How theatre resists: breaking silence, challenging stigma, reclaiming voices

The Star

4 days ago

Penang-based theatre group Dabble Dabble Jer Collective is bringing its powerful 2023 piece on sexual violence, Burden Of Proof, to Klang Valley audiences for the first time.
The show will be performed at Papan Haus in Section 14, Petaling Jaya from July 3-6. Inspired by real accounts, the 90-minute production blends monologue, movement, original music, and visual art to spotlight the experiences of sexual violence survivors.
Miriam Devaprasana, the show's co-writer and creative advisor, says that the decision to first perform Burden Of Proof in George Town two years ago was purposeful.
'It wasn't just because we're based there. We wanted to start from the ground up, in a place where conversations around sexual violence are still relatively limited and often confined to specific circles," says Miriam.
'Compared to Kuala Lumpur, where public campaigns, advocacy and visual messaging are more present, Penang felt quieter and we saw the need to bring the issue into community spaces in a more visible and embodied way,' she adds.
The Dabble Dabble Jer Collective members were encouraged by the meaningful feedback it received from the audience in 2023 – some shared that the show helped them name or recognise experiences they had previously been unable to articulate, while others spoke about how eye-opening it was to witness the various forms of sexual violence.
Dabble Dabble Jer Collective members (from left) Ysabel Loh, Miriam Devaprasana, Charity Yong, Darynn Wee, Bernardine Abeysekra and Justin Khaw. Photo: Dabble Dabble Jer Collective
Burden Of Proof was also its debut stage production.
'For some, they told us that the show made the statistic '1 in 3' feel personal. The stories were no longer far away or abstract – they were here, reflected in strangers around them. What we hope to do this time is to take that emotional proximity even further,' says Miriam.
New ways of storytelling
Previously staged at Jetty 35 in George Town, the performance, with support from the Hai-O Arts and Culture Grants, has now moved to a more intimate venue at Papan Haus, a semi-detached house set in a residential neighbourhood.
Writer and director Ysabel Loh, who also acts in the performance, says that the new location allows the audience to move and stand, follow the actors and navigate the space themselves.
The show's other co-writer is Charity Yong, another integral member of the Dabble Dabble Jer Collective alongside Bernardine Abeysekra (music and sound), Darynn Wee (production) and Justin Khaw (set, lighting, artist).
Writer-director Ysabel Loh, who also performs, says the new venue - Papan Haus in Petaling Jaya - lets audiences move freely, follow the actors, and navigate the space on their own. Photo: Dabble Dabble Jer Collective
'The previous production was very text-heavy – we focused on telling the story through monologues or dialogue. In this 2025 rendition, we wanted to experiment with new ways of storytelling through different forms of performative art," says Loh.
'We explored how certain details could be highlighted through varied performative elements such as movement, sound or spatial design to allow audiences – who may otherwise disengage by simply 'watching' – to connect more deeply with what victim- survivors endured,' she adds.
Each story invites audiences to be active spectators: one testimony may emphasise healing through poetry and dance, one might internalise better through back-and-forth dialogue, and another may challenge reflection through simulations or abstract movement.
There will also be immersive elements, such as reflection, questioning and audience participation during and in between the stories.
Carrying the weight
The 2025 restaging features both familiar and new faces, with Loh, Sofea Lee and Villmett Thanakody making a return, while Chrisalynn Lim and Matthew Tan are the new names on board.
Lee, 29, says that her experience in the 2023 production had been challenging, but humbling.
'For the restaging, I do feel that my performance will be different than last time, as I have grown as both a person and an actor. The emotional nuance and range expected with the 2025 production feels more intense, so I'm excited to rise to the occasion and bring these stories to a wider audience,' she says.
If you're looking to discover theatre talent from Penang, the young cast of 'Burden Of Proof' is a strong place to start. Photo: Dabble Dabble Jer Collective
For Lim, 21, it's been a sombre process to get into the right headspace for the show.
'Not to say that the rehearsal process hasn't been fun or exciting or devoid of positive emotion – far from it! But the weight of the subject matter of this show is a constant presence. I think all of us involved are very sensitive to that weight and want to do it justice," says Lim.
'As a newcomer to the show and also the youngest member of the team, I was slightly apprehensive about the rehearsal process in the beginning. But I can say now that the emotional support, camaraderie and respect displayed throughout our preparations for the show have reassured me that we are taking art in the right direction,' she adds.
A space to be
Alongside the performance is The Quiet Space, a companion installation work designed to centre community voices and invite deeper reflection.
Conceived as a space for stillness and shared witnessing, it features written stories from survivors of sexual violence, with visual interpretations by artist Khaw.
As set designer and multi-tasker, he says more survivors have come forward since the last run, prompting them to expand the space to include new stories.
For Dabble Dabble Jer Collective, the addition of an installation piece gives the show a new dimension.
Inspired by real accounts, the 90-minute production blends monologue, movement, original music, and visual art to spotlight the experiences of sexual violence survivors. Photo: Dabble Dabble Jer Collective
Miriam says that The Quiet Space acts as both a balance and a contrast to the weight of the show.
'I had been deeply struck by Singaporean artist Jevon Chandra's 2022 installation Other Things, especially the idea that truth doesn't always need to be performed. Sometimes, it just needs to be there: unmoving, waiting to be witnessed. So I was drawn to the possibility of having both truth spoken aloud on stage, and truth that simply hung in the air," says Miriam.
'In the performance, the actors create and hold space for each story. In The Quiet Space, the reader is the one who must hold the story. We've intentionally left the texts largely unedited, aside from some light grammatical corrections. Most are shared exactly as we received them. There's something sacred in that rawness and authenticity,' she adds.
Khaw adds that the collective felt a responsibility to create a space that could hold the heavy feelings brought on by the performance and transform them into something constructive.
'The Quiet Space was designed as that bridge. We didn't want the experience to end when the curtain falls, leaving people with a sense of helplessness. By making the installation participatory, we are dissolving the barrier between the viewer and the issue, and providing a direct, tangible way for the audience to channel their empathy into action.
'It's an invitation that says, 'Your response matters. You are not just a spectator; you can be an active part of this conversation, a part of the support system, a part of the change,'' he concludes.
Burden Of Proof will be performed at Papan Haus in Section 14, Petaling Jaya from July 3-6, accompanied by The Quiet Space installation. For mature audiences.