Nilai U students break out of their comfort zones with Theatre & Acting module.
by R. Bala & Nur Hana Samsudin, Photos by Bong Tze Yong
Gambling, murder, armed robbery, sexual experimentation –activities usually frowned upon by university administrators. But for one night only students at Nilai University’s Theatre and Acting module were given carte blanch to act out their most rebellious fantasies. Overseen by veteran thespian Mano Maniam, the Theatre and Acting module is one of the electives offered to students as a means to broaden their horizons and to make them more culturally-receptive. The final act of this eight-week module is a play wholly managed, staged, directed, written, acted and produced by students from this course. They were to be graded according to the success and quality of the play, which was titled ‘Colours of Life – A Medley of Four original Stories’.
NILAI U'S THEATRE & ACTING MODULE 2013: Cast members of ‘The Colours of Life’ with academic staff and their mentor Mano Maniam (centre with cap).
With the President Hall bathed in an atmospheric red afterglow of the stage lights, the packed house of students and staff gathered to watch the four vignettes. The first – ‘Ghosting’ – was a thriller where a Casanova is wedged among a paranoid spouse, materialistic girlfriend and an impulsive acquaintance, leading to a grisly murder. Next was a cautionary tale on the dangers of living a life of excess. ‘When to say ‘No’? follows the trial and tribulations of a teenager who succumbs to peer pressure and ends up a degenerate gambler and alcoholic. In hock to loan sharks, he robs his own father out of sheer desperation.
This vignette is a great example of students coming out of their normally shy and reticent shells through the medium of acting. The lead role was played by Tommy Lee Yan Shan (Degree in Computer Science) who readily admits to being a man of few words. However, he was able to submerge himself in the character and deliver his lines with conviction. “I have to thank Mr Mano for his encouragement and guidance. His classes were really enjoyable and I definitely feel more confident now,” he says after receiving a standing ovation from the audience.
The following story was an emotional story of death, grief and loss. ‘I love you, iPad’ presented a daughter who lost her parents in a tsunami but who were brought back to life by a magical tablet found along the beach of the tragedy. The night ended on a lighter note with a tale of a princess who preferred food over men. The princess was played by Lam Yit Jen (American Degree Transfer Program) who captivated the crowd with her vulnerable yet headstrong foodie royal. “I really hope students who watched our performance enjoyed themselves and are inspired to sign up for the Theatre and Acting module. It really is fun and also teaches students vital soft skills. I now speak confidently in front of crowds,” she smiles.
“The four plays were all at different levels to completion at first, but today I’m very surprised – happily surprised – that all of them did well,” smiles the students’ mentor, Mano Maniam. The audience, is matter-of-fact the measure of the success of a stage play. “The most important thing is did the audience enjoy it or did the audience leave, make noise, grumble, talk among themselves. The majority of the audience sat, went through the entire production and saw all the four plays and laughed and enjoyed themselves. That is what matters in any play – not how well the performer is but how well the audience enjoyed it.” As proof, the full house squealed, laughed, and applauded in their seats throughout the event. With the curtain fall, the casts received standing ovation for a staging well-played.
The Theatre & Acting module is one of the university elective courses offered at Nilai U in which students in degree programmes are required to complete three credits in areas outside the scope of their core subjects. Students can choose from modules such as Dale Carnegie Skills for Success, Outward Bound Survival Skills and many more. In line with the institution’s motto of ‘Enrichment for Life’, these electives are designed to produce students who will be academically proficient as well as socially confident.
QUEST OF LOVE: One of the team delivered an atypical rendition of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet.
