Invisibility by Koh Heng Leun, ITI (Intercultural Theatre Institute) 27-29 November 2014 @Drama Cen
Invisibility, directed by Koh Heng Leun, promises a dissection of society to reveal urban alienation and our despairing search for validation as individuals. The human condition, endless suffering and characterized by solitude, is the crux of Quah Sy Ren’s play written almost two decades ago. Initially in Mandarin, the script has been revised using various classic texts and writings from the cast themselves. The revitalized script, that includes modern references to technological conveniences like Whatsapp and current global affairs like the Ebola pandemic, proves how the human endeavor for connection is an ageless struggle.
As part of their final performance showcase, the graduating cohort from the Intercultural Theatre Institute followed the multicultural spirit of the institution. The performance opened with the cast speaking individually in their mother tongues on the topic of invisibility, both in the literal and metaphysical sense. The cast speculates about a potion that will make one invisible however the potion seems to be rendered unnecessary in the following scene where people are looked straight through, unacknowledged in the city thronged with people. As Lina Yu’s character laments the estrangement of urban societies, she continuously walks towards the densely packed crowd in a mediocre bid to confront them. However, they constantly remain indifferent with blank faces and unanimously walk away from her in a uniformed manner. Intimate commentaries by different unnamed characters permeate the play however they seem too brief and didactic to pierce through the artificiality of our lifestyles and probe further to explore how we have strayed from our natural condition.
Despite the characters divulging their desires to the audience, the performance seems to fall flat and stagnant contrasting the personal and potentially riveting content. To Giorgia Tsolaki Ciampi’s character, a dentist check-up is the epitome of intimacy. Searching for tenderness in a sterile clinical setting seems ironic however this was lost in her frigid delivery. Had she been more self-indulgent and perverse, the dire extent of the decay of human connection would have been more explicit. However, the character being physically displaced from the dentist chair while she was undergoing the check-up merely hinted at this. Brief interactions between solitary individuals characterize the play.
Being a cast with diverse nationalities proved an advantage to exploring marginalized foreigners, isolated in an alien land. Rapid globalization has led to an influx of immigrants in many cities, lured by the promise of opportunities and wealth. Despite the wealth of experiences the cast can potentially offer, the direction resorts to the same didactic style- victimizing and painting a shallow image of those marginalized. In a scene, Denise Mordeno Aguilar played a Filipino immigrant complaining about the current surge of immigrants from various countries. Afterwards, her character was not seen again. Issues, such as identity and belonging, are prematurely discarded, diluting the potency of the play. The lack of intent in the direction seems to unfortunately render the other technical elements superfluous.
The set, consisting of an elevated stage with its underneath exposed with scaffolding at the back, takes on a more representative nature. Intersections of society, where characters meet, occur on the elevated stage. Underneath the stage are the inner dwellings of characters where they seek refuge and are often solitary. The scaffolding however seems to be on the margins of society itself, where a mysterious character played by Koh Wan Ching dwells. Like the scaffolding itself, she seems to be beyond the constraints of society. She merely observes and intervenes only when necessary. Darren Ng’s sound design evokes urban landscapes and drives the play. While the technical aspects build the foundation of Invisibility, set in modern urban society, I felt they sometimes overpowered the play itself. At the core of Invisibility is humanity itself so detracting these elements may have made the play’s focus on people stronger.
Invisibility boasts a poignant tale on alienation and the search for meaning in modern urban society but fails to probe deeper, to question society itself. The play ends with a bid to leave the audience unfulfilled, hoping we would leave seeing the world in a more detached stance. However, the lack of build-up to this supposedly pivotal ending renders it more puzzling than provoking. Nevertheless, Invisibility celebrates the myriad of personalities beneath the guarded mask of society.
Iffah.