THE Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat's 2024 highlight is a family saga that unfolded in the early days of the Republic of China.
'The Sisters Soong' will premiere on Aug 31 and run until Sept 8 at Pentas 1 in the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.
Set to be its biggest production of the year, 'The Sisters Soong' marks another exciting milestone for the husband-and-wife team, Joe Hasham and Datuk Faridah Merican.
30 YEARS
Though they have worked on many productions together, 'The Sisters Soong' will mark the first time executive producer Faridah directs a play written by artistic director Joe in 30 years.
In a recent interview, Faridah said: "This brand-new play in English relates the story of the famous and somewhat infamous sisters, three of the most influential siblings of 20th century China."
TUMULTUOUS
Faridah said: "I decided that I wanted to tell the story of three extraordinary and strong women who have fascinated me — three sisters who made their mark during a tumultuous period dominated by men, journeying through ups and downs, countless trials and tribulations that, at times, put their sibling love to test.
"It was quite a wait due to the pandemic, but my dream will finally be realised."
The three sisters were born in China and educated in the United States.
The eldest sister, Ai-Ling, married banker H. H. Kung, who later became the Republic of China's finance minister.
The middle sister, Ching-Ling, tied the knot with the Father of Modern China, the Republic of China's founder president Dr Sun Yat-Sen.
The youngest sister, Mei-Ling, married General Chiang Kai-Shek, the right-wing Chinese nationalist who eventually headed the Republic of China.
NUANCES
Joe said in this modern retelling that alternates between fact and fiction, the dramatic nuances throughout the play have been treated with a modicum of artistic licence.
"I started writing this play in January after some 500 pages worth of research, the historical aspect forms just the basis of this play.
"I am certain modern-day audiences will enjoy this entertaining presentation complete with dance and music, as well as a dash of history."
NARRATOR
'The Sisters Soong' will be brought to life by an award-winning cast with Omar Ali as the Narrator, Season Chee as Charlie Soong, Ruby Yap as Soong Ai-Ling, Jerry Pang as H. H. Kung, MayJune Tan as Soong Ching-Ling, Dennis Lee as Sun Yat-Sen, Jane Tee as Soong Mei-Ling and Tan Li Yang as Chiang Kai-Shek.
Joe said audiences would be transported to 1900s China with scenography by Yusman Mokhtar and costuming by fashion couturier Beatrice Looi.
"The play also features the choreography of Kenny Shim along with live music, including the original compositions and arrangements of Tan Zhi Yong, performed by an ensemble of eight musicians led by Lee Kok Leong, as well as a guest singer."
1997 MOVIE
Faridah said she watched the 1997 film 'The Soong Sisters' and read the best-selling book about them titled 'The Soong Dynasty'.
"We first conceived the idea of staging this play in 2019, but it was unfortunately delayed due to the pandemic."
Faridah said some of the stars were first-timers, and among them two have great potential.
"Jerry and Jane, who are students in the Bachelor of Performing Arts conservatory degree programme, a collaboration between Taylor's University and The Actors Studio, are experiencing a large-scale production for the first time."
"Jane, who plays the youngest sister, may find her role easier to relate to, given that she's also the youngest in the cast.
"Jerry has a more challenging role as the eldest brother-in-law."
TWO HOURS
Faridah said: "While this isn't a musical, we wanted to ensure it was engaging for the Malaysian audience.
"So, we've incorporated some dance sequences and original compositions along with other music that blends Eastern and Western melodies.
"This approach helps to lighten the tone and make the play more entertaining, striking a balance between drama and enjoyment."
FASHION
Faridah said each of the main characters had colour-coded costumes, namely purple for Ai-Ling, pink for Ching-Ling and blue for Mei-Ling.
"The fashion of the early 1900s preserved traditional Chinese elements while incorporating a lot of Western influences.
"Our costume designer, Beatrice Looi, has drawn inspiration from the styles of old Shanghai and the original Soong sisters' wardrobes."
FICTIONAL
Joe, who is marking the second play he has written in 24 years, said the research team took 11 months to work on the story.
"We had about 500 pages of research to work with, but we decided to take a different approach.
"We wanted to keep the story light and engaging, so while half of the play is based on factual events, the other half is fictional."
Tickets are priced from RM78 to RM188.
For more information, visit https://www.klpac.org/.