A SCI-FI play is the curtain opener for a new performing arts venue in Bandar Utama called Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPaC).
The play, Orang Bulan, is "a commentary on what it means to be human when thrust into situations of unimaginable stress and uncertainty — something we have become all too familiar with in recent days", says its director, Christopher Ling of theatrethreesixty.
He adds: "We commissioned Penang-based playwright Yusof Bakar to write a play in response to an award-winning photograph — featuring two girls in a coma due to Resignation Syndrome — which was part of a 2018 World Press Photo exhibition in Kuching that year which I had visited. The finished script arrived in early January this year."
"Themes of isolation and the (instantly recognisable) Asian mother-son relationship are bound to resonate with Malaysian audiences," says Ling, who is theatrethreesixty's artistic director.
LUNAR DRAMA
Orang Bulan is about a mother living in a moon colony with her son who works as a rare earth mineral miner.
The conflict begins when they are both forcibly repatriated back to Earth due to the imminent replacement of the existing lunar workforce with robots.
This situation plunges the long-suffering mother into a bout of Resignation Syndrome. In the process, more secrets are dredged up to the surface.
Penang-born playwright Yusof, also (previously) known as Dudok, has written more than 50 plays to date (Resiprokal, Dusta Pada Skala 1 Hingga 10, Cumbuan Dosa Semalam, Munchausen Melalui Proksi, among them), but has yet to publish any of them.
His writings are preoccupied with the challenges of being human as he finds aliens, in comparison, difficult to understand, reads the biodata from theatrethreesixty.
The play features Malay thespians Dzeelfa Zainal as Luna (the mother) and Anwar Hadi as Nila (the son).
This production, presented in Malay with English surtitles, also features original music and soundscape designed by Kirthana Kuhendran.
After a year of the pandemic that hit the performing arts community hard, Ling says the play presents unique challenges to a director due to its genre.
"Creating a believable onstage world for a sci-fi play will definitely require top-notch sets and costumes. The question is, can this be achieved on such an extremely tight budget?
"Putting together Orang Bulan with actors Dzeelfa and Anwar has been an interesting journey. Both actors have their own unique strengths and weaknesses which we have been able to use to our advantage in fleshing out Luna and Nila."
LOVINGLY TENSE RELATIONSHIP
Dzeelfa, currently teaching at UiTM, Kuala Pilah, is a self-confessed theatre buff who loves performing.
She got into acting after a workshop by Revolution Stage which saw her perform in Asrama-ra at the end of it.
"Ever since then, I have been involved in many plays at Revolution Stage as an actor. I later tried my hand at directing after joining a theatre directing workshop taught by Khairunazwan Rodzy in 2018.
Orang Bulan is the second time I am acting under the direction of Ling; the first being Playing God in 2019."
She says her character's strength in raising her son singlehandedly, then starting a new life on the moon later, is admirable.
"I have always admired strong, independent women and would like to think I am one too. I am also drawn towards Luna's relationship with her son Nila. It's obviously a love-hate relationship to an extent but this indicates how close they are."
Actor, writer and musician Anwar writes scripts for production company Redcomm.
"I act whenever I can and whenever people let me. I stage-improvise comedy shows with a group called Pinball Monkeys. We also have a comedy album out on Spotify called Semua On The Spot. My other interest is playing guitar for the local pop punk band Pasca Sini."
Anwar's first time on stage was when he was at IPG (Institut Pendidikan Guru) Penang in 2009.
"I was 19 at the time and one of our lecturers put out a call for actors, so I auditioned. I got a part and we staged Lela Mayang at Auditorium P. Ramlee.
"I fell in love with theatre then, but didn't get to be involved in another play until 2017 because I was very focused on being a teacher throughout those eight years."
He says it's interesting to imagine what a son who lives in outer space with his mother might go through.
"Creating a whole new world around these characters is quite the process. With the help of our director, it really leads us down novel situations and eye-opening discoveries."
Ling is probably over the moon at theatre being performed live subject to standard operating procedures.
"I passionately feel that theatre needs to be experienced in-person. The screen almost always gets in the way of proper direct audience engagement.
"However, I am all for the continued proliferation of hybrid performances which blend online and offline performance elements in novel ways. Just so long as the final product is presented onstage."
Orang Bulan
Where: Nero Event Space, Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPaC), Second Floor, 1 Utama E, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, PJ
When: April 29-May 2, 9pm
All 50 seats are priced at RM30 (inclusive of a RM4 OneTix booking fee). For more info and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.onetix.com.my.