Mortal Man: Two Monologues at Five Arts Centre

How do you tell a story that is never the same twice? This is the question at the heart of Mortal Man: Two Monologues, Leow Puay Tin’s latest play. Set to be staged by Five Arts Centre, the production explores the lives of two artists—one, a female writer, and the other a male director. The story weaves through childhoods, social contexts, and the artistic pressures that shape creative legacies. But, as with much of Puay Tin’s work, there are unexpected twists at every turn of the corner.

Puay Tin, a writer known for her sharp wit and unflinching curiosity, has always been fascinated by the tension between structure and unpredictability. Much like the raffle boards once found in Malaysian sundry shops, Puay Tin’s tikam-tikam storytelling method invites fate to decide the order of the scenes, creating a performance that is unique every single night.

“It’s exciting for audiences, and quite nerve-wracking for performers. And that’s what makes it so alive,” said Mark Teh, the creative coordinator at Five Arts Centre.

In Mortal Man, one character’s story follows a traditional, linear progression. But the other? That’s up to chance. On any given night, the scenes could fall into a sequence that feels serendipitous, haunting, or downright comedic.

“She’s evolved this method of writing performance texts and scenes, but instead of sequencing them in a conventional order, she leaves it up to the director and the audience to decide the sequence each night. One night, the scenes might unfold one way. The next, completely differently,” he said.

This production marks yet another milestone in Puay Tin’s decades-long relationship with Five Arts Centre, a collective that has showcased her work since the 1980s. Puay Tin first collaborated with the group in 1984, originating the role of Emily of Emerald Hill in the now-classic Malaysian-Singaporean play. Over the years, Five Arts has brought her stories—sharp, empathetic, and profoundly human—to audiences in Malaysia and beyond.

Puay Tin’s enduring appeal lies in her ability to dig into the messiness of life and create beauty out of it. In Mark’s opinion, her writing “reveals very sharp observations of lived human experiences.”

What makes Mortal Man so compelling isn’t just its subject matter—the intimate, almost voyeuristic look at two artists grappling with identity and purpose—but the way it plays with the act of storytelling itself. Every performance becomes a question: does chance bring us closer to the truth, or further from it?

And yet, for all its unpredictability, the play also feels familiar.

“It’s about art, yes, but it’s also about memory, choices, and the strange ways we try to make sense of our lives,” said Mark.

In conjunction with the play, Five Arts Centre will also launch Tikam-Tikam: Chance Encounters with Performance Texts, a collection of six of Puay Tin’s works presented in an unbound format. Much like the performances, the publication invites readers to embrace the unknown.

That said, tikam-tikam has been in the works since 2017.

Five Arts Centre wanted to find a format that could reflect the playful randomness of tikam-tikam while still presenting the work as a beautiful piece of literature. So, they decided on an unbound book format—essentially a box containing six sets of text cards. Mark explained that this allows lovers of Malaysian writing to read, play, and perform a collection of delightful stories together.

“It’s not just a book—it’s an experience,” said Mark.

“These tikam-tikam works have never been published or anthologised before. Now’s the time to share them with the world, and the book will be available during the Mortal Man run and in bookshops shortly after."

At its core, Mortal Man is a celebration of imperfection, creativity, and the unpredictable paths that shape us all. As Puay Tin’s characters grapple with their choices, audiences are reminded of their own lives—messy, fragmented, and occasionally surprising in the best possible ways.

“The work spans from personal, reflective pieces to more collective, intellectual musings. Each piece offers a unique window into Puay Tin’s creative world,” said Mark.

If you’re in Kuala Lumpur, don’t miss this opportunity to see Mortal Man: Two Monologues. After all, isn’t life a bit like tikam-tikam? A game of chance where the real reward lies in how we tell our stories, and how we live our lives.

Mortal Man will run for 4 performances only, from December 12 to 15, 2024, at Five Arts Centre’s studio in GMBB, downtown KL. Get your tickets now to experience this one-of-a-kind production!

Five Arts Centre has been a cornerstone of Malaysia’s performing arts scene for decades, nurturing groundbreaking works like Mortal Man. If you believe in the importance of supporting local arts and artists, make a donation through Sokong. Your contribution helps sustain the creativity and stories that shape our culture and community