‘MALAM 7 Drama 7 Duri’ will be staged at Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka, Jalan Dewan Bahasa, Kuala Lumpur from Friday to Aug 2.

It is produced by Stefani Productions and directed by acclaimed actress Fauziah Nawi with original music by composer Iryanda Mulia Ramli.

As its name suggests, the theatre production consists of seven short stories. Six of them are original scripts from Stefani’s scriptwriters Iryanda and Ashrin Azim while the seventh is Singa, based on a short story by national literary giant Baha Zain.

The first story, Pukul Jangan Tak Pukul, is a monologue of a woman who was sent to jail for the murder of her husband. It highlights the issue of domestic violence and misogyny in modern society.

This is followed by Hutanglah, another monologue set in the present day which talks about problems that arise from being both debtor and creditor. It is a critique of consumerism and the habit of getting into debt.
Singa tells the story of a lion king that wants to abdicate from his position as King of the Jungle. He summons all the animals in the jungle for an interview as candidates to replace him.

The fourth instalment, Nangislah Anak, is a monologue of a young mother who lived during the Emergency and has to take care of her two sick children.

The fifth short story, Tukang Sapu, tells the story of a cleaner who always dreams of making it big in showbusiness like his favourite local and Hollywood stars.

Ayam Sabung tells the story of a man who becomes an “outcast” after he meets with an accident and is paralysed. He laments that all the good he has done for society has gone unnoted by his one-time admirers.

Finally, there is Maafkan Aku, the story of brothers who have lived in sin for most of their lives and are now remorseful.

Besides Fauziah, the performers include Shahizal Arshad, who is a professional singer and television host. She was also a finalist in Bintang RTM 2004.

There is also 18-year-old Irfan Pozi who has starred in the plays Tok Rimau 1, 2 and 3, Opera Ayu Cendana, Sampah, Dari Bintang Ke Bintang and Lorong Blues, 23-year-old Ungku Hariz Faizal who has appeared in advertisements, and 10-year-old Izzat Hakimi Ahmad Kamil, is currently acting coach for Stefani’s Sanggar Teater Kanak-Kanak project.

Fauziah said it was Stefani’s first performance of short plays and a “comeback of sorts” for herself in the theatre scene.

She said: “We’ve been rehearsing for the last 21/2 months, thrice a week, five hours a day. This showcase brings together both veterans and youngsters in their teens and the common theme that binds the short stories is hardship and the need for redemption.”

Tickets are RM30 for adults and RM15 for students and teachers. Time: 9pm to 10.20pm. Call Anisz at 016-320-3897 or Mokhtar at 017-679-7151.