Our artistic journeys with Krishen

New Straits Times, Tuesday, 20 June 2006

Four actors reveal how their lives have been touched by the late dramatist Krishen Jit, immortalised in a series of workshops and theatre performances throughout this year. FARIDUL ANWAR FARINORDIN writes.

IT has been a year since his passing, but the late Krishen Jit’s legacy lives on in many of today’s theatre practitioners.

If the recent one-night series of performances, Utih... Celebrating Krishen, is any indication, he has touched, inspired and motivated many — be it through his theatrical pieces, written works or simply, by being him.

It was an evening of stage performances, street theatre, multimedia presentations and readings of Krishen’s texts.

Actress Anne James performed a scene from The Sandpit, which she played for the first time under Krishen’s direction in 1998. Throughout the evening, choreographer Elaine did a headstand whenever Krishen’s name was mentioned.

Other theatre folks who paid their tribute included Rhythm In Bronze, Charlene Rajendran, Judimar Hernandez, Huzir Sulaiman, Jo Kukathas, Janet Pillai, Liew Kung Yu and Nam Ron.

It was also a significant event to mark the launch of The Krishen Jit Atro Fund, a programme to provide financial assistance to theatre practitioners to pursue their craft and help promote arts in the country.

We spoke to a few theatre folk to find out how their lives had changed meeting Krishen, as reflected by their performances in Utih... Celebrating Krishen.

Anne James, actress:

“I performed The Sandpit for the first time in 1998, as a monologue, and re-staged it with Charlene Rajendran in 1990. Krishen was the director for both performances.”

“The Sandpit marks my artistic journey with Krishen.

“It was a ‘painful’ rehearsal process — I didn’t act for one year after doing the first one. It was emotionally draining. It ‘destroyed’ me for a while, but I kept going back like a true masochist for the love of the arts. I have performed the show four times.

“That night, my performance — a 10-minute excerpt from The Sandpit — was more like an offering, a thank you to my teacher. Of course, I did get emotional during the show.

“I feel that Krishen is stillaround. He has become a part of me because of those years that we spent honing my artistic pursuits. I changed every time we got together. So everything I do reminds me of him — he’s not far ...”

Leow Puay Tin, actress/playwright:

“I compiled Krishen’s director’s notes from 38 of his past shows that night. I wanted to review his journey in theatre, in his own words, which spanned over two decades. The reading was performed by Janet Pillai and it was accompanied by a gamelan ensemble (Rhythm in Bronze).

“My first production with him was in 1983 with Tikam-Tikam: And the Grandmother Said, which I wrote and he directed.

“When he passed away, what I missed most was his friendship. Over the years, he gave me much courage to showcase my talent. He sanctioned the artistic side of me and told me that it’s okay to do so. He always told me to find a framework for what I do.”

Nam Ron, playwright/actor/director:

“I didn’t pre-plan anything for my performance that night. I sat down and wrote an essay on how his absence has affected me and the local theatre scene in general. The theme for my show, which was only five-minute long, was ‘loneliness’.

“Krishen was the head of theatre department at Akademi Seni Kebangsaan, where I was studying. As you can imagine, the impact that he has had on my life is immeasurable. He was a mentor, a teacher, a friend and a father figure.

“In the end of 2003, shortly after my performance in matderihkolaperlih (which Nam Ron also wrote), he expressed his interest in working together. It is very unfortunate that we never got to realise this creative partnership together.

“As a teacher, he was a walking encyclopaedia in the world of arts and theatre. Listening to him, you’re motivated to push harder to realise your potential. Unlike other teachers who always put us down, Krishen inspired us.”

Chew Kin Wah, actor/producer:

“Utih... Celebrating Krishen spawned from a conversation I had with Marion D’ Cruz (Krishen’s wife) in January. We rounded up a number of theatre folk and we asked them to give an impromptu performance for 10 minutes each.

“I first knew Krishen when I was 18, back in 1985. He held an open audition at Five Arts Centre for a production, 1984 Here and Now, which became my first ever theatre performance.”

“And that’s how my artistic journey began.”

“Krishen taught me to have a purpose in everything I do — on and off stage. If I moved my leg during a rehearsal for a production, he would asked: “What was that?” but never elaborated what he meant. Then again, I got a lot of leeway back then because I was young.

“In 1995, he asked me to perform in his experimental work, Skin Trilogy, for which I had to shave my head. It was the same year that I got married — what a traumatic year that was. The show ran for three weeks and it was a different show every week!

“I will remember Krishen as a father figure. He’s the kind of person who can motivate you to do things you never knew you could.”