If you are looking for something different, something unique that will etched itself in your mind, I definitely recommend heading over the Panggung Bandaraya where the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, in collaboration with Enfiniti Vision Media, a project by Visit KL presents a heartwarming cultural musical that runs twice daily, all year long  entitled “MUD” with the tagline ‘THE STORY OF KUALA LUMPUR”.

Hmm… MUD? Why would I want to go and watch any musical called MUD? Personally, that was what I was thinking when I first heard about it… and boy, was I wrong…

MUD is a live musical show created by the Enfiniti Team, headed by Ghafir Akbar and Chedd Yusoff. It is produced by Tiara Jacquelina and the very same team that produced those amazing award winning musicals like Puteri Gunung Ledang, P. Ramlee The Musical and The Secret Life Of Nora.

The original show was directed by Amsalan Doraisingam, and director choreographer Pat Ibrahim create version 2.0 last September. This new, improved “3.0” version is directed by Tiara Jacquelina herself….

MUD is basically a story of Kuala Lumpur, and how it came to be, it is a short, simple and memorable history lesson of Kuala Lumpur and also a story of not giving up in the face of adversity and a triumphant celebration of the human spirit.

The story begins with immigrants from other countries as well as locals head to the junction of two rivers: the erstwhile Sungai Lumpur (now known as Sungai Gombak) and Sungai Kelang, and along with them are three childhood friends Mamat, Meng and Muthiah, three friends who leave the comfort of their home villages to come to KL in search of fulfilling their dreams and face countless challenges and hardship instead…

It will definitely make you sing along to the infectious tunes, feel emotional, laugh, cry and what surprises me about MUD is that it is also interactive.. and like it or not, you are drawn into the story by the cast, as you could be chosen to help out in their ‘kenduri’ preparations, or chosen to help put out the fire, get ‘drowned’ under water and also join them on stage in their closing dance…

Along with this simple but amazing storyline, you can reaffirm that there is so much more that we can achieve when we decide put aside our differences and work together hand in hand. And in times of difficulties, it is then we know who our true friends are, and how important a role friendship and unity can play in our lives….

MUD, is actually housed in the very historical and heritage building that was the former Town Hall, sitting right next to the confluence of Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang that gave Kuala Lumpur its name. This majestic 112-yr old theatre, the Panggung Bandaraya is the grand old dame of the Malaysian theatre scene. I am ashamed to admit I only ever stepped foot in here just a few weeks ago for the first time and I was definitely bowled over with the majestic and beautiful theatre now restored to its former glory in this unique architecture filled with historical significance.

The first time I was there it was in conjunction with the ‘A Night Wear Fashion Meets Arts’ Gala Night, where the evening was dedicated into showcasing Kuala Lumpur’s culture, heritage, arts and fashion, so we only got to see a shorter version of MUD….

This was followed by a breathtaking fashion show by leading fashion designers Jo Disaya and Bon Zainal who impressed us with their amazing designs… give me a guy in a Bon Zainal suit anyday…. huhuhu…

The event was of course officiated by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia and attended by many fashionable people…

Getting not enough of it, because like I said it was that good and wanting my youngest daughter to get a taste of it, I came back to watch it again…

Kuala Lumpur has quite an eventful history, beginning from humble beginnings as a confluence of two rivers, and the mud that overflowed its banks when the monsoon seasons ravaged the little unknown city, giving rise to its name, Kuala Lumpur or Muddy Estuary.

However our fore fathers found the land rich with tin, and that led to the migration of people from various parts of Malaya and the world, who came in seek of fortune and a better future. The village then slowly began to prosper and flourish, thanks to the worldwide demand for tin and its escalating market value. However 1881, seemed to be a nightmarish year for the rapidly growing city when it was first burned to ashes and then devastated by a great flood practically destroying homes and dreams, leaving most of the villagers on the verge of giving up … but how it emerged stronger and sturdier than ever and went on to become the capital city of Selangor a year after the railway to the harbor city of Klang was opened, then the capital city of the “Federation of Malaya” and finally was proclaimed the capital city of Malaysia in 1963.

Many of us have lived all our lives, or most of our lives in Kuala Lumpur, oblivious to all the rich history, before the skyscrapers and the high-tech development came about. “MUD” is the heartfelt journey of our forefathers, whose blood, sweat and tears are lovingly etched into the very bricks and foundations of the humble tin mining village that has grown into the thriving city we now call our home. It is a story of achievement, hope, love, commitment, friendship, strength, and survival, of its people and the city.

After having the opportunity to watch a short version of ‘MUD: The Story Of Kuala Lumpur’ and also the full version, I have to say that this is a must-do attraction for all visitors to KL as well as for everyone in Kuala Lumpur, it will be one of the best 50 mins you spent in your life learning a little bit of KL history in an amazing and vibrant musical… I still cannot believe how I missed out on this for all these time…

Venue : Panggung Bandaraya, Jalan Raja

How to get there :Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek, and walk to the theatre, it is just about a 4-5 mins walk.

Date : Daily (Subject to Blackout dates)    Time : 3pm and 8:30pm

Duration : 60 minutes

Ticket Purchases via Box Office Walk-Ins : Panggung Bandaraya Box Office, Jalan Raja, Dataran Merdeka

Opening Hours : 10 am – 9.00 pm

Website  – www.mudKL.com