The Theatre for Young People project takes on a hilarious turn with Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. Director Christopher Ling sheds light on the play and the ensemble behind it.

Wednesday, 17 June 2009 – YOUNG theatre enthusiasts take centre stage at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) in Sentul this month with a new production by Theatre for Young People (T4YP).

The T4YP project, now in its second year following a successful run last year, will feature new faces as it takes on the popular work by renowned British playwright Tom Stoppard – Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead from tomorrow to Sunday.

Helmed by klpac’s director-in-residence Christopher Ling, the project is aimed at providing a platform for young people to express themselves by creating meaningful theatre.

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead is a comedy that centres on two bewildered minor characters from Shakespeare’s tragic tale of Hamlet.

They are thrust centre stage and given the chance to finally take lead roles in this fabulously inventive take on Hamlet.

But Rosencrantz and Guildenstern do so in a world where reality and illusion intermingle, and where fate leads the two heroes to a tragic but inevitable end.

Unaware of the roles in the much bigger picture of Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern get themselves into hilarious situations.

Although the play is primarily a comedy, they constantly stumble upon philosophical truths in the midst of the ludicrous ramblings.

Prior to the show, audience will be given a humorous crash course on Shakespeare’s works with a pre-show appetiser entitled The Fifteen-Minute Hamlet, directed by Nicole-Ann Thomas.

The young cast, between the ages of 17 and 25, include Ayunni Ayub, Belinda Hon, Dinesh Kumar, Maganathan, Gregory Sze, Isabell Zubinsha and Izmir Hadi Husein.

The Anugerah Seni Negara (National Arts Awards) recipient for Young Talent Award (Theatre Directing), Ling was trained in Drama and Theatre Arts at Middlesex University, London and with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.

Here, Ling shares his thoughts about the production.

Question: What is this year’s T4YP ensemble like?

Answer: The 15 members of this year’s ensemble is made up of serious, like-minded, go-for-broke young actors. Everyone from the college jock to the up-and-coming young actor is represented. They are not afraid of new challenges and are gung-ho about taking risks. Last year’s ensemble was characterised by its spontaneity and love of fun. This year’s team will also go far. In fact, it is definitely the right team to tackle the challenging combination of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Hamlet this year.

Q: You started out with TEN: Theatrical Lightning Strikes Human Relationships with your ensemble last year and this year you are taking on Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Why this approach for 2009?

A: Every year, the ensemble will get to perform two main stage works — a classical play followed by a modern play. TEN was essentially a collection of 10 short plays whereas Rosencratz is an excellent blend of contemporary theatre and Shakespeare. Allowing the ensemble to sink its teeth into the best of both worlds play-wise is the hallmark of the T4YP season and a necessary challenge for our young actors.

On the flip-side of the coin, Rosencratz also happens to be an excellent example of comedic writing at its best in the hands of renowned British playwright Tom Stoppard. There is nothing like Stoppardian humour to lighten up your evening at the theatre.

Q: What are the highlights of the piece?

A: I am delighted to be reunited with my design team from Steven Berkoff’s two-hander, The Secret Love-life of Ophelia. Pat Aizal Omar’s original music and Sazali Sim’s lighting design will once again transport the audience to Elsinore as they did last February.

Yusman Mokhtar (set designer for KLPaC’s upcoming musical, Kaki Blue) rounds up the team as costume designer alongside mask work exponent, Alex Chua, who has fleshed out the play’s centrepiece dumb-show of Hamlet in a downright provocative manner.

Q: We hear you that you are joining forces with others for your T4YP productions this year. Tell us a bit about that and why you have decided to do this.

A: Working creatively with others allows for new ideas and approaches to be infused in the work that T4YP does. Young actors have to learn versatility and working with different directors achieves this perfectly.

Season 2009 includes work by Helena Foo (director-in-residence, KLPaC) with Nicole-Ann Thomas as choreographer and Chua. Our upcoming two-week Indi T4YP cine season in late July will feature their work after which the ensemble takes on Hamlet in September.

Q: What is it like working with Nicole-Ann Thomas?

A: I am truly blessed to have Nicole working alongside myself this year. She brings with her a tremendous wealth of knowledge of stagecraft as an actress that she has been so generous to impart to the ensemble members.

Having first worked with her more than nine years ago, I count her as one of the more exciting actresses to have graced the Malaysian stage. Her many years of experience as an actor is undoubtedly a source of inspiration for the ensemble.

Now, she gets to flex her directing muscles with the ensemble on The Fifteen-Minute Hamlet, Stoppard’s “companion piece” to Rosencratz which is a hilarious, fast-paced condensation of Shakespeare’s four-hour masterpiece.

+++

Note: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead and The Fifteen-Minute Hamlet will be staged at Pentas 2 of KLPaC (Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan off Jalan Ipoh) in KL at 8.30pm (3pm on Saturday and Sunday). Tickets are priced at RM25 and RM15 (for students, senior citizens and the disabled). Check out www.klpac.org for location map and public transport options or call 03-4047-9000.

Click here for the original article featured on NST Online. Photography Courtesy Of Candid Photography