The written word has been outlawed. No speech may be made permanent by ink on paper. All thought must be kept manageable, malleable, and manipulatable, confined to the digital realm. Set in the world full of fear and denial, that is the basis of The Pen-Demic Is Mightier Than The Sword is the latest production by Wayang Kitchen.

The event held at KL City Walk, a colourful strip of activity space littered with eateries, and cafes. It used to be livelier before the pandemic and that made it the perfect urban post-apocalyptic-like backdrop for the story.

I had a difficult time describing the event to others, having not experienced it for myself before. Thankfully, it was easy to convince my friends to come along.

Because of the current restrictions, only 20 participants were allowed per-show and only two shows were held on that Saturday: once at 1pm and another at 3pm.

We arrived early, of course, first ones there. It was a combination of enthusiasm, excitement, and a habit some would develop while working as a journalist. We even had time to have a light brunch at McDonald’s and some coffee.

And it was excellent coffee. Who would have thought that rose, lychee, and iced coffee go together? It was the best drink I had all year. The name of the place is the Coffee Club. I think it’s the same one as the one in Kinokuniya, Suria, KLCC.

As good as the drink was, be warned that it will take time to make.

Anyway, as the audience gathers, body temperatures are checked, and the briefing began. A pen dropped out of nowhere, panic ensues, and there were flames. The Pen-Demic was still at large.

We were split into two groups and together, we were plunged directly into the story. While keeping physical distance, of course. The experience took about an hour.

There was nothing quite like it. The Pen-Demic Is Mightier Than The Sword was a unique combination of theatre, participatory activities, games, food, and a tour with a sprinkle of commentary. Most importantly, it was great fun.

Although this production was relatively smaller than their previous endeavours, the amount of work and passion the team at Wayang kