St Joseph’s Family of Schools’ Production explores boundaries in societies

By St Joseph’s Family of Schools (SJFS)

KUCHING — ‘A Story of Ours: Us and Them,’ was staged at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) at St Joseph’s Cathedral on September 29 and 30, by the St Joseph’s Family of Schools Kuching in collaboration with the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) through the MySeni grant that supports and promotes local arts and culture. 

Challenging the conceptions and ideals behind the boundaries and divisions in our societies, this year’s production was not just entertaining but also reflective and thought-provoking. Through an adaptation of an original play, “Us and Them”, written by David Campton, the audience was led on a journey of discovery into the heart of the human condition. The combination of news reports, current affairs and real-life struggles in the scenes that were intricately woven into the original play kept the audience captivated and on the edge of their seats. 

The audience was taken on a journey, from the start of the show that featured the vibrant musical performances to the heart of the show which was the play, performed by the students of the three schools, namely St Joseph’s Private Primary School, St Joseph’s Private Secondary School and St Joseph’s Private International School. 

The selected musical piece preceding the play, sung by the Primary School Choir, “A Light of Hope and A Song of Peace,” set the reflective tone. The play was about two groups of people who came to settle in an area. Divisions and the setting up of fences and walls later brought about dire consequences that mirror what is happening in our world today. 

Messages of hope and calls to build bridges and not walls through dialogue and collaboration were emphasised in the play and were foreshadowed by the beautiful musical performances that preceded it. One example was the dance, “Ekaritma”, meaning “Unity” in Sanskrit, that showcased the dance moves and costumes of the major ethnicities in Sarawak. The other was the world premiere of the musical piece, “Limitless Seas,” written by US-based composer, Ben Hylton, who had adapted it especially for this production. The SJFS’ Concert Band in collaboration with the St Teresa’s School Band performed the said piece in a trio of songs. The other two songs were “Under the Double Eagle” and “Inspiration Fanfare.” 

Adorned in traditional Malay costumes, the schools’ award-winning Chamber Choir enthralled the audience by singing the regional folk song, “Soleram”, along with a contemporary piece, “Singkap Siaga” which was composed by Dr Tracy Wong. Combining traditional and contemporary dance movements, the dancers of SJPSS Contemporary Dance Club moved gracefully, in sync with the rhythm of “Singkap Siaga”, telling the story of shadow puppets and life.

Other notable performances were “Fishermen’s Triumph” by the Chinese Music Club members who started the show with a rousing call of the conch shell and the drumming of the traditional Chinese drums, and “Big Fish,” a theme song from the animated movie, performed by students who played modern musical instruments, accompanying a Chinese fan dance. 

The members of the SJFS String Ensemble performed “Waltz No.2” and “The Carnival of the Animals”. The primary school pupils hyped up the audience by dancing to the songs, “I’m in Love with a Monster” and “Better When I’m Dancin”. Not to be outdone were the contemporary dancers from the international school who awed the audience with their energetic dance moves to the song, “Mr Saxobeat.”

An original song, “This Is Our Story,” with a message to strive for peace and hope in our polarised world concluded the play, sung by the cast and the Chamber Choir. The choir members also showcased their dance moves while singing the popular BTS song, “Dynamite,” much to the delight of the audience whose thunderous applause brought the house down. 

In expressing his gratitude, St Joseph’s Private Secondary School Principal, Fr Stanley Goh SJ said, “The success of our school production, ‘A Story of Ours: Us and Them’ does not come just from talent or hard work, both of which were in abundance tonight. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a whole family of schools to put such a production together. On behalf of the management of the school, my deepest gratitude goes out to our students and teachers who worked tirelessly to put this together, to our generous sponsors especially MSS who saw the value of what we do and to all the parents of our students whose silent support remains a pillar of strength for us all”

All proceeds from the production go towards the new building that will house a new school hall, learning facilities and rooms for the performing arts such as a dance studio and a music studio. 

Gracing the occasion were YB Prof Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, on the first night, together with the members of the SJFS Board of Management.