Cover Her Story promotional poster (Photo: KLPac)
Her Story promotional poster (Photo: KLPac)
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Award-winning playwright and director Fa Abdul, whose works include ‘Tales from Amma’s Kitchen’ and ‘Tales from the Scars’ talks about her first show of the year, staged at KLPac in January and February
Twenty powerful monologues, inspired by first-hand experiences and written by the men and women who lived through them, will be performed in two instalments at KLpac. The first show, Her Story, will be premiering from January 12 to January 15, and the second, His Story, from February 23 to February 26.
Helmed by Fa Abdul, founder of local theatre production company Big Nose Productions and an established writer with over a decade's worth of experience under her belt, what began as an online playwriting project with 20 newfound writers—12 women and 8 men—from all walks of life, have become a highly-anticipated series of performances that feature impactful moments that are humorous, introspective, and relevant today.
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From themes of self-discovery and the realisation of one’s self-worth through love to the pressures of familial expectations and the ongoing battle with mental health issues, Her Story and His Story offers theatre enthusiasts a refreshing take on subjects with cultural references that are familiar to most.
Known for her witty and introspective works, Fa, during the height of the pandemic in 2021, needed a creative outlet during the lockdown. So, she did what she does best, and that was writing.
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Cast of Her Story
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How did you come up with the idea for Her Story and His Story?
Back in 2021 when PenangPac was still closed to the public, we did online talk sessions, workshops, and pre-recorded shows—not just because we needed to raise funds, but because we needed a creative outlet. So, after we conducted those online programmes, the response we received from the public was positive and I had messages asking me if [there were] writing programmes available. That was when I realised that being confined to just their homes and isolated from the rest of the world made people desperate for human connection. And that was how the online workshop for Her Story and His Story came about.
What was the biggest challenge in producing Her Story and His Story?
For Her Story, it was finding the stories because the first production was done during the lockdown of 2021 before we proceeded with His Story in 2022. We were just this group of girls who came together every week online to share our stories which were precious because of how raw and colourful they were. It was difficult for us to find the right one—even then, the ‘right’ story that resonated with us the most didn’t come about until we earned each other’s trust. It was only after three to four weeks of getting to know each other that I realised the bond we fostered with one another was what got us to share the stories most precious to us.
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I realised that the stories you write or produce are very honest with how human they are. Are you always drawn to stories like that?
Yes! Because the thing is, when we read news about what’s going on in society, it’s written by the media and usually by a third party, be it a journalist or a novelist. But stories like these, for Her Story and His Story in particular, it’s written from the actual perspective of someone who has lived through these issues that are prevalent in life. Not every story is sad, of course, some are funny, but all of them hit close to home. I want these stories to feel as though you are part of an intimate conversation between best friends because these stories are what will leave something within you even after the show is over and will get you to initiate conversations with others and have dialogues about the issues highlighted in the show. That’s the beauty of stories like these, I think, and it’s what makes theatre so magical.
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But because of how human these stories are, are you ever afraid of the backlash or the criticism they’ll receive?
We live in a society where everyone will have a different opinion. But I believe that with theatre, people somehow learn to listen to varying perspectives and they try to respect, understand, and acknowledge that difference. It makes us grow as a society as a result because we learn to live alongside each other knowing every one of us is unique, which is why I try not to let criticism get to me. I taught myself that I can’t force others to think like I do because that would make the world a very boring place. Criticism, or differing opinions, are multifaceted because they come from humans from different backgrounds or experiences. So, if someone has a different opinion, I ask myself why. It’s interesting to find out how they came up with the notion!
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Images: KLPac
Usually found at home and one with her couch, Koy Yi would either crack open a good book or game in her spare time to wind down after a long day. She also loves to scour art conventions and book fairs alike when she's able, collecting art books of all regions to gain inspiration for her own illustrations. With a keen interest in people and the stories they tell, she enjoys a good talk and a good laugh (preferably over food). Follow her on her Instagram @peiyi57.
