Arts preview: Black Monday depicts the issue of work-related stress with humour
Stress, struggle and suffocation: these are some of the words that scriptwriter Cancer Chong Mui-ngam and director Olivia Yan Wing-pui mention repeatedly during our chat about Black Monday, which is set to open with a suicide in its very first scene. So it is hard to picture O Theatre Workshop's latest production as a comedy about work-life balance.
BLACK MONDAY
O Theatre Workshop
Stress, struggle and suffocation: these are some of the words that scriptwriter Cancer Chong Mui-ngam and director Olivia Yan Wing-pui mention repeatedly during our chat about Black Monday, which is set to open with a suicide in its very first scene. So it is hard to picture O Theatre Workshop's latest production as a comedy about work-life balance.
But that's precisely the point. The duo thought it was important to adopt a humorous approach to a story about the work-related stress and restlessness that people suffer. They say they do not want to produce an overly depressing show, or make the audience feel worse than they already do.
"There is a hint of death to the story," says Chong. "It is surprising how a job can drive someone to desperation, although it is common for people to feel suffocated. The question is, do we want to drive ourselves to a point where there is no turning back?
"We want the audience to look at how they may behave in real life and realise that the different attitudes tell the nine characters apart — especially the one who commits suicide," says Chong.