What better way to celebrate the month of love than by witnessing a love story accompanied by exotic music and dance? ICN 2018 – Lakonna: A Musical is an original musical inspired by a folktale from Tana Toraja, a highland region in Sulawesi, Indonesia. The musical is produced and performed by over a hundred Indonesian students at Nanyang Technological University to introduce and promote Indonesian culture in Singapore.

Although it is a love story, it is far from the fairy tales that we grow up listening to. It is a tale of everlasting love intertwined with lies, deceit, and struggle for power that follows two brothers, a woman, and a power play for the village head. It serves as a reminder in today’s increasingly power-hungry world that there is a price to chasing after power.

The Torajan culture is often described as mythical and mysterious. However, you would also get to witness different facets of the Torajan culture as the dancers leap and turn to celebrate victories in wars and mourn the deaths of loved ones. This original choreography is adapted from the traditional tribal dance of Toraja and fused with contemporary dance to create an entirely unique dance style.

With actors and dancers clothed in colourful traditional costumes and a stage decorated just like a Torajan village, this musical will be a 2-hour immersive cultural experience. For one night, you would be transported to an ancient village hidden behind many mountains, called Toraja.

Venue: National Drama Centre

Admission: starts at $16, https://shopee.sg/icnmusical

When: 3 Feb 2018, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

By: NTU - Nanyang Technological University