Wayang Women Revisits Regional Ghost Lore In Open-Air Show

By Lara Kramer  •  20 Apr 2026 in Events

Thirsty for JUICE content? Quench your cravings on our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp

Wayang Women returns to Kuala Lumpur after a run of two sold-out shows in the city and a tour stop in Bali, this time transforming Dataran Merdeka into an open-air space for an evening of reimagined folklore, sound, and performance.

Happening on 16 May 2026 from 9:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., the show is free and open to the public, inviting audiences to gather under the night sky in one of Kuala Lumpur’s most iconic landmarks for a two-and-a-half-hour immersive experience.

At its core, Wayang Women draws from the language of Wayang Kulit, reshaping it through humour, mythology, and contemporary storytelling. It reimagines ghost stories from Malaysia and the wider region, pulling familiar figures like the Pontianak and the Penanggal into a new narrative space where they feel both recognisable and unsettlingly unfamiliar.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by KL Festival (@klfestivalmy)

Alongside these well-known spirits, the performance introduces something new, an unseen presence that lingers just beyond clarity.

The production is brought to life by a cross-cultural ensemble of artists from Southeast Asia and the Netherlands, building a layered sonic world where traditional instrumentation meets electronic sound design.

The result is a shifting soundscape that moves between ritual, experiment, and atmosphere, designed to immerse rather than simply accompany.

Against the backdrop of Dataran Merdeka, the performance turns the historic space into something fluid and alive. This is where heritage and experimentation intersect and stories take on physical form in sound and shadow.

Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
16 May 2026 (Saturday)
⏰ 9:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
️ Free admission, RSVP at klfestival.com.my

For more events, click here.

Follow JUICE on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.