what: The Light of Dust
Admission: 15 years old and above
When: June 30 – July 2 & July 6-9, 8.30pm with 3pm weekend matinees
Where: Damansara Performing Arts Centre, Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya
Tickets: RM140/RM88. Call Vynix at 012-331 7128/ DPAC at
+60 3 4065 0001, 4065 0002
GONE not forgotten; lingering perhaps as airborne dust. While unseen in darkness, yet in a beam of light, like stardust… glows.
rehearsals for the light of dust. pic from see production studios
“We have all lost someone so I am sure people will relate to this message in The Light of Dust,” says producer See Soon Eng.
A multidisciplinary theatre performance, The Light of Dust, is inspired by ‘111 Love Letters to Heaven’ by author Da Pan and also the song ‘Farewell’ by Tai Xiang Lee, explains the 5-year-old from the Klang Valley.
A collaboration between See’s production studio and director Charles Jong, the two-hour-long play explores themes of life such as death, love and relationships, says See.
Sitting at a café in Empire Damansara with artistic director Arthur Lee and one of 10-member ensemble, Eugene Ng, the trio sing hosannahs to the avante-garde directoring style of Jong.
Ng says he was shocked when he saw one of Jong’s early plays, adding that “it was visually different and exploratory.”
All three are excited to work with Jong, well-known in the Malaysian Chinese performing arts industry after monodramas Passion and Love in 2012.
It all began when Jong posted a piece about Da Pan’s book on his Facebook page, which caught See’s attention. “I emailed him that I wanted to produce it, and it took off from there.”
Ng, 35, reveals that rehearsals for the play began 10 months ago. “There was no script when we began rehearsals, and we spent a few months exploring themes.
“It was very intense as we had to share experiences on the themes, and even imagine from the dead person’s viewpoint.”
The Light of Dust, points out Lee, demands much from the cast in physical stamina and acting skills.
“It also has multimedia visuals and live music performed by Keira Chin. It has poetry which recording is done with a street busker. I won’t reveal his name yet, but his voice is gritty and raw, suitable for this play,” says Lee, an accountant by profession with an obvious passion for the arts.
The play will be in Mandarin with English surtitles but See says: “It’s a collective story, and audiences will be able to relate to the emotions.”
In fact, the performance comes with an exhibition of photographs with accompanying “love letters” from Malaysians, “since the play is inspired by Da Pan’s ‘love letters’,” adds See.
“The stage is not mere entertainment but what goes on it complements life as we know it. Love as we know it, has no gender, race, or religion. Perhaps The Light of Dust will prove healing to some but it is contemporary theatre and that is always exciting to theatre-goers today,” adds See.
Love,. indeed, knows no barrier or gender.