Flurry of issues during a Malaysian family reunion in New York.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Home is where the heart is, but what happens when the home you left behind follows you into a new country? Adding a new play to the Malaysian canon of theatre is Adriana Nordin Manan, with her original script Fault Lines, which follows Malaysian Shereen as she receives a visit from her family in her New York home.

Directed by Ghafir Akbar, our story begins as Shereen (Putrina Rafie) stands alone in her apartment in Queens, scarf in hand. But as she puts on her tudung, it seems to represent how she recalls her origins and her ethnicity amidst this Western country. Even in her independence, we see her other family members and those who will be a part of her life peeking through the window, a reminder that regardless of what she does or where she goes, they will always be around.

Both Shereen and Jewish partner David (Xavier Reminick, who is actually based in New York) show that interfaith lifestyles are possible, as they pray before dinner in Hebrew, celebrating Hanukkah and even lighting a menorah. There is a spread of food from all cultures – especially fried, oily food that David (and Jewish people, apparently) love, with Shereen having prepared ‘spicy Indian donuts’ (vadai), fried kway teow, and even goreng pisang, all of which David wolfs down. Food it seems, is a way to stay connected with home and traditions, even while away, and it activates a renewed sense of love for our Southeast Asian cuisine.

Fault Lines is important as a play for introducing ideas of culture clash and cultural assimilation, where the post-dinner conversation ends up being a discussion on how best to introduce themselves to each other’s families. Is Shereen the ‘brown immigrant girl’? Or is there a better way of easing David’s parents towards the idea of cross cultural, cross religion dating? Perhaps modern dating doesn’t have to confine itself to such strict pigeonholes, as David throws caution to the win and simply proposes to Shereen, to begin their ‘Jew-slim’ family, something that continues to leave Shereen clearly deep in thought.

Perhaps all this can be resolved with a little talk with the rest of her family, as Shereen arranges to meet her Pak Na (Reza Zainal Abidin), also residing in New York. As he flamboyantly strides into the room, the two of them revert to their Malaysian slang and intonations, freely able to be themselves and reminisce over everything from home, even muruku from Trader Joe’s. Shereen breaks the news of her impending marriage to him, and as her most trusted confidant and as someone leading an alternative lifestyle himself, he gives her his blessing, even if she isn’t going to get married at a mosque. The conversation flows easily between both of them, and you feel the natural chemistry between both Reza and Putrina, a warmth that emanates from the dialogue.

But is honesty the best policy? Or should they just keep things under wraps? Neither side is willing to share it with their closest family members unless certain conditions are met for the sake of appearances, and the discussion further complicates itself when Shereen suggests faking David converting to Islam. And of course, Shereen’s own loving family is on the doorstep, with their luggage and serious faces ready to meet this mysterious man. From rearranging photos in the living room to changing the WiFi password, and hiding more haram items, the couple prepare to welcome Shereen’s family.

Shereen’s hijab-clad mother Habsah (Fatimah Abu Bakar) is the most imperious of the group, exclaiming how JFK airport was like a chicken coop, and how uneasy they felt with all the stares and ‘extra attention’ received. Fatimah’s performance is spectacular, and you fully believe every word that comes out of her mouth, as she complains about how difficult it is to adapt to her new environment, and already wishing she was home. Rather than simply writing off Habsah and the family’s concerns as complaints, it becomes clear how Islamophobia does still very much rule the American consciousness, such as the visa application process, or being questioned by security just because they’re wearing a hijab.

On the other hand, Shereen’s sister-in-law Juita (Sabrina Hassan) welcomes New York with open arms, pulling out a pair of high heels from her luggage as she exclaims how it’s much easier to wear them here, compared to back home in Malaysia where she might received untoward stares. Finally, there’s Zul (Aloeng Silalahi), trying his best to adapt to this Western world and acting like an upper class person. The family compare NYC to Malaysia, and in true Southeast Asian fashion, prepare to get souvenirs – Habsah, rather observantly, comments how the magnets one can get in NYC are essentially the same ones you can get from Petaling Street.

