Theatresauce is excited to announce its third show of the 2023 season, Saturn Return, which is being directed by this year’s only female director, Mia Sabrina Mahadir. Located in Sunway’s Rooftop Theatre, Saturn Return is also run by an all-woman cast and designers, and is set to show on 14-18 June 2023.
Those familiar with astrology may have heard of the Saturn Return phenomena, which is a cosmic event that occurs every 29.5 years when the planet Saturn literally “returns” to the exact zodiac sign, degree, and house it was in when you were born. As the planet of karma, your Saturn Return is a period of getting really serious about who you are, what your legacy is, and what you’re here to leave for the world. You can expect new challenges, responsibilities, tests, existential crises, and growth when your Saturn returns. No matter your beliefs or your thoughts on astrology, Saturn Return has something for everyone, as it coincidentally clashes with the burden of turning 30.
For this reason, it was important for Mia to have females in their 30s as part of the cast. The 5-piece ensemble includes Leaism, Sharifah Aleysha, Lim Sheng Hui, Sharanya Radhakrishnan and Tharwa Karina, who have been collaborating with Mia since February to devise the show which include themes such as womanhood, spirituality, and sex, as well as how our past and present continuously shape the way we anchor the future.
Previously a director of “Orang Muda, Darah Muda”, Mia is a graduate of Theatresauce’s Emerging Directors Lab 2021/2022. In the three pieces she directed for the lab, Mia has explored the themes of struggles among Muslim Malay millennials, female friendships, rivalry, and childhood trauma. Saturn Return will be a challenge for Mia as it is her first time devising stories from her female peers of diverse backgrounds. Running for 120 minutes, it will also be Mia’s first full length direction.
Saturn Return will also be crowdfunding for their production cost HERE. Consisting of 6 tiers, you will be able to receive the show’s merchandise such as postcards, stickers, zines and candles for your support. Ticket sales for Saturn Return will be going live on 14th May 2023 on www.CloudJoi.com.
Saturn Return runs 14-18 June 2023 in Rooftop Theatre, Sunway College. Performances run 8.30pm, Wednesday till Sunday, with additional weekend matinees at 3.00pm. Standard tickets are RM55. RM45 per ticket for bulk purchase of four tickets. Each performance runs for about 75 minutes without intermission. *FOR MATURE AUDIENCES*. To purchase tickets, visit https://cloudjoi.com . Bulk purchase deals and pre-performance workshops are available for university/college bookings.
Details:
Title Saturn Return
Presenter Theatresauce
Dates/Times 14 June 2023 (Wed) – 18 June 2023 (Sun) @ 8.30 pm
17 June 2023 (Sat) – 18 June 2023 (Sun) @ 3.00 pm
Total Performances 7
Venue Sunway Rooftop Theatre
Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tickets RM55 (Standard)
RM45 (Bulk purchase of four tickets) RM35 (Student bulk – see below)
Entrance for pre-purchased electronic tickets only
Tickets available 14th May onwards at https://cloudjoi.com
Online
Facebook/Instagram: Theatresauce
Student Bookings College/University student bookings of 20-30 seats in a single receipt is entitled to RM35/ticket. There is also a free 75-minute theatre workshop before the performance. The workshop may cover introductory tools in acting, directing, writing, or a combination of, depending on the group’s needs.
Email the Production-Stage Manager, emma.martin3232@gmail.com to make an arrangement.
Other Information Each performance begins on time and runs for 75 minutes with no interval. Government COVID-19 SOPs apply.
Content warning: this production contains sexual elements and discussion of deaths. Audience discretion is advised. FOR MATURE AUDIENCES.
Let’s Get to Know Them: The Production Team
Mia Sabrina Mahadir (Director/Producer/Performer) is a multidisciplinary artist. She acts, directs, writes, teaches, makes resin ashtrays and soy candles, reads Tarot and rescues cats. She recently graduated from Theatresauce’s Emerging Directors Lab 2021/2022 and believes that learning is lifelong. Having started her theatre career from Short+Sweet Malaysia 2012, her notable works include “Doa Untuk Mak” (wins Best Supporting Actress 2018), 15904 KM (a Best Actress nominee for BMW Shorties 2016), “Wayang” (wins Festival Director Award 2019) and “Orang Muda, Darah Muda”, her recent devised work for EDL which she directed, wrote, and performed in. Mia believes in the power of the universe, and finds that the coincidences in her astrological chart are too big for her to ignore.
Tharwa Karina (Performer-Collaborator) started her performing art journey as a traditional Malay dancer when she was 9 years old. However, it was not until after finishing film school that she delved into theatre and storytelling in 2018 with workshops by Namron and Jo Kukathas.
She debuted in IQ.Rock, and has gone on to write, direct, compose, and choreograph shows like
Tari Si Katak dan Cik Merak (2019), Head in the Clouds (2018), “Rojak Fusion” for Keretapi Sarong 2019 and 2021, and Perempuan 4 Dalam 1 (2021).
This year, she fell in love with Shakespeare after performing Macbeth Demystified under KL Shakespeare Players. She hopes to continue in the performing arts industry and expand her multidisciplinary knowledge.
