#SHOWBIZ: Personal dilemmas sound out in play

New Straits Times

12-06-2025

MALAYSIANS might be more familiar with Teochew opera, but there is another southern Chinese art form called Nanguan, or Liyuan opera.
This unique form has captivated Malaysian director and writer Koh Choon Eiow, who is preparing to stage a contemporary production titled 'Apostate' from June 20 to 22 at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, in collaboration with the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia.
'Apostate' weaves together two compelling narratives: a classic tale and a modern story.
One is a beloved Nanxi play from the Song Dynasty, dating back 900 years, which recounts the story of Zhu Bian, an envoy captured and forced to marry his captor's daughter.
After a decade, he is released, torn between his gratitude for his new wife and his loyalty to the wife he left behind at home.
Koh has skilfully intertwined this ancient dilemma with the modern story of a prisoner.
Both characters are compelled to weigh their personal struggle for survival against their allegiance to family and state.
Koh finds the psychology of a "traitor" deeply intriguing.
"If you look back at history, there are plenty of stories and literature depicting 'authoritarians' or 'victims', but rarely do we get to see or hear about traitors whose ambiguous identities sometimes lie between the two, blurring the boundaries," he says.
"So the traditional opera script, Zhu Bian, and its portrayal of a 'loyal minister' sparked an idea that perhaps we could use the contrast between a 'traitor' and a 'loyalist' to explore shifts in emotional convictions and identity."
This initial thought led to extensive research into the depictions of traitors during Taiwan's 1950s, drawing from books such as 'The Political Archives Speak', 'Letters Never Delivered' and 'The Walking Tree'.
GROUND-BREAKING COLLABORATION
'Apostate' results from a pioneering collaboration between approaching theatre, co-founded by Koh and Cheng Yin-chen, and Taiwan's Gang-a Tsui Theatre, established by the late Chou Yih-chan, a renowned champion of Nanguan.
The production has garnered significant acclaim, winning the grand prize at the 22nd Taishin Arts Award and the Jury Prize at the 35th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music.
This was a notable achievement, as it received recognition from the traditional opera community and the contemporary theatre world.
UNCONVENTIONAL PATH
Koh's interest in the arts was unexpected, even to him.
"Why I chose a path in the arts remains a mystery to me, especially when my entire family is in the food industry," he muses.
"It almost feels as if some invisible force gently nudged me onto this path."
Growing up in northern Malaysia, where his family ran a bustling restaurant, shaped his early years.
"The restaurant was always busy, full of customers coming and going — dropping in for tea or a meal, chatting about everything under the sun," he recalls.
"I was curious about all these different people — where did they come from? Where were they headed?"
During his childhood, his family frequently attended open-air Teochew opera performances and he would join them.
"The performers fascinated me — the way they told stories captivated me. Perhaps that's when I became deeply interested in how stories are told," he reflects.
"Living in a culturally and linguistically diverse society like Malaysia enriched my worldview and provided me with multiple lenses through which to see the world."
After finishing high school, Koh moved to Kuala Lumpur and enrolled in the Malaysian Institute of Arts to study drama.
"There, two mentors — Madam Soon Choon Mee and Leong Chi Sin — shaped my artistic journey," he says.
"They opened my eyes about theatre and drama, which allowed me to venture into a whole new creative landscape."
During his time at MIA, he delved extensively into the development of Taiwanese theatre, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, which significantly influenced his direction.
A DIRECTOR'S VISION
Today, Koh is the director of approaching theatre and a grantee of the Asian Cultural Council Fellowship programme.
He is a contemporary theatre director and performer, actively involved in front and behind the scenes of Taiwan's experimental theatre.
His works explore the diasporic memory and historical identity of contemporary Chinese people.
Koh is renowned for his intricate arrangement of multiple soundtracks to create a flowing narrative.
By using sound to build dimensions of time and space, he often creates a succinct and precise narrative style that is remarkably sharp.
Based in Taiwan, Koh's last directorial effort in Malaysia was almost a decade ago with 'tiapa' in 2016.
He shares an interesting, unplanned coincidence: "When we decided to stage this show on Zhu Bian in 2020, I discovered that he was in Jin for 16 years before he could finally return home. In 2004, I moved from Kuala Lumpur to Taipei to pursue my graduate studies, and in 2020, it marked my 16th year living in Taiwan."
He describes this as an "uncanny coincidence — as if the voice of home was calling out to me".
SOUND PERFORMANCE
'Apostate' will be performed in Mandarin with some dialect, featuring a cast of six who will showcase the beauty of Nanguan singing and the unique puppet-like postures employed in Liyuan opera.
They will be accompanied by a live ensemble of six traditional musicians, including the well-known song 'Thank You, Princess'.
Regarding the appeal of 'Apostate' for Malaysian audiences, Koh says: "I genuinely look forward to hearing from Malaysian audiences after the show, and finding out what piqued their interest and drew them in."
He encourages audience members to "watch" by opening their ears and hearts as the play is largely driven by sound.
"Every action in the show begins with an auditory element," he explains.