Life crises begone: 'Forget Me Not' encourages the audience to reconnect with the spontaneity and instinct of childhood, challenging the notion of living each day as if it's your last. The play asks: what if we lived each day as if it were our first?
Amberjade Arts is thrilled to announce its Week One of production as part of Theatre Takeover: Cosmic ‘24, titled Forget Me Not. This 60-minute production, co-directed by Joshua Inberaj and Jazzie Lee Jin Jye, invites audiences on a nostalgic journey to rediscover the joy of play through shared memories and childhood games, rekindling the innocence and spontaneity.
Forget Me Not focuses on three cast members’ personal stories as they navigate the intersection of the past and present, asking how our lives today might change if we viewed them through the eyes of our childhood selves. From learning to ride a bicycle with a sibling, returning to grandma’s house, to the nap times at the Tadika, the play explores the joys of childhood—while also acknowledging that joy and trauma often come as a packaged deal.
The idea for the play stemmed from co-director, Joshua’s personal experience, who one evening suggested playing tag in the empty car park with his friends — all grown, tax-paying adults. Though they initially rejected the idea, they eventually gave in to Joshua’s gentle insistence. What started as reluctance turned into hours of energetic play, with his friends becoming increasingly enthusiastic and taking the lead in the game. Forget Me Not intends to capture that same spirit of discovery and transformation.
The production is devised collaboratively by the directors and cast, all of whom are navigating the early stages of adulthood, just beyond the quarter-life crisis. With only two weeks of rehearsal, the team embraces the challenge of relying on the instinctive confidence we had as children when making decisions, mirroring the very themes explored within the play.
Set in a black box theatre with multiple stations, Forget Me Not allows the audience to move through the space, guided by the actors as each scene unfolds in a new location. Throughout the performance, audience members are invited to voluntarily participate in the household well-known childhood games—first come, first served—creating a playful and immersive experience that blurs the line between spectator and player.
This play feels especially relevant today, as we often focus on our future selves and ambitions, gradually losing connection with the joy and sensory richness of our past.
Forget Me Not with Theatre Takeover: Cosmic ‘24 by Amberjade Arts is set to run from October 2 to 6, 2024 at Cosmic Theatre Hub, Phileo Damansara 1. Entry is RM40 for a standard ticket, RM35 for concessions. Tickets are available on Cloudjoi.com. Each performance runs for 60 minutes without an intermission.
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