A saga of secret societies and star-crossed lovers in Taiping

The cast of ‘Opium By Any Other Name’, from left: Veronica Boh, Adry Nasution (seated), Dennis Lim, Celeste Low, Charles Roberts, and Shi Hoong. (Engku Armand pic)

PETALING JAYA:

“Two households, both alike in dignity… in fair Taiping where we lay our scene.” This paraphrase of the first line from “Romeo and Juliet” could very well open “Opium By Any Other Name”, a gritty, original Malaysian “remix” of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.

Playwright and director Tarrant Kwok has always had a fondness for the Bard’s plays. Inspired by its timeless themes and striking characters, he was drawn to creating this tale of the star-crossed lovers of Verona while adding his own spin on it.

“I thought, if I could adapt one of Shakespeare’s plays, how could I do it in a way that honoured the legacy of this country? And how could I make it fun, not just to watch but also to act, produce and direct?” Kwok, 33, told FMT Lifestyle.

“So I took something familiar and tried to make it relatable. And then it ended up as this historical piece, this political love-story-tragedy with a ‘Peaky Blinders’ aesthetic.”

You might remember Kwok from Amberjade Arts’ previous production “Opium At Closing Time”. While that play took viewers on a sweeping journey through decades of local history, this new outing focuses on one specific location and era of the past: 1890s Taiping, a town still under the shadow of British rule.

This old Taiping is a turbulent place, where two secret societies, Ghee Hin and Hai San, continuously clash with each other over a decades-old grudge. Within all the drama, two families lock horns over economic uncertainty and existential threats.

And despite all odds, young Wong Rui Jien (played by Shi Hoong) and Koh Ju En (Celeste Low) find themselves falling in love. Their passion could make for the foundation of peace in Perak – but at what cost?

Writer and director Tarrant Kwok’s fondness for Shakespearean plays inspired him to write this show. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)

Written and directed by Kwok and featuring a six-person ensemble, some of whom play multiple roles, “Opium By Any Other Name” is a gripping exploration of forbidden love and conflict, set in a volatile yet fascinating period of Malayan history.

As with “Opium At Closing Time”, Kwok conducted extensive research to recreate the world of old Taiping, referring to journals, academic writing, and even historical newspaper archives.

This could often be challenging, he said, as there is less accessible written material on 1800s Malaya compared with later time periods.

While Shakespeare had been a starting point, Kwok shared that the play eventually developed its own identity. “‘Romeo and Juliet’ is about two individuals fighting their families, but here, we approach ‘family’ from an Asian context, even though elements of forbidden love are retained,” he said.

The show also touches on issues such as drug abuse and gang violence but, at the end of the day, it is about the boundaries one draws when interacting with others, and finding one’s identity.

Indeed, this is exemplified through Low’s character, Ju En, whom she describes as undergoing a coming-of-age experience amidst the conflicts around her.

“The play is a lot about Ju En’s journey in finding herself and her place in a patriarchal society; how she uses the things she has learnt, and people she has met, to get far,” Low, 23, told FMT Lifestyle.

“We explore forming relationships with others, and how these relationships shape your thinking and your actions.”

Celeste Low plays Ju En, a young woman trying to find her place in a patriarchal society. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)

Kwok added that the production incorporates elements of physical theatre, and some segments feature audience interaction. He believes this to be the best way of decolonising tragedies: by getting everyone involved.

And while most of its text is in English, characters in this play will speak with smatterings of Hokkien, Hakka and Mandarin.

Also, don’t expect to hear lines delivered in iambic pentameter, that writing rhythm ol’ Shakespeare was so fond of. Listen out instead for the verses of classical Chinese poet Wu Zao, which play a major role in the narrative.

As for the source material’s infamously tragic conclusion – well, you’ll have to come and watch the show to find out how it ends!

Asked whether “By Any Other Name” and “At Closing Time” were connected, Kwok teased that they are linked thematically, and did not rule out writing another in future to complete a trilogy!

“I hope the audience takes away the fact that we all have agency,” he concluded. “Family is just one aspect of our lives. You should never be so caught up in their machinations to the point that you lose yourself.”