six-course menu!
- When: Apr 30-June 21
- Where: AStage Tearoom & Theatre Dining, Selangor
- Tickets can be purchased here.
DANCE
1. ‘Red Bull Dance Your Style’ Tour – Malaysia
Red Bull Dance Your Style rolls through Kuala Lumpur with two days of workshops, showcases, and battles featuring some of the world’s top street dancers.
- When: Apr 6-7
- Where: Unlock Dance Studio / Lot 10 Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
- More information can be found here.
2. ‘Radhe! Radhe! The Sweet Surrender 2.0 (Odissi)’
Sutra Foundation’s latest Odissi production puts the spotlight on Radha, the passionate and cherished love of the pastoral god Krishna. The show embarks on a seven-city tour of Malaysia.
- When: Apr 10-12
- Where: Temple of Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur
- Tickets can be purchased here.
3. ‘Ballet Illuminations Kuala Lumpur’
Singapore Ballet returns with a much-anticipated triple bill of classical ballet, including “Paquita”, a sparkling showcase of classical virtuosity; and two neoclassical pieces by world-renowned choreographers.
4. ‘Alice Lost in Wonderland’
This production by Viva Vertical is the tale of familiar characters from Wonderland, who seek out Alice after things go wrong in their whimsical world.
- When: Apr 18
- Where: Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC), 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
- Tickets can be purchased here.
5. ‘Menempa Tari Tradisi 2026 di Kota Kayangan’
This vibrant showcase features a collection of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Sabahan and Sarawakian traditional dances, many of which are rarely performed in Perlis.
- When: Apr 24-25
- Where: Auditorium JKKN Perlis
- Tickets can be purchased here.
MUSICAL THEATRE
1. ‘Gou Li Hao Xi 2.0 (GLHX The Musical)’
A new mother, a seemingly perfect woman, and others reclaim pieces of their true selves through an unfinished play drawn from pain and memory.
2. ‘A Year to Love: The Musical’
This original musical with songs by Nancy P Jenster tells the tale of Helen and Joe, whose love is suddenly tested after being married for 32 years. The couple must fix their broken bonds, finding courage, hope, laughter and tears – all in a single year.
- When: Apr 24-25
- Where: One Theatre Hall, Straits Quay, Penang
- Tickets can be purchased here.
Putting on a show? Email us at [email protected].