We have received a lot of positive feedback during premiere in April and we noticed the sad faces who regretted missing the chance to watch the play. Don’t worry, we decided to restage it in August and this time, we are making it better with your support in our crowdfunding campaign. 

Besides offering attractive packages for our supporters (limited edition T-shirts anyone???) we are also embarking on our community outreach program collaborating with some NGO specialized in education as part of the extension of the message of IQ.ROCK. As a start, we are working with Teach for Malaysia (TfM)!

You can read the reviews of the previous staging by clicking on this link:

Daily Seni

Sinar Harian

Ianskatu

So, for our new friends - this is IQ.ROCK. 

The TEAM - Anomalist Production  

Helmed by Khairi Anwar who is also the director and playwright for IQ.Rock, Anomalist Production managed to make its indelible mark in the theatre scene. Formed in 2004, Anomalist has been creating quality works consistently and garnered nominations and awards since. We won our first BOH Cameronian Arts Award in 2016 for "Audience's Choice Award" for "Teater Bangsa : Anak Kecil Main Api". Since then, we staged other well-received productions i.e "Home", "Hotel", "Attorney" and "IQ.Rock" besides actively nurturing the next generation of theatre-makers via the initiative of "Projek K3 : Karya Kreatif Kita" in 2016 & 2017.

Visit our website www.anomalistproduction.com    

IQ.Rock - READ through the loopholes of Malaysian education system in FELDA

Have you ever really looked into the education system in Malaysia? Do you know what is actually going on in rural areas like FELDA? IQ.Rock is an eye-opening educational theatre that will bring your perspective deeper into the education system in Malaysia. Typically, in rural areas, the word ‘education’ means almost nothing to the people there. This is because the “system” had them thinking that education is not to gain knowledge but merely a phase in life that most have to get through in order to get a certificate to work in factories. How messed up is that?

IQ.Rock is a play set in FELDA; the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas to organise smallholder farms to grow cash crops. Most FELDA settlers (peneroka) do not have basic education as there are only 2 requirements for one to be eligible as a peneroka; first, you have to be married, and second, you have the physical capability to work hard. While the initial intention of the government is to help people in the rural areas by giving them jobs and to develop Malaysia as the major producer of rubber and palm oil, this setting has created another problem; a society that does not know the value of education.

IQ.Rock is written based on a true story of the playwright's friend, where the reality is shocking. Who knows in Malaysia, where the country is constantly growing and developing, there are still people who do not know how to read and write?

Synopsis of IQ.Rock

Born and bred in rural FELDA, Azim is an SPM student at SMK Seri Serting. His parents are illiterate and only possess the knowledge and skills for rubber tapping as a mean of survival. As kindness and understanding are in Azim’s nature, he helps his father tap rubber every morning. Azim has a love for reading and acquiring more knowledge however he can and because of that, he has a deep curiosity about the world outside FELDA. But without financial independence, it will only remain a dream. 

What Azim and the rest of SMK Seri Serting do not know is that their lives are about to change. An old lady named Mary, a teacher known for teaching at only the urban elite schools her entire career will come waltzing into the grounds of SMK Seri Serting. Now in her 50s, Mary decides it is time to make a difference knowing that English is one of the most-failed subjects in this area. 

Despite her good intention, the students at the school find her intolerable in the beginning mostly due to their different demographic and racial backgrounds. These students are going to sit for SPM at the end of the year and the clock is ticking for Mary to show positive results but she cannot just teach them English when none of them understands the language at all. Through her lessons, Mary tries to bond with her students by teaching them about life, tolerance, friendship, trust and sacrifice.  

With all the snags; different stands on what is considered correct teaching methods, different backgrounds and other compliecations entangled in such a small village, will Mary be able to alter the school faculty's and students’ perspective on education? Will the students pass their SPM? Will Azim ever break out from FELDA to pursue something bigger? 

Production Details

Ticketing Phases

Production Timeline

IQ.Rock Budgeting and Costing

IQ.Rock: Restage is powered by:

Crowdfunding, so that we can spread this beautiful message around!

IQ.Rock Premiere, April 2018

Photos taken during the staging of IQ.Rock in April 2018 at DPAC.

For more information about IQ.Rock, visit www.anomalistproduction.com, or follow our social media below:

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