Warwick Malaysian Night (Minight) is an annual theatrical play presented by Warwick Malaysian Association. This year, it is themed 'RIMBA', which is the Malay word for forests. As we know, Malaysia has its own tropical rainforest ecosystem. Following the recent grievous news of extinction of the Sumatran rhino, our play was purposed to raise awareness on wildlife conservation, especially the Malayan tigers, which we had seen an exponential decrease in numbers over the past decade. The show is set to take place on 22 February 2020 (Saturday). It follows the journey of a group of animals in a Malaysian rainforest setting, showcasing their interactions with the forest spirits and the local villagers.
To be frank, my involvement in the play started off with a tiring heart at practices, hoping to disappear right when the clock strikes the hour to go. I was a part of three other organisations which all required a grandiose amount of commitment, on top of my own academic balance to maintain. I was organising conferences and a camp, compiling a magazine and writing a little here and there. There were much to attend to, and I had really limited time- we all need some time off for ourselves; it takes time to plan holiday trips; we need time allocated for meal preps, friendship maintenance, physical pursuits and even sleep. I couldn't remember my lines! I had close to 50 lines and was considered a main cast (supporting role). I didn't spend time exploring the mind of my character. I couldn't deliver the proper feelings my character is expected to express.
In the play, I am Owlbert, a busybody owl who imposes a lot of self-importance on himself and tends to voluntarily take control of situations. I only started feeling my character after our first make-up trial, after which we shot our first teaser trailer. It was as if I could see the 'owl' in me, and I started talking as its personality should, only at practices of course. I learned a lot on how I should act from my acting directors- people who have contributed in making my character take its shape since day one.
As I frequented my attendance at practices, I found myself attracted to the rest of the cast. Mingling with them felt like an escape from my degree. My daily three-hour practice became something I looked forward to. It was a time we could chat about how our days went, make jokes of each other while practising our lines and theatrical presentations. I remember cracking bad jokes, having rip-off sessions and sharing snacks with the team. Any bad moments or study stress throughout the day were simply smeared off with the fun we had.
I am writing this article only two days before the main show. Looking back on the past five months of committing ourselves to this play, I am excited to say that we are ready to storm the stage. Everything- from props, costumes, make-up, dance to singing- looks eye popping.
I will remember being a part of this big family where we all played a part to contribute to this play. It was a beautiful piece of memory we all keep at the back of our heads, only to be revisited again and again when we tell our stories to parents, friends, children and grandchildren.
I cannot wait to present my very first actual theatrical performance. Let's pray that everything goes well.
Check out our trailer here: https://www.facebook.com/ukeconline/videos/2664634633653671/UzpfSTEwMDAxMDk4MTQ3MTc3NDoxMDQ2NDk1MTg5MDU5ODU0/?id=100010981471774
By,
Euan Thum,
20/2/2020.
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