SHORT+SWEET: Celebrating 16 years of artistic brilliance

The world-renowned SHORT+SWEET festival is back in Malaysia, celebrating its sweet 16th birthday with a month-long extravaganza. From September 30th to October 29th, 2023, the annual SHORT+SWEET Malaysia festival will take place at klpac, featuring an impressive array of new works in theatre, comedy, song, dance, musical theatre, and film.

Festival Director Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican expressed excitement about this bumper edition, promising SHORT+SWEET fans a treat with almost 100 premieres.

SHORT+SWEET is known for its name, showcasing new works that are 10 minutes or less in duration. It’s akin to a theatrical buffet, allowing audiences to savor a variety of bite-sized treats in one night, just like choosing between laksa Johor or char kuay teow.

Workshops led by industry luminaries

The 16th season kicked off in April with a series of SHORT+SWEET workshops led by industry luminaries such as film producer and director Lina Tan, comedy legend Harith Iskander, musical genius Vale Wong, choreographer Zhafir Muzani, singer-songwriter Fuad Alhabshi of Kyoto Protocol, playwright Mark Beau de Silva, and director Joe Hasham OAM.

These workshops set the stage for an estimated 400 artists and creatives who will participate in the festival throughout the month, making it a vibrant gathering for the arts community and newcomers looking to leave their mark.

The festival unfolds in various segments, starting with SHORT+SWEET Film from September 30th to October 1st. It then transitions to the light-hearted SHORT+SWEET Stand-Up Comedy and Song segment from October 6th to 8th. Following that, it delves into SHORT+SWEET Musical & Theatre (Week 1) from October 13th to 14th, and SHORT+SWEET Dance from October 20th to 22nd. Finally, the season culminates with SHORT+SWEET Musical & Theatre (Week 2) from October 27th to 29th.

Audiences can pick their favorite genre or indulge in all of them. They also have the opportunity to vote for their preferred acts, giving them a chance to win the Audience Choice Award.

SHORT+SWEET a cornerstone of klpac’s programming

While SHORT+SWEET promises fun and laughter, it’s also a competitive arena. Each group is vying for a place in the finals and the chance to win awards and prizes. These prizes are made possible by generous sponsors, including an anonymous donor, BOH Plantations, Cave & Cellar, CloudJoi, Dancesteps Studio, Jabatan Kebudayaan & Kesenian Negara (JKKN), Kakiseni, klpac, RED Communications, Mangosteen, Mekar Budaya, Mok & Co Engineering, MR. D.I.Y., MUKA Space, The Actors Studio, The Actors Studio Foundation, and Yamaha Music Malaysia.

This edition of SHORT+SWEET Malaysia also introduces the coveted Creative Excellence Award across all segments, adding an extra layer of prestige to the festival.

Since its inception in 2008, SHORT+SWEET has been a cornerstone of klpac’s programming, fostering the creation of a vast pool of new works. It has premiered over 1,000 works and showcased an impressive 5,575 emerging and established talents on stage.

Originally founded by Mark Cleary in Sydney, SHORT+SWEET has evolved into a global festival brand with events in Dubai, England, USA, India, Ireland, and more.

Tickets for SHORT+SWEET Film are priced at RM24, with a group price of RM240 (Buy 10, Get 1 Free), while tickets for the remaining segments are RM38, with a group price of RM380 (Buy 10, Get 1 Free). Gala Night tickets are available for RM50 and can be purchased online via www.cloudjoi.com.