Friday November 20, 2009
Seriously funny
By SHARMILLA GANESAN
Jit Murad is back – but this time, it’s not just for laughs.
JIT Murad is, in his own words, too old for “making monkey faces”. So for his next show, One Load of BullJit, the comedian, thespian and playwright has decided that a little gravitas is in order.
Of course, this is Jit we’re talking about here, so the laughs are never too far away: when I jokingly compliment him on not looking his age, he replies with a deadpan look: “Well, somewhere in the attic of my terrace house, there’s a portrait of me looking older and older.”
Of course, a stand-up show by Jit would not, and could not, be totally serious. So his own description of the upcoming show as “seriously funny” seems apt for someone who brings humour to the most unlikely situations.
“This time (the show) will be more anecdotal. It’s going to be storytelling – with a chuckle or two thrown in,” explains Jit. “I’m not saying it’s not going to be amusing, but it’s not going to be one joke after another.”
Structured as a stand-up comedy show – that is, a man with a mike – Jit will share his musings on love, life and basically anything else that strikes his fancy.
When asked why he decided to try a different style with the show, Jit turns serious. Taking about the recent losses in his life (Jit’s father passed away last year, and good friend Yasmin Ahmad earlier this year), he says: “I am a compulsively funny person, but that is getting harder to access with my recent experiences. I suppose my work is a reflection of what is happening with me right now.”
Cheeky again, he calls the show a totally layan diri (self-help) endeavour that have his producers rather nervous. “Of course, (each new show) is like a bungee jump. It’s so different from doing a play, which is usually someone else’s script. This is my stuff that I’ve worked on alone, rehearsed while doing my dishes with only my cats listening to me! You really don’t know until you’re up there whether it’s going to work or not.”
He admits, however, that trying a new tack for his show does bring on the nerves a little more.
“I keep asking myself: how much funny can I afford to take out? How much of it is self-indulgent? And yet, how am I to know until I’m up there (on stage)?”
Fans of Jit can still expect to see his self-deprecating humour and razor-sharp wit on full display, and a few of his famous characters (hairdresser René Choy, anyone?) may just make an appearance too.
One Load of BullJit was also conceived as a way to highlight the newly opened PJ Live Arts Theatre, as well as raise funds for the Nur Salam Children’s Home Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur. With this in mind, a special charity preview of the show will be held next Tuesday, featuring an opening performance by Rudy from Hitz FM. Tickets for the event are available for a minimum donation of RM60, and will include pre-performance food and drinks courtesy of La Bodega.
One Load of BullJit will run from Nov 24 to 29 at 8.30pm in the PJ Live Arts Theatre, Jaya One, Petaling Jaya, with an additional matinee show on Nov 29. Tickets are priced at RM55 and RM65 for the evening shows, and RM45 and RM55 for the matinee. For more information, call Ticketcharge (03-2241 9999) or log on to ticketcharge.com.my
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