‘The Nyonya’ to be staged in Kuching
KUCHING: ‘ The Nyonya’ - the story of a young Chinese girl’s journey from the fictitious Put Ann Kwantung, China to Kuching, Sarawak will be staged on May 24-25.
It is based on the book ‘The Nyonya’, published in 1962, by John Michael Chin for a statewide English novel competition organised by Borneo Literature Bureau.
We want to honour dad. He has done a lot.
John Michael Chin
It went on to win first prize and was translated into Malay and Chinese.
Chin’s son, John, who is directing the play, said the idea came in a flash of inspiration and soon became a full-fledged production.
“We want to honour dad. He has done a lot,” said John.
He said he wanted to do it in a medium that he enjoyed, professing his love for the world of make-believe.
“I’ve always been interested in the arts, and I’ve been involved in a lot of plays,” he said.
Compressing a novel into a three-act drama with 11 scenes posed a challenge, John said, but he managed to structure it for good entertainment and to fulfil basic drama productions.
“The storyline, in its time (1962) was reasonably scandalous,” he said, referring to a scene where the young heroine, Kim Lan, was molested by the head of the household she worked for.
Chin, now 93, said while ‘The Nyonya’ is purely fiction, like all authors he drew inspiration from around him.
His parents were immigrants from China and Indonesia respectively.
Like Kim Lan, they soon found themselves in Kuching to eke out a living for their family.
In an era when Europeans were working in Sarawak and settling down to establish families of their own, this part of early Kuching’s history naturally found its way into the novel as part of the protagonist’s life.
A scene from the play departs from the live stage and briefly enters another medium altogether - a short fi lm.
The cast members of over 20 are mainly amateurs who have expressed interest in getting involved in a theatre production.
Part of the proceeds from the event will be used as a seed fund for future productions and the development of local talent.
‘The Nyonya’ will be staged at the Main Hall, 209, Korperasi Berhad, Lorong Setia Raja 12A, Stutong Indah at 8pm on May 24-25.
Tickets are priced at RM100, RM50 and RM25.
For tickets or further information, call 082-502008 or email thenyonya@ gmail.com.