Spotlight.
Hana Nadira
Photo by Abbie Kane
INTRODUCTION
Hana Nadira is an actor, director and composer originally from Malaysia. Over a career of fifteen years, she has worked as an artist across Malaysia, Singapore, UK, South Korea and Italy. She was last seen on stage in Fred Deakin’s ‘Club Life’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which won the 2023 Fringe First Award. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music.
In 2020, Hana co-founded Panas Panas Theatre, where she led the #WomensPlayMarathon initiative - fortnightly online readings of plays by women. She was also Festival Director of Women's Theatre Festival Kuala Lumpur in 2021, which staged four online plays written by local women playwrights. In her work, Hana is passionate about telling honest and nuanced stories, and hopes to amplify women’s narratives in society.
INTERVIEW
How did you get into your creative fields?
I grew up in Malaysia and had my first encounter with English language theatre at the age of 14. I will always remember the power the actress had over the room, simply by using her voice and body, neither ashamed nor apologetic for being who she was. It was a huge "WOW" moment for me, a bookish introvert growing up in a patriarchal society always told to keep quiet when the adults are speaking. I watched more and more english theatre, kept stalking actors after their performances to express my admiration, and eventually one suggested that I should "take classes". A few acting classes here and there, including joining a youth theatre group which gave me a community, and the rest was history.
What initially inspired you?
Having a voice! While it may sound cliché to say that, it holds particular significance in Malaysia that doesn’t have much space for freedom of expression. Speaking up and independent thinking aren't strongly encouraged within the education system, and it can be unsafe to do so, especially for women and LGBTQ+ individuals. Theater, however, provided me with a safe and empowering space where I could find my voice.
What themes do you tend to interrogate in your work?
Gender relations, patriarchy, post-colonial social and economic structures. Funnily enough I only realised I was a feminist after themes of challenging and subverting the male power structure continuously surfaced in my writing.
What is your favourite project you've ever worked on and why?
Women’s Play Marathon, hands down. It was not a production but a weekly online reading series that I led featuring plays written by women and non-binary individuals, initially as a response to the pandemic. Astonishingly, it continued for three years! I cherished this project not only for introducing us to thought-provoking and inspiring plays and playwrights, but also for the vibrant discussions that ensued with the wonderful community that emerged from this initiative. The online access made it possible for connections with playwrights, directors, and actors from all over the world who shared a hunger for exchanging ideas.
What advice would you have for creatives of colour looking to get into acting/direction/creative industries?
To trust and revel in the different points of view or entrance you may have, to be as specific as you can with it, and to find a supportive community that can appreciate you for who you are. Also, take classes or join whichever free youth theatre groups nearest to you!
What are you currently working on?
I am currently between jobs as an actor, which means this is the time to put on my writing/directing/producing hats. After catching 60 shows at the fringe last month (a masterclass in writing and performing, really) I’ve never felt more inspired and confident to finally sit down and start writing my own solo projects. So now I’m writing one about Malaysian antique/heritage objects but it is essentially about my relationship with my mom. Another is sort of a dance performance about celebrating and reclaiming the choice of not getting married. There is this famous Malay song that literally translates to, “What do you want to be, if until now you’re still not married?”. There is a lot to reclaim there and I may be having too much fun finding answers to this ludicrous ‘dilemma’. And then there is also the musical that I've been writing since 2015, a feminist retelling of Malaysian folktales that is now at draft stage. But it is quite epic and requires significant time and research to work on, so I am scouting for residencies to accommodate that.