By Joelyn Jonathan
Theatre through a time tunnel located inside a souvenir shop in Concubine Lane is the latest addition in exciting new venues in Old Town, Ipoh.
“I was working on a new tourist attraction spot at Jonker Street, Malacca, called the Ching Ho Cultural Museum when I visited Concubine Lane. I immediately fell in love with it. That’s how the idea of developing a theatre came about,” said founder Kok Kee Boon.
Having years of experience in performing arts, Kee Boon decided to build a show house within Ipoh’s most famous landmark to allow Ipohites to experience a show, up close and personal.
“While walking around the city, I realised that Ipoh’s entertainment business is dead after 6pm. So I decided to build something that offers night shows. I’ve always wanted a heritage site and a place filled with people. Concubine Lane met my expectations.”
“The time tunnel was built to create a nostalgic feeling for visitors,” he told Ipoh Echo after the grand opening on Friday, November 29.
Concubine Lane, said Kee Boon, provides a safe and cosy environment.
“There are not many snatch thefts here unlike Jonker Street. And that’s definitely a plus point,” he remarked.
For the grand opening, a Teresa Teng tribute concert was held. The positive feedback received after the show prompted KeeBoon to have more shows.
“Next, I plan to do a ‘No Black Tie’ concept in Ipoh. ‘No Black Tie’ is one of the most successful jazz bars in Kuala Lumpur. The bar constantly hosts shows for artists from all around the world. Hence, I’ve planned to do something similar to it. This will give visitors a new exposure since not many are aware of what a ‘No Black Tie’ means. Although the theatre looks small, it has the right amount of facilities. I’ll bring in my grand piano soon,” he said.
Upcoming shows will be Christmas themed and will be held at the end of December. Kee Boon hopes he will receive a similar response for his future shows.
If you are in Concubine Lane, drop by the iconic theatre for some magical close-up performances.
