《Can't Be Told》 Grand Premiere: Prudence Liew and Kenneth Tsang Win Applause

A stage play "Can't Be Told," featuring Hong Kong veteran actress and award-winning Prudence Liew alongside Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang, held a media preview on Thursday night. Malaysian media were invited to catch an early glimpse, and the performers received thunderous applause at the end of the performance. The four actors, Prudence Liew, Kenneth Tsang, Andrew Yeung, and Patrick Yung, fully immersed themselves in their roles, setting an exciting tone for this limited three-performance masterpiece in Malaysia.

Running for 130 minutes, "Can't Be Told" sees Prudence Liew on stage almost the entire time. Known for her consistently detailed acting, she navigates a dense script with clear pacing, capturing her character's regrets and resentment for her lost love, and her anger and pain upon learning her husband's lies. She precisely conveys the emotional explosion that occurs in an instant, perfectly embodying the character's struggle between fantasy and reality, love and loss.

"Can't Be Told" marks Kenneth Tsang's debut in a stage play. While his dialogue delivery appears slightly raw, his emotional layering is quite powerful, and his chemistry with Prudence Liew enhances the emotional bond between the couple. They depict the psychological evolution from anger to silence, from helplessness to breakdown, allowing the audience to resonate with and feel compassion for their characters through every glance and subtle movement.

Hosted by Hong Kong troupe Zuni Icosahedron, organized by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta, and co-organized by W Productions, the Hong Kong black stage play "Can't Be Told" is adapted from the original stage play "Unmentionable" by Yu Rongjun, the Artistic Director of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre. It is staged for three special performances from May 9th to 10th at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) in Malaysia.

Divided into seven chapters: Problem, Joke, Reunion, Accident, Truth, Life, and Full Moon, the play starts with scenes close to everyday life and shifts into a narrative of three different possible outcomes through temporal and spatial overlaps. Who unexpectedly died? The child? The husband? Or the wife? The script cleverly plays with truth and falsehood, illusion and reality, continuously challenging the audience's perceptions, drawing them into a labyrinthine world akin to Borges' writings. Among this, the debate over "problem" provides food for thought with the assertion that "not considering it a problem is the biggest problem."

Notably, director Danny Yung deliberately breaks the traditional theatrical distance between stage and audience, integrating multimedia projections, live sound effects, and light and shadow manipulation, making the audience feel as if they are within the character's psychological space. The theater in Kuala Lumpur is closer to the audience than in Hong Kong, posing a direct new experience and challenge for the actors. This "zero distance" performance style not only blurs the lines between stage and reality but also enhances the direct transmission of emotional impact.