One cannot deny that Suffian can write a catchy one-liner, but the play is absolutely drowning in them. Themes such as representation, diversity, and political legitimacy are bandied about like wafer-thin strips of margarine, barely allowing their flavour to soak through the bread of the play. A #MeToo moment, where allegations of sexual misconduct are levelled against one of the candidates in the midst of the hustings, is piled on so suddenly that it falls flat. It does not help that the characters themselves are painted with bold brushstrokes and little nuance: the unabashed sex addict dishing out one ribald pun too many, the tone-deaf bigot refusing to be more inclusive, the power-hungry minority striving for sensation over substance.
That said, there are tender moments in the storyline that prove redeeming. I appreciated the character of Sin City (Azizul ‘Izzy’ Mahathir), a Vampire transitioning into a Pontianak who copes with serious withdrawal symptoms and ends up being dismissed by the others. She acts as a powerful symbol of society’s ambivalence to those who do not fall into neat, state-sanctioned categories of race and gender, an issue that continues to disrupt our social fabric.
Director Rizman Putra infuses the action with a kooky abandon and keeps things clipping along at a great pace. He makes good use of the wings of the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre, with the actors coming back and forth, and there is the sense that the audience is very much part of the action. He also extracts great performances from the cast, who have a whale of a time inhabiting their ‘larger-than-dead’ characters. Hafidz Rahman is a positive scene-stealer as the irreverent Joyah, gleefully breaking the fourth wall, and having the audience eating out of his hand. Munah Bagharib quietly shines as Petom, a Pontianak caught between being an ally for the assertive Aisyah and lending emotional support to the fragile Sin City. Neo Hai Bin, best known for his more serious work with companies like Nine Years Theatre, flexes his comedic chops to great effect as the rapping, hip-hop loving Tan Ah Kow.