It has been a long time since I’ve seen a local production this unapologetically ambitious.
Agam Theatre Lab’s Male Pattern follows Yugesh Kannan’s Kovan (not the MRT station), who goes from luscious locks in college to fleeting strands in adulthood, and his hair is not the only thing that is thinning, as his relationships, friendships, and general hold on reality begin to recede.
Firstly, it must be stated that this is not a “woe-is-me”, “men-have-problems-too” piece. In fact, there is even a conversation about female pattern balding laced inside. Not that it’s the right forum, but you will end up leaving the show knowing more scientific facts about hair loss treatment than you could have imagined.
In actuality, the play could be described as a second coming of age or a quarter-life crisis that, yes, surrounds hair loss, but is also hilarious and visually-stunning.
There seemed to be what felt like a hundred moving parts: from two-way mirrors to dance sequences, from a barrage of colourful wigs to a tearjerking family portrait. Major props have to go to the stage and tech teams who brought all the moving parts to life.
While the ensemble cast played several characters throughout the show, each of them had one recurring member who helped show their theatrical chops.
Krishna Ganapathy’s JoJo – Kovan’s best friend – seemingly plays up a hyper-masculine role, already shaving off his hair to reveal a shiny globe, but his character arc goes into an unexpectedly satisfying conclusion.
Shafie Bada Jabari’s father role has the stage for most of his time, but I particularly enjoyed his role as a Tamil teacher. He brought out complexities in a pretty meta conversation about theatre in Singapore and what it means to be a language teacher.
Raguvaran Naidu is infectious in each of the roles he plays, and you can’t help but almost be convinced to get hair grafts yourself because of his swagger as the hair wizard Dr Kesavan. Though each of the ensemble succeeds in their comic timing, Raguvaran will likely make you laugh the loudest.
A huge light should be shone on the two actresses, Gomathi Ravindran and Indu Elangovan, who play Kovan’s wife, Niraimathi, and mother, respectively.
The arcs of women in different life stages, and their identity with or without their spouses, are presented without any heavy-handed metaphors and more so through real-life subtleties. For example, the mother’s venture into becoming a social media “aandhra-pra-noor” (entrepreneur).
In fact, two of my standout scenes in the play involved them. One involves a monologue by Gomathi, while she plays a guitar, and the audience just falls silent to every word she says. The other happens towards the end of the play, where both the mother and spouse have a heart-to-heart that is unlike stereotypical in-law clashes.
Both scenes show the breadth of their expertise, creating funny yet believable moments that will stay with you.
The writing is a testament to the effort that director Ponkumaran and playwright Syed Ashratullah have put in. They have created fleshed-out characters who manage to surprise the audience with the decisions and backgrounds that get revealed.
But, of course, Yugesh’s portrayal of Kovan is the main reason you will be hooked throughout. It takes a lot of care to play an imperfect character who makes several cringe-inducing yet relatable decisions, and he plays it with flair.
Part of his performance that is especially great is his interpretation of the confusion and desperation of why he can’t share his emotions with his loved ones as easily as he shares them with the audience through fourth-wall breaks.
It’s too early to call this performance Yugesh’s magnum opus, however, I can say with assurance that his performances will only go up from here.
Do keep in mind that for all its experimenting, there may be some features that may come off as gimmicky, but honestly nothing lingers long enough to sour the experience.
Overall, balding or not, I think if there was a play that is a must-watch for this year, it is this one. Male Pattern is playing at AGAM Theatre Lab from Oct 23 to Oct 25. The play is in Tamil, however English subtitles are available. You can book your tickets at sistic.com.sg.
