Creating a space for women playwrights
A common pain for those in the arts community is just how much Covid-19 and its accompanying lockdowns have restricted access to performances. Not the sort to be easily deterred, The Panas Panas Theatre is one group that has turned a challenging set of circumstances into an opportunity.
The Women’s Play Marathon (WPM) programme is a project to hold online readings of 50 theatrical works written by women before the end of 2020.
If you fear that you are being introduced to the concept a little late to the party, fret not. Tonight’s reading of Happy Families by Ann Lee is part of a powerful recent series on gender-based violence. And there will be another, next week...
A common pain for those in the arts community is just how much Covid-19 and its accompanying lockdowns have restricted access to performances. Not the sort to be easily deterred, The Panas Panas Theatre is one group that has turned a challenging set of circumstances into an opportunity.
The Women’s Play Marathon (WPM) programme is a project to hold online readings of 50 theatrical works written by women before the end of 2020.
If you fear that you are being introduced to the concept a little late to the party, fret not. Tonight’s reading of Happy Families by Ann Lee is part of a powerful recent series on gender-based violence. And there will be another, next week.
“This is in conjunction with 16 Days of Activism on Gender-Based Violence by the Southeast Asia Feminist Action Movement (Seafam) to help raise awareness and combat an issue which is so prevalent in our society,” Panas Panas PR and marketing director Syahira Zakaria told Malaysiakini.
“We selected a play each from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, which provide different perspectives of gender-based violence,” she added.
Syahira tells us that there is no doubt that the lockdown has played a major role in how Panas Panas Theatre has been shaped.
Founded by Hana Nadira, Arief Hamizan, Ali Motamedi and Ariff Kamil, it was formed in late 2019 to instigate innovation in theatre practices and experiment culture and technology.
“Realising that the Covid-19 pandemic had acted as a catalyst for change in the theatre scene throughout the world, we hope to be able to redefine as well as contribute to the re-shaping of our Malaysian theatre scene, post-pandemic,” they said.
In the past six months, Panas Panas Theatre has launched two programmes, which are Main Baca and Women’s Play Marathon.
“When the first lockdown hit, the group’s founders were reading a lot of plays with friends over Zoom and realised that it’s an enjoyable way to access theatre when everyone was unable to go out. And then they thought of opening up space to the general public.”
The idea soon grew and over the past few months, more than 50 theatre activists from New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and the UK have participated in the project.
Panas Panas Theatre founder Hana Nadira remained effusive when asked to pinpoint her favourites.
“I wouldn’t call them performances, as they are mostly cold reads. But I have so many favourites! And all for different reasons.
“One was a reading of local playwright Sheena Gurbakhash’s script Motherland, which is a play she is still working on, based on actual events from the Emergency.
"What I loved about it was learning about what women in Malaya were up to back in those days, and how their different principles and decisions shaped their identities throughout history.
“And then there have been a few tear-jerking ones, like Water By the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes or The Silent Song of the Genjer Flowers by Faiza Mardzoeki, where you just hear sniffles all around because the plays have taken us by surprise and moved us beyond words,” Hana said.
She said the activists also learnt a lot from plays that made them angry.
“Because we don’t agree with the way women were portrayed by women themselves, a long discussion would ensue on what it is that made us uncomfortable.
“Can’t name those plays, but the post-read discussions have definitely become a big part of Women’s Play Marathon because we learn of the different points of views and even of our own biases!” Hana said.
Syahira added that Hana researched award-winning women playwrights and as well as female playwrights from different parts of the world to ensure diversity. The playwrights themselves are there to listen to the read and take part in the discussion about the play.
"Among the personalities who are also with us, Joanne Kam (Malaysian comedy queen), Bella Rahim (international actress, Dominique La Victoria (theatre writer from the Philippines) and Nabilah Said (critic and theatre writer from Singapore)," says Hana.
They usually get about 100 people per week who are interested and they choose 30 readers/viewers from that group.
Those interested in participating need to email panaspanasco@gmail.com. Tonight’s reading is at 7.30pm.
Largely self-funded, the group has been applying for funding and has been successful in getting some assistance.
Still, while the current list 50 plays are scheduled to conclude by the end of December, we can expect to hear more from Panas Panas Theatre.
“For some of the plays, yes we do have plans to stage them on the ‘real’ stage. Of course, this depends on the circumstances.
“We do have plans for events and workshops in the next year or so, but they are still that: plans,” Syahira said.
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