A Story of Ours: Us and Them, was staged at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) at St Josephs Cathedral on September 29 and 30, by the St Josephs Family of Schools Kuching in collaboration with the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) through the MySeni grant that supports and promotes local arts and culture. Oct 16, 2023

Choir and cast singing the original song,

By St Josephs Family of Schools (SJFS) A Story of Ours: Us and Them, was staged at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) at St Josephs Cathedral on September 29 and 30, by the St Josephs Family of Schools Kuching in collaboration with the Sarawak Arts Council (MSS) through the MySeni grant that supports and promotes local arts and culture.

Challenging the conceptions and ideals behind the boundaries and divisions in our societies, this years production was not just entertaining but also reflective and thought-provoking. Through an adaptation of an original play, Us and Them, written by David Campton, the audience was led on a journey of discovery into the heart of the human condition. The combination of news reports, current affairs and real-life struggles in the scenes that were intricately woven into the original play kept the audience captivated and on the edge of their seats.

The audience was taken on a journey, from the start of the show that featured the vibrant musical performances to the heart of the show which was the play, performed by the students of the three schools, namely St Josephs Private Primary School, St Josephs Private Secondary School and St Josephs Private International School.

The selected musical piece preceding the play, sung by the Primary School Choir, A Light of Hope and A Song of Peace, set the reflective tone. The play was about two groups of people who came to settle in an area. Divisions and the setting up of fences and walls later brought about dire consequences that mirror what is happening in our world today.

Messages of hope and calls to build bridges and not walls through dialogue and collaboration were emphasised in the play and were foreshadowed by the beautiful musical performances that preceded it. One example was the dance, Ekaritma, meaning Unity in Sanskrit, that showcased the dance moves and costumes of the major ethnicities in Sarawak. The other was the world premiere of the musical piece, Limitless Seas, written by US-based composer, Ben Hylton, who had adapted it especially for this production. The SJFS Concert Band in collaboration with the St Teresas School Band performed the said piece in a trio of songs. The other two songs were Under the Double Eagle and Inspiration Fanfare.

Adorned in traditional Malay costumes, the schools award-winning Chamber Choir enthralled the audience by singing the regional folk song, Soleram, along with a contemporary piece, Singkap Siaga which was composed by Dr Tracy Wong. Combining traditional and contemporary dance movements, the dancers of SJPSS Contemporary Dance Club moved gracefully, in sync with the rhythm of Singkap Siaga, telling the story of shadow puppets and life.--Today's Catholic

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