project
kok man
Monday, January 15, 2001 The Malay Mail
Inner Odyssey
Theatre Production
Lighting designer, playwright, and director Loh Kok Man plunged into a journey of self-discovery after creating aku and extended his experience through the eyes and voices of others with aku II : ang tau mui.
During an interview prior to the performance, the writer was told that, though the play will be conducted in Chinese, it would be an experience to behold.
There would be limited text as the play unfolds with a display of sound, and lighting effects while the four characters transmorph into each other, playing various aspects of the title character Ang Tau Mui.
It was indeed an experience stepping onto the stage with an ethereal feel with threads hanging from the ceiling.
An occasional red thread, symbolising life blood, and exciting things come out of this semi-dark world.
It makes you want to hold on to the thread and be part of the spectacle.
Four sickly looking beings draped in hospital clothes seem to be grasping for a thread of life. Seemingly attached to strings from the ceiling like puppets on strings or tentacles, the four women were prisoners of their sublime existence.
Dim lights emanating from the ceiling seem to exude a life enhancing power to regenerate the weak mortals.
At this point while the performance slowly unveils itself, one marvels at the. magnificent music and visual experience.
As the faint light shed its dim rays on the walls, one can see round black ornaments hanging on the wall. With sound and lighting effects, the place soon throbs with a life of its of own but an unearthly one. At first not knowing whether it is coming or going, the place is soon filled with tiny movements like crickets chirping in the jungles which slowly unveil their existence and mark the perimeters of their surrounds.
Back to reality, you see light bulbs hanging sparingly from the ceiling as they illuminate the web of strings naturally and systematically placed like bio-grids.
Cocooned within this dim surrounds, you feel like you are trapped within the shell of an abandoned spaceship, while waiting for the monster to emerge.
Back to the characters dressed in white hospital attire, they seem to have a sickly disposition as they attempt to crawl out of their dark and miserable existence with tangled heaps of hair.
There is isolation.
Meanwhile, the music which is made up of pulsating sounds lends a disturbing feel.
The light intensifies, illuminating the ornaments on the wall and revealing it is hair.
One of the characters started walking. A thread is seemingly attached to her head. Her face is painted white. A mask of pain and confusion.
Then suddenly this insufferable mortal breaks out singing, ever so tenderly.
A voice of life in contrast to the deadly paleness of her existence as the convoluted journey or self-discovery and expression continues in aku II : ang tau mui.
� The one-hour performance was staged at the Actor's Studio Box at Plaza Putra, Dataran Merdeka from Jan 4-7 at 8.30pm.
� Directed by Loh Kok Man, it was presented by Dan Dan Theatre Production and adapted by a play written by Leow Puay Tin.
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