As it turns out, opening one could uncover a fascinating piece of family history and, perhaps, the makings of a compelling piece of theatre.
An original piece of Malaysian documentary theatre, “The Secret Drawer” draws on the real-life experiences of two local performers to tell a moving and engaging story about secrets, family and memory.
The show is co-written and directed by stage veteran Jo Kukathas, and is presented in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, with surtitles.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Jo said the show’s genesis can be traced to last year’s theatre festival, “What Our Elders Left Us”.
While researching the history of local Chinese-language performing arts, she and her team began working with performers Ling Tang and Tiong Wooi, who, as it turned out, had compelling stories of their own.
Ling Tang’s father had previously been expelled from university for his involvement in social activism, while Tiong Wooi’s father, who was jailed for his theatre work and activism, went on to stage a play while behind bars.
As they delved deeper, Jo discovered that both stories involved secrets tucked away in boxes and drawers – something right up her alley. Last year also saw a staged reading of “All the Perfumes”, a long-lost play by her father, K Das, which had similarly been discovered in a box.
“I’m really fascinated by old drawers and boxes. If you start opening the ones around your home, who knows what you might find?” Jo said.
“We hope this production will inspire people to be curious about their own families and perhaps start excavating their histories. I feel we don’t always have to invent stories when there are so many great true ones all around us.”
Jo believes the family is a building block of the nation, and that understanding where one comes from can also illuminate the larger story of the country.
The play revolves around two acts of curiosity. The first centres on a secret drawer belonging to a father who tells his daughter that it “cannot be opened”, turning it into a source of both fear and fascination.
The second involves an archive of nearly 60 official documents and application letters, including a detention order from 1964, a banishment order from 1967, and countless applications, rejections and temporary entry permits spanning more than two decades.
For years, the collection holds little interest for the daughter – until circumstances finally compel her to open it.
Ling Tang and Tiong Wooi bring these hidden stories to life through storytelling, archival material and re-enactments of plays, poems and songs. Along the way, they examine how their fathers’ pasts have shaped their own identities, experiences and aspirations, both as children and later as artists.
The play also marks Tiong Wooi’s return to the stage after 10 years. Why the long absence? “The Secret Drawer” explains it, she hints.
“This has been a very emotional journey. It feels like I have to break myself into parts and reassemble myself to do this. It’s the first time I’ve had to explore my memories on stage like this,” she said.
“It’s been a bit strange for me because I’ve never considered my personal life to be part of history. But I am very glad to be part of this project.”
Ultimately, the play is about daughters and fathers, and what can be lost when things are left unspoken.
“I think we don’t hear stories like this too often. There’s a profound sadness to it: this culture of erasure, this feeling that we’re telling certain people their stories aren’t valid,” Jo concluded.
“I think theatre has to keep highlighting the voices of those who have been silenced.”
‘The Secret Drawer’
When:
- Sept 2-6 @ 8pm
- Sept 5 & 6 @ 3pm
Where:
The Studio @ Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre (JCPAC)
Sunway Square Mall,
Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway,
47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Get your tickets here.