An interactive exploration of loneliness and anxiety

Performer Dexter Zhen turns to art while he waits for his loved one to call him back. (lowercase laboratories pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Bad days – everyone has had them. And some of the worst kinds of days are those that involve conflict with someone close to you.

They create a familiar agony: the despair and frustration of waiting by the phone while you pray desperately for the other person to return your missed calls and messages, so you can finally talk or make amends.

These dark moments are displayed in full glory in “hello, can you call me back?”, a participative exhibition that explores loneliness and anxiety.

Presented by lowercase laboratories, this unconventional arts experience features six performers dealing with their stressful days using different approaches.

Attendees are not only invited to watch and listen to them – they can actually call the performers for conversation.

This exhibition is deeply personal for director Low Yee Choy, who crafted it based on his own experiences with anxiety, and the coping mechanisms he used.

“The inspiration came from a particularly difficult argument with my partner, which left me spiralling and overthinking while waiting for them to call me back.

“I realised I needed to be more independent and find ways to manage my anxiety on my own,” the 23-year-old told FMT, adding that this included writing down his thoughts when he felt overwhelmed.

Director Low Yee Choy (left) leading his performers in a physical exercise during rehearsals. (lowercase laboratories pic)

‘hello, can you call me back?’ features Ashvinder Kaur, Dexter Zhen, Dinesh Kumar, Mia Sabrina Mahadir, Murasaki Haru, and Putrina Rafie. The exhibition will be set in a bedroom, with each performer leading an hour.

Upon entering, the audience will receive instructions to expect a missed call from the performers. They can choose to call back and engage in a conversation, one attendee at a time; listen to others talk; or simply observe the actors coping with their anxiety.

“All the performers come in having had a bad day, and the goal is to turn it into a slightly better or good day,” Low explained. To that end, the conversations with the attendees will either help the performer move closer to their goal – or hinder them from achieving it.

Viewers are free to come and go as they please at any time throughout the six-hour run of the exhibition. “They also have the freedom to say or ask the performers anything, because I want to add unpredictability and make it more engaging,” he added.

If a performer doesn’t receive a call back within their allotted time, the audience can observe the ways they deal with anxiety.

Performer Putrina Rafie goes for an introspective approach while dealing with anxiety. (lowercase laboratories pic)

Each actor will also present a personal story based on his or her own experience. For example, Dinesh Kumar’s scene unfolds minutes after a frustrating conversation with someone close to him.

“What’s interesting about this production is that each of us is playing ourselves, [as opposed to] a character or role you would expect in a play,” Dinesh, 36, told FMT.

“This makes this project very exciting and challenging at the same time.”

According to Choy, his goal was to create an immersive and intimate experience where attendees could connect with performers on a personal level and recognise they are not alone in their struggles.

“People experience loneliness and anxiety on a greater level today, thanks to technology, social media, and the pandemic,” he pointed out.

“I hope this will help people with similar struggles to feel seen, heard and supported – and perhaps even find new ways to manage their anxiety moving forward.”