Review
The Sisters Soong: An Ambitious Retelling Of China’s Popular Siblings
Published on 05/09/2024
(This blog post originated from Eksentrika. For the full article, please visit Eksentrika's website.)
The Sisters Soong, a play by Joe Hasham and directed by Faridah Merican, explores the lives of three influential sisters in China’s history. In this review, we analyse what we appreciated about the play and areas it can be improved in future restagings. This review contains affiliate links.
Creating a period piece is not an easy task. It requires a great amount of research and a deep understanding of the complexities of the past while also balancing factual accuracies with drama.
The Sisters Soong performed at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) presented by The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat (TASSTR) is one such play. It’s a complex story about three sisters who played a pivotal role in the creation of modern-day China.
Due to this, telling the stories of not one but three well-known and well-documented historical figures requires deft hands. Who else to work on a play of such magnitude but veterans of the local performing arts ecosystem?
Impressive Costumes & Orchestra
‘The Sisters Soong‘ featured impressive costumes. IMAGE: Chan Kien Ming & leggoshoot / The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre
Raising its curtains on Malaysia’s National Day on 31 August 2024, the play marked a milestone for TASSTR as it’s the first play written by Joe Hasham and directed by Faridah Merican after 30 years.
The immaculately dressed cast, with the glossy and wavy hairstyles signature of the 20th century, drew us in. It made us wonder who the Soong sisters were and why their lives warrant a retelling.
Attending the premiere was an experience in itself, some had turned up in silky cheongsams and coifed hairs that almost blended in with the cast. It would be a charming trip down memory lane for some and a step back into a bygone era for others.
A Bold Attempt At Retelling China’s History
The stage set in Pentas 1 was simple yet elegant, and while it did not change throughout the play, the minimalist design was fitting enough to suit the entire show’s narrative delivery.
The orchestra positioned at the side of the stage was apt since they turned out to be a major highlight of the show. The music and arrangement by Tan Zhi Yong and live music under the baton of Lee Kok Leong lent a subtle but lingering ambience to the play’s narrative.
IMAGE: Chew Seng Cheong / The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre
Yet, despite the orchestra’s finesse, thoughtful costume by Beatrice Looi, and scenography by Yusman Mokhtar, and choreography by Kenny Shim, this rendition of The Sisters Soong was marred by pacing issues.
The Sisters Soong featured an award-winning cast comprising Ruby Yap, MayJune Tan and Jane Tee who played Soong Ai-Ling, Soong Ching-Ling, and Soong Mei-Ling respectively. Meanwhile, the supportive cast included skilled actors Dennis Lee (Sun Yat-Sen), Tan Li Yang (Chiang Kai-Shek), Jerry Pang (H.H. Kung), Season Chee (Charlie Soong), Priscilla Wong (Ni Kwei-Tseng), Xavier Chen (Celebrant), and Omar Ali who served as the witty narrator.
Narrative-Driven Storytelling
Omar Ali (in red) portrayed the witty narrator as Season Chee (right) played Charlie Soong, the father of the three sisters. IMAGE: Chan Kien Ming & leggoshoot / The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre
The plot structure was presented in a non-linear manner. While the plot was relatively easy to follow, the play could have been strengthened through plot twists to retain the audience’s attention.
Rather than depicting key moments in the lives of the three sisters to help viewers connect with the characters and understand their motivations, the play presented these events through a series of lengthy monologues.
One of the key missed opportunities is the failure to depict Sun Yat-Sen’s death and the rise of his brother-in-law, Chiang Kai-shek, as a pivotal moment that fractured the sisters’ relationships and altered the course of China’s history. While the play hinted at friction between the sisters, a clear rift between them was never made evident. Due to this, the conflict arising from the ideological differences between the three sisters became lost.
By the end of the play, ....... (Continue reading)
Catch the play "The Sisters Soong" at The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac)'s Pentas 1. Shows run from Aug 31 - Sep 8, with times at 8.00 PM and 3:00 PM. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of the Soong sisters, where history and artistry intertwine to bring their incredible story to life. Ticket prices range from RM 58 - RM 188. Grab your tickets today
