PETALING JAYA, July 2 — What is a play without a set, a director and rehearsals?
In the Instant Café Theatre’s (ICT) upcoming play that premieres this weekend, one actor must take charge of the show and fill in the blanks of a script with the help of the audience.
Though the very thought may strike fear in the hearts of those averse to audience participation, what it also means is no two shows are the same.
BLANK__, the brainchild of Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, will be performed as part of the Damansara International Arts Festival (DIAF) and ICT’s 30th anniversary.
It was last performed here in 2016 in three languages by actors Sharifah Amani, Kuah Jenhan, Iedil Putra, Ghafir Akbar, Anne James, Ling Tang and Pete Teo.
Soleimanpour is most known in the theatre world for his acclaimed 2010 play White Rabbit, Red Rabbit that has been performed in more than 20 languages around the world.
Written while under house arrest for refusing compulsory military service, Soleimanpour’s play has been performed by the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Alan Cumming, John Hurt and Cynthia Nixon.
Each show features a different actor and for its run in Kuala Lumpur, Gold Rain and Hailstones stars Amani and Ghafir will return to the ICT stage for some unscripted fun.
Syrian poet-actor Mwaffaq Alhajjar and Afghani actress Farzana Hussaini, who both live in Malaysia, are also set to perform under the invitation of Beyond Borders and refugee theatre company Parastoo.
Finally, up and coming actor-director Arief Hamizan who is working on a project in Fort Canning, Singapore will be helming one of the nights.
BLANK__ is curated by ICT director Jo Kukathas and will be staged from July 5 until July 7 at dpac.
Performance schedule:
Friday July 5 8.30pm Ghafir Akbar
Saturday July 6 3.00pm Farzana Hussaini
Saturday July 6 8.30pm Sharifah Amani
Sunday July 6 3.00pm Mwaffaq Alhajjar
Sunday July 7 8.30pm Arief Hamizan
Tickets are priced at RM68 and RM58 for DPAC members. Call 03-4065 0001 to purchase.
