“Eclipse of Love” is a theatrical exploration of the many shades of love—familial, platonic, and romantic—woven together through abstract storytelling. This production was my debut as both a playwright and director for Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak Tuanku Bainun. It is a story about healing, memory, and finding light in the shadows of the past.
As the writer, I wanted to create a narrative that used repetition, symbolism through dialogue to communicate emotions that resonated to my audience. My goal was to create a piece that everyone could take back something from. I curated poetry pieces of mine to use as monologues to really add a layer of emotional depth to tie everything together.
I wanted to teach and guide others when exploring topics. This opportunity allowed me to guide the cast in delivering emotionally charged performances by focusing on the intricacy of the human nature.
This 30 second clip shows a scene where the painter feels fragile and trapped within his own walls built during his life adjusts to the feeling of freedom through the idea of embracing a “mess” in the time and space of grief after his own passing.
This clip also previews a monologue written by me and re-imagined from my previous works on my poetry page!
These shoes were placed in the mid-section of the stage facing the left-side of the stage to symbolize memories of the dead existing in the past, present and future.
The stage was divided into three sections to highlight different perspectives to the audiences clearly. The left-side shows what currently happens in the present time period, depicted as a family home.
The right-side of the stage is designed as an art studio where the “father” of the family stays, existing in the conceptual idea of a re-defined time and space of grief.
The mid-section of the stage is where characters who never exist in the same line meet, living and deceased. Always troubled.
One of the production’s highlights included set design and particularly because of the abstract concept. Actors were taught how to wedge pottery and would create and destroy clay vases in live-time to add emotional depth and play with symbolism. I encouraged the idea of spreading paint on a cloth on the floor to further play into the symbolism and the idea of embracing a “mess” which can be depicted as “regrets” in a person’s life. To accept and move on. This is one of the many meaningful messages I wanted to share with my audience.
This production came to life thanks to the support of Christopher Ling, Artistic Director of theatrethreesixty and Arsyad Azrai, Head of creative Programmes at PKK Tuanku Bainun, both of whom were my mentors in this creative journey of producing my production.
I am filled with gratitude to work with the cast consisting of members from the Teen Theatre Project for their dedication into making this dream of mine come true. I am so immensely grateful for the opportunity to share this story that I hold very close to my heart with my audience, ranging from children to adults.
“Eclipse of Love” was more than a theatrical production; it solidified my passion for creating stories that linger in the heart and providing comfort to others.
Salt was the first theatrical production I acted in when I joined the Teen Theatre Project. It was an absurdist play that used repetition to lead to different outcomes of situations that occur in a very traditional Malaysian family home.
This play explored Malaysian stereotypes and traditional values and beliefs, which led to new perspectives and interesting discussion when learning to understand the story the script brought to me as an actor. Through elements such as dance and choreography and a comical approach to dialogues, I feel this play allowed audience members of all ages to heavily relate, offering a piece that is light-hearted but impactful. I feel that even myself, I got to explore the messages and intentions behind these traditional or culturally significant beliefs that are sometimes created into stereotypes that are not often used in the most positive light.
This production built my ground for preparing for the future projects I would be working on. It shaped my views to this day and taught me how to appreciate whatever work I had committed to.
This is the set of Salt. We helped to design it by suggesting certain elements that would help make the space feel more like the home we imagined. The wall consists of the cast’s and crew’s childhoos pictures to potray the idea of a family home.
The story revolved around three different families from three different cultures and backgrounds that would have the same conversation that led to different outcomes.
This set combines items from different cultures but shows the similarities in them. From schoolbooks to pots and pans, t the type of food mentioned and explored in this play, often symbolizing the familial bond itself.
This video shows the ending scene of salt. This was choreographed to be perceived at something “absurd.” The original purpose of the soundtrack was to create an uplifting and comical mood, but combined with the stoic expressions and merry dances, this scene’s purpose was meant to be left as a question.
One of the most impactful theatrical pieces I have acted in is Silkworm. The story opens in a silk factory and delves into the lives of young girls working in such environments across the globe. This production required extensive research to accurately and respectfully portray characters whose experiences reflect the harsh realities faced by many. The weight of these roles was amplified by the responsibility to shed light on the hidden injustices and struggles endured by these children.
I learned to immerse myself in a world that, while distant from my own, remains a devastating reality for countless others. The process challenged me to understand and convey the depth of these characters without reducing their stories to just a mere performance. I worked with the cast and to deepen my own knowledge on the historical and cultural aspect through research to show authenticity into my role.
Through this experience, I feel that I became more aware of the power of theatre to amplify marginalized voices. This production was contributed to honoring the individuals whose stories inspired the narrative. Ultimately, Silkworm became more than a performance for me—it was an opportunity to engage deeply with a global issue andbring awareness to it.
When I Went Home was one of the most emotionally profound productions I have been a part of. Set in a warm and familiar family home, the play explored the intricate bonds within a family and how their identities became intertwined with the objects that gave their lives purpose. When a significant household item went missing, each family member was forced to confront their sense of self, grappling with the loss and searching for a new identity as they attempted to move forward with life.
The story pushed me to delve into the subtleties of strained familial relationships and navigate how loss, even in its smallest forms, can ripple through lives.
Through When I Went Home, I discovered how theatre can transform everyday realities into reflections of identity. And I hold that close to me.
SWAGATAM ORCHESTRA
In Febuary 2023, I performed at the Temple Of Fine Arts, Sugam Culture & Heritage Foundation in alliance with Sangita Kalanidhi Vidhwan Shri Neyveli Santanagopalan. I sang traditional Carnatic compositions as part of the Swagatam Orchestra, supported by the high commission of india and the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. This was an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate the history of its people, culture and achievements. The Malaysian public broadcast service, TV2, broadcasted this performance on television. Additionally, as part of Swagatam, I performed at PIO festival in June 2023.
Here I am, a part of Swagatam, The Malaysian Indian Traditional Orchestra!
I performed in opera productions under the Opera for Kids and Opera for Teens programs, where we often sang as part of the choir and acted in select scenes. These productions required months of preparation, from mastering harmonies to building our stage presence. We performed in foreign languages like Italian and German, centering ourselves in the depth of each composition. The shows were staged at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, an award-winning heritage building that became a second home—a space where we transformed hours of rehearsal into live performances that resonated with the audience.
In this video, I’m about ten years old, practicing the Beauty and the Beast medley as part of KL City Opera’s productions. It was one of those early moments where I truly fell in love with performing—not just singing, but feeling the music and bringing a story to life. Looking back, I had no idea how much this experience would shape me, but I’m so grateful for every step of the journey.
This is a clip from my performance with KL City Opera in The Marriage of Figaro. As part of the children’s choir, we danced and sang around the stage, bringing about a vibrant energy to the production.