Malaysian Nite ignites Ole Miss audience again with cultural flavor, entertainment

Kyle Marshall

DM Concert Reviewer

Dancing, laughs, and interesting food for two dollar - how can you beat it? This year's Malaysian Nite, a program put together by the Malaysian Student Association (MSA) in the Education Auditorium had all three.

While entertaining, the program was also designed to be informative for those who had little knowledge of Malaysian Culture. According to information handed out with the program, Malaysia is located in the Southeast Asia, and has several ethnic subgroups. They are (in order from greatest percentage to least) the Malays, the Chinese, Indians and a group called "tribal peoples," who are the oldest inhabitants of the country.

So that's why there were both a Chinese and an Indian dances as part of the program. The best dance, however was the opening one, which came as a surprise as it wasn't in scheduled on the program. All the lights in the Education Auditorium were turned off; only neon "Exit" signs hung suspended in the dark. After a few moments, flickering lights moved in gentle arcs down through the aisles of the audience. These lights were candles: one in each of the dancers' hands. With a formally rhythmic steps of two lines of dancers made their way to the stage, and quickly finished up there.

The thing which I enjoyed most were two skits, one called "Bubblegum," and the other a short play called "Rose, Rose, I Love you." Perhaps I am easily amused, but the skit about different people getting stuck in various ways in the same patch of bubblegum was hilarious. Using very few props, humor was achieved by the slapstick actions of any good selection of music for each character. One character in sunglasses walked in with to the Darth Vader music from Star Wars. In fact, music was well done and appropriate throughout the show.

A 45 minute intermission was halfway though so that everybody could have a break to eat. Food consisted of rice, a vegetable mix containing, among other things, broccoli and water chestnuts, cinnamon-spiced chicken, and a fried sweet potatoes. My plate had only a few chicken bones on it when I put it in the trash.

Overall, other than a few minor bumps in the transitions between each parts of the program, it was a lot of fun, and definitely well worth it. Thanks to MSA for a good show. If you're kicking yourself for missing it, the only thing to do is just be sure to catch it next year.