At its heart, Fault Lines is a play about family and clashes, both generationally and culturally, and the way relationships are shaped and changed by these issues. Discussions on modern day issues become a source of conflict between them, whether it’s about the Israel-Palestine conflict, or the BLM movement. These ‘fault lines’ are further emphasised through the staging, where we can clearly see how the family is segmented, with David and Shereen talking in the living room while the rest of the family prays. Even though they are family, there is a huge disconnect when it comes to their perspectives and opinions.

Even more than that, the family comes with their own private agenda as well, as the topic of inheritance comes up, and there is much discontentment over how it should be divided. Each family member comes with their own baggage, and their own desires, each one wanting something else, while nursing their own misgivings. Fatimah Abu Bakar does especially well to bring out the weight in Habsah’s voice as she laments the death of her husband and how alone she feels, while Reza Zainal Abidin shows a similar sense of uncertainty as he paces and ponders whether to sign an important document.

Things get more complex with the introduction of Juita, who’s facing issues of a philandering husband, paralleling a new rift faced by Shereen and David. Re-entering the debate of Shereen’s marriage, the argument agains the mixed marriage gets nasty, and tensions run high. This extends even into the world outside the apartment, as Shereen and David encounter blatant racism, with Shereen being told to go back where she came from, and the sudden urge and desire to return to the safety of Malaysia. Roles are reversed, and Shereen finds herself comforted by her own family, while David can only look on, an outsider among Malaysians. Habsah and Shereen finally can share a mother-daughter moment, while David reaches out to his own mother, each one rekindling bonds previously thought lost.

Love supposedly transcends all troubles, but Habsah is insistent on David converting to Islam, forcing Shereen into an ultimatum. The decision is surprising, given how much of her life she’s built up in New York, and Shereen decides to return with her family to Malaysia. As they get on a plane an leave, we hear the announcement that they are on a Delta aircraft, and one cannot help but get flashbacks to 9/11. Shereen writes a letter to David, expressing her need for some time, but as we see Shereen face her family, we know she’s made her final choice.

Fault Lines ends with a shock decision, an earth-shattering choice that changes the life of our protagonists completely from the very first scene. It does not necessarily end happily, but it is a reminder that home is a place where one feels most stable. Amidst the tensions from differing cultures and familial pressure, the verdict seems pre-determined, and as the light falls on the menorah, candles that’ve burnt out, we are reminded that this is a house that firmly remains as belonging to David, resolute in his faith. And so too has Shereen’s time in New York come to an end.

For a debut play, Fault Lines showcases a script rife with powerful, urgent and hard-hitting dialogue that provokes reflection. As director, Ghafir Akbar has adapted well to the challenges within rehearsals and goes with the flow rather than resists the tensions within the script, allowing his cast to breathe and bring these difficult conversations to life. Praise goes out in particular to Putrina Rafie for handling the complexities and nuances of Shereen so well, taking us on a journey as we watch her initial confidence crumble over the course of the play that turns her from pro-America to a homesick Malaysian in search of family.

In closing, Fault Lines leaves more questions than answers, and we are left to ponder over the many invisible lines that leave us divided, strings that pull us in a certain direction even though we thought we’d long severed them, and how difficult it is to truly start afresh. Throughout the play, the fault lines are always present, always threatening to split into a fissure, and no matter what, cannot be mended, whether between generations or between race. How do we make that final choice? We pick the battles we can live with, rather than the ones that will leave us constantly, always uncomfortable.

Fault Lines played from 16th to 19th November 2023 at Nero Event Space, PJPAC, 1 UTAMA E.

Production Credits:

Playwright/Executive Producer/Producer: Adriana Nordin Manan Director: Ghafir Akbar Cast: Putrina Rafie, Fatimah Abu Bakar, Xavier Reminick, Reza Zainal Abidin, Sabrina Hassan, Aloeng Silalahi, Catherine Leyow Assistant Producer: Azmi Hud Stage Manager: PH7 Production Management Set & Costume Designer: Raja Malek Lighting Designer: Ee Chee Wei Graphic Designer: Dannyhan Miskam Surtitles Translator: Adriana Nordin Manan