Sharifah Aleysha (Performer-Collaborator) is a writer, filmmaker and mother. A graduate of the University of South Wales, Leysha received first class honours in her degree in filmmaking. The first young playwright to kick off the TIGA programme at Five Arts Centre, Leysha is interested in topics that cover the ideas of womanhood, religion, time and death. Having been in the industry for more than 10 years now, Leysha is always looking for excuses to work with strangers and to get to know her friends better. Juggling many roles at once, her favorite changes from time to time but the most important one at the moment is making sure to not mess up her daughter.
Lim Sheng Hui (Performer-Collaborator) is a theatre practitioner who enjoys devised, improvisational, movement-based, and experimental theatre. Her interests lie at the intersection of art, poetry, politics, psychology, queer liberation, and animal welfare. After a three-year hiatus, Sheng is excited to return to theatre. During her Saturn return, she hopes to let go of past pains and embrace new hope and love. Sheng was last seen performing in Theatresauce’s 2019 Emerging Director’s Lab Final Showcase, Mockingbird.
Leaism (Performer-Collaborator) is a singer songwriter, who started dabbling in the theatre world in 2017. Since then, Lea has become an actor, director and composer for theatre shows under multiple production houses. Her first theatre show as an actor had been done while she was finishing her debut album KESUMA that touches the highs and lows of emotions in loss, love, and mixed feelings. In recent years she has been a vocal coach for musicals such as Pulau Sri: Mahsuri remix & Sudirmania. Having done monologues, musicals, realism, and monodrama, it is her first time devising. Lea hopes to explore herself and the beautiful chaos called life through art. She believes in finding the space to explore & express art in different forms & mediums.
Sharanya Radhakrishnan (Performer-Collaborator) has always been fascinated with the performing arts. She has a B.A. in Drama from the University of Exeter. Sharanya has a special interest in comedy. She has performed in several venues in the UK as well as KL. She has also performed improv comedy every day for a month at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with a group called “Sisters from Another Mister” and performed at the Aberystwyth Arts Festival in 2013. Sharanya currently has her own theatre called Hush The Theatre and teaches drama to children, teenagers & adults. After having just performed in Theatresauce’s first show of the season, “Come home and eat” by Kelvin Wong, Sharanya is thrilled to be working with Mia and excited to be a part of the cast of Saturn Return.
Violacea Low (Stage & Technical Manager), more fondly known as Vio, hails from the city of flash floods: & water cuts: Kuala Lumpur. Her previous theatre stints include acting and stage managing in local productions such as Life Sdn Bhd: Mental Health (2022), Both of Them Were Me (2022), Her Story (2023) and Melur The Musical (2023). When she is not teaching primary school kids or worrying over her Master’s thesis, she hosts the Kawaii Vio podcast with her sister! It’s a pandemic coping mechanism turned passion project. Lastly, she only prefers her French press coffees over the instant ones.
Emma Martin (Production Manager & Assistant Stage Manager) is just winging it. After 3 gap years and a year in the jungle later, she has made her comeback onto the theatre scene with her most recent work including stage management for Rapunzel (2022) by KL Players, Melur the Musical (2023) and A Hen-Made Tale (2023). As the youngest member of the team she has been enjoying listening to everyone’s stories in preparation for her own future Saturn return!
Jazzie Lee Jin Jye (Scenic Designer) who is a digital media designer, theatre-maker, and filmmaker. She is the co-founder of lowercase laboratories, where she made her directorial debut in the full-length production both of them were me (2022). Jazzie is the poster designer for Theatresauce in Season 2022 and 2023. She was projection designer for Theatresauce’s Come Home and Eat (2023) and Don’t Like It Here? Then Leave (2022). In film, Jazzie has directed, produced, edited, and set designed. Jazzie is also a member of the autism spectrum, where she finds making art her avenue to understand and process the world around her.
Yew Pui Cheng (Lighting Designer) is a budding lighting designer in the live entertainment industry. After earning a degree in Show Production from Full Sail University, Pui Cheng has worked on numerous local productions, quickly earning a reputation for her innovative and captivating lighting designs that seamlessly integrate with each performance’s mood and ambiance.
With a relentless drive to excel, Pui Cheng is on track to become one of the most sought-after lighting designers in the industry. She is eager to push boundaries and create dynamic lighting designs that inspire and captivate audiences worldwide.
Theatresauce is a director-driven collective founded in 2016. We’ve undergone various artistic trajectories, from back-to-back productions of well-made plays to an entire season dedicated to devised and experimental work. The company today embraces various theatre-making forms, while remaining committed to the creation of edgy and innovative productions that draw from our experiences as urban Malaysians.
Theatresauce advocates diverse thought, dramaturgies, and practice. We invite our collaborators and audiences to look beyond grand narratives, the prescriptive, and binaries of right/wrong. We’re less interested in what contemporary theatre should be. We espouse opportunities, possibilities, and new ways of seeing.
The company trains emerging directors and runs The School for learning opportunities on all things theatre. They operate from their HQ in USJ 21, Subang Jaya. They also rent out their multi-purpose studios at highly-affordable rates.
Theatresauce celebrates its 7th anniversary in 2023 with 7 new devised projects by 7 directors. Visit their website for more information on these exciting works.
2023 Season Production Team
Artistic Director : Kelvin Wong
Producer-Directors : Mia Sabrina Mahadir
Production-Stage Managers : Emma Martin, Violacea Low
Season Designer : Jazzie Lee
Season Archiver : Siaw Boon Keat
