Theatre play envisions a strange, harmonious ecological future

‘Symbiocene’ features the talents of Camillea Benjamin (left), Tharanii Karthigesu, and Aila Azizul. (Mohd Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)

KUALA LUMPUR:

In 2014, Australian environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht dreamt of a new world order. He proposed the “Symbiocene” theory, the planet’s next ecological period where humans, plants and animals live in a harmonious and sustainable relationship.

Subang Jaya, Selangor-based theatremaker Lim Sheng Hui had wondered for years what would it be like if this new world were populated by human-plant-animal creatures, and where language and meaning were deconstructed and reconstructed.

Her musings have led her to direct Malaysia’s first ecopunk production called “Symbiocene”, which runs from Dec 1-3 at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre’s Black Box.

For the uninitiated, ecopunk is an unofficial genre that features a mix of sustainable concepts and science fiction, with a focus on green urban and rural life, wilderness and scrapyard living.

“Another incident that prompted me was the Kelantan government’s recent move to reclassify the status of environmentally sensitive areas in the state, which means fewer barriers to cut down trees,” added Lim, who hails from Penang.

The play explores a subject matter that is near and dear to director Lim Sheng Hui’s heart. (Mohd Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)

The two-hour-long play, with intermission, is set in a not-too-distant future where a mysterious and highly disruptive force ruptures the boundaries between humans, plants, and animals.

Under the banner of Expedisi Harapan Sembilan, three outcasts – a world-weary park ranger (Camillea Benjamin), a psychic (Tharanii Karthigesu), and a fungal traveller (Aila Azizul) – are sent into the Penang Botanical Gardens, the epicentre of this rupture, to investigate.

Essentially, the story is a reimagination of a world where humans, plants, and animals live together symbiotically. If Netflix’s “Sweet Tooth” and HBO’s “The Last of Us” had a child together, it would probably be “Symbiocene”.

Unlike the two series, this play is not about survival or an ecological end of the world. Lim, 30, stressed that “Symbiocene” is more about a journey “into accepting that this is the next step of evolution”.

“What we have discovered in rehearsals is that the story is more about metamorphosis, a physical transformation that changes the way the characters exist in the world; the way they think, feel and remember,” the freelance copywriter shared.

Some of the rehearsals were conducted in an actual forest. (Abdul Sami Shahid pic)

“Symbiocene” also draws inspiration from other materials: US author Jeff VanderMeer’s 2014 sci-fi novel “Annihilation”, which was adapted into a film starring Natalie Portman in 2018; the New Weird literary genre that combines strange and speculative fiction subgenres; and haiku, short Japanese poems that focus on the impermanence of nature and seasons.

Promising an immersive ecological experience for audiences, Lim said the production will be bringing the forest, quite literally, to the stage.

To that end, the team has made nearly 12 visits to the Taman Rimba Templer forest reserve and Ulu Yam Waterfall to forage for old bark, driftwood, moss, fallen branches, wild plants, soil and water. That’s right, a pond will be part of the set, so prepare to get splashed!

Some of their rehearsals were also conducted in a forest and a river, and the team even camped out overnight once.

Ultimately, Lim hopes audiences will gain more of an understanding and compassion towards all other living beings. “Our lives are interconnected and our actions will inevitably leave their mark. What do we want to leave behind?” she concluded.

‘Symbiocene’

Where:
Black Box @ Damansara Performing Arts Centre,
Empire Damansara,
Damansara Perdana,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

When: