I just love the look on the face of the guy in the middle. While the two singers are dueting away, he's giving me this sideways why-are-you-pointing-your-camera-at-me look!
I've no idea what this guy was singing about but he was going at it all-in. You can see the sweat on his brow - but then this is semi-tropical Malaysia. I was struck by this guy's gold jacket and the way it's reflecting some of the red stage lighting. Clearly, from the shadow on the rear wall, the main light here is a spotlight out front.
I don't know if I just happened to be in Penang during a 'fringe' style event or if this sort of thing just goes on all the time but with a one-day break, the street theater stage than had hosted the Chinese Opera was now hosting a variety show - singing, dancing and comedy. I have to say, I didn't really get the comedy but the locals seemed to find it funny.
Back in October I posted a series of images from a street theater that I happened across while wandering the streets at night. I came back around the following day, later in the afternoon to find the stage abandoned. The players had moved on and taken their sets with them.
There weren't any 'parental controls' at this street theater performance in Georgetown, Penang. Despite the knife and sword play on the stage no one seemed concerned that there were children in the audience. Despite all the adults around, it's a young boy that is holding up an even younger boy so he can see while a third boy stands behind them, his gaze firmly on the scene unfolding before him. I wonder if they'd ever seen anything like this before.
Since i really didn't understand what was happening on the stage in front of me I started turning my lens on the audience. Sitting as close to the stage as he could get was this old man. He was clearly enjoying the show.