Salusuah by Play Den Productions, 20 Aug 09

The very first thing that struck me (and probably everyone else too) upon entering the performance space was the raised platform in the shape of a cross. It was pure white (which stood out from the darkness of the room beautifully), with a little square tub of water right at the heart of the cross. The first five minutes of the play felt like something Alvin Lim Eng Hui would inflict on the audience--total silence (punctured only by the creaking of chairs, and, yes, the latecomers), with a video projection of a man (solo performer Gani Karim) repeating various gestures that resembled poses out of Vogue, and at times, reminded one of praying.

Through a skillful combination of dance, narration, and singing/ chanting, Gani certainly brought the character to life. He was, after all, acting himself. The angst felt towards his father, the love between him and his grandma, the sense of isolation in school, and the pain and grief felt when his father was passing away were portray with intensity. Intensity in the dance movements--which started graceful and smooth and culminated in more vigorous swaying and stamping. Intensity in him singing the prayer that his grandma would sing for him each night. Intensity in him dancing with eyes shut (i think), on a narrow platform, towards the screen which projected his scribblings in a diary--first in reverse, with his narration also in reverse (and hence not making much sense--which was precisely the point, since he was supposed to be drunk/ tired), then flipped back in order. Coupled with techno/ trance music, that scene was memorable in bringing the audience into his state of mind--the state of drunken, nonsensical forgetfulness and aimlessness. And yet it seemed to make sense. Drunk people make sense, but of a different reality/ perception, I suppose.

Throughout the course of the performance, he took on both female and male personae, with the aid of a very versatile sarong that helped him portray his newly-adopted gender very convincingly. He had the gracefulness of a female dancer--staring at the shadows alone one would have easily believe he was a She. At times during the performance, especially with the performance being framed by the video projection, one wonders if sexual repression of the character came into question--which certainly has a link to the drift between the Soul/ body that the performance explores..

At the later part of the play, Gani slowly immersed himself in the tub of water in the middle of the cross--in an act of surrendering to the repression in his life. Just when one thought the play had ended, he emerged, resurrected, cleansed, and proceeded to fold the sarongs at the four corners of the cross, in an act that is domestic on the first level and also symbolic of the reconciliation at the cost of an imminent loss. What was really beautiful here was the lighting--the path he would take was lit up just before he made the move, and in the folding of the sarong, the checkered fabric of it was projected on the screen in monochrome--symbolic of the shroud that Muslims placed over the deceased. Ironically (and sadly), it was the father's death that eventually bridged the gap between them.


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from the programme booklet:

Presented by Play Den Productions | Artistic Curator ::: Jeremiah Choy Producer ::: Alfred Tang
| Have you ever felt as if you don’t belong to your own body? Have you ever felt disconnected with your surroundings and the people around you, as if you don’t fit in or belong? Having been born into a family of mixed parentage, Gani was brought up in a predominantly Hokkien neighbourhood; speaking English at home; learning Mandarin as a 2nd language and later on Malay in secondary school. He attended a Methodist Mission School for seven years; being exposed to the Catholic faith from his father side and the Muslim faith from his mother’s side. Join Gani as he reconnects with himself and his seeks solace in the wise advices from his “Mak” (which means mother in Malay but a term he uses affectionately for his grandmother). Time slows down within Salusuah as Gani explores the very acts of daily ritual and routine to re-engage his body, mind and soul.