One of the essential requirements of a free, open, and democratic society is the ability to laugh at oneself. Theatre-goers have been party to government critiques and satire for as long as actors have dared to portray their version of reality on stage. There is something cathartic and even wholesome to be able to laugh at stereotypes and paint with broad strokes in order to see oneself and a society-at-large in a new light.
Recently I was chatting with someone in the theatre scene in Malaysia (but not connected to this production) and this person said that Malaysia has long wanted to follow America in laughing at their leaders, in exposing criticism through laughter, and just having the ability to lighten up and not take each other so seriously.
That is exactly what “In a Nutty Shell” accomplishes so well.
I’m not conversant in Bahasa Malay, Chinese, or Tamil, but…
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