KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Jit Murad, a celebrated theatre actor-director-writer within the Malaysian arts scene, has died.
The information was confirmed by fellow Malaysian theatre veteran Jo Kukathas, who added that he died in his residence in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (Feb 12). He was 62. The reason for the dying isn’t identified.
In a performing arts profession that spanned greater than 30 years, the Alor Setar-born, Kuala Lumpur-raised Jit established himself as among the best playwrights within the nation, along with his influential theatre works and scripts usually resonating past the stage.
In 1989, Jit, whose actual identify is Aziz Mirzan Murad, co-founded Instantaneous Cafe Theatre alongside theatre pals Jo Kukathas, Andrew Leci and Zahim Albakri. It was an area theatre firm which went on to problem and redefine theatremaking in Malaysia. It did comedy in theatres and critical performs in nightclubs. It did Shakespeare outdoor and political satire at authorities features.
Jit was additionally a part of a technology of younger Malaysian theatremakers within the late Nineteen Eighties who returned to Kuala Lumpur after learning overseas. In america, he studied Sociology and City Planning in Chicago, earlier than acquiring a grasp’s diploma in twentieth Century Artwork Historical past in San Francisco.
He got here residence to a profession in promoting when he was noticed and forged in Thor Kah Hoong’s play Caught In The Center.
Jit’s appearing credit by the Nineties have been numerous and prolific, with appearances in A Midsummer Night time’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, The Service provider Of Venice, Loss of life Of A Salesman, Loss of life & The Maiden, Black Comedy, An Actor’s Nightmare, Artwork, As Is, Speaking AIDS, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials Of Oscar Wilde and A Man For All Seasons.
As Instantaneous Cafe Theatre grew from energy to energy, Jit additionally sharpened his expertise as a playwright, actor and director, rising as a outstanding public mental with theatre reveals inspecting up to date society.
In 1992, he wrote his first play Gold Rain And Hailstones, which has gone on to be a celebrated work within the Malaysian theatre scene. The play examines the notion of residence, belonging and id; points which have resonated repeatedly by numerous variations of the manufacturing, together with a profitable restaging in 2019.
In 1993, Jit helped begin Dramalab (with Zahim Albakri), an offshoot of Instantaneous Cafe Theatre, which inspired new writing and launched new theatre gamers.
Jit’s different notable works embrace Storyteller (1996), primarily based on South-east Asian spoken traditions, Visits (2002), a comedy reworked from a three-monologue effort from the early Nineties, and Spilt Gravy On Rice (2002), which gained 4 awards on the inaugural Cameronian Arts Award 2003.
As a slapstick comedian within the mid-Nineties, Jit was finest identified for promoting out venues along with his Renee Choy routine, a flamboyant character who was billed as “Malaysia’s premier rise up hairdresser”.
Jit was the center youngster of a household of three. His father was former schooling director-general Tan Sri Murad Mohamed Noor, and he was the older brother to movie director Na’a Murad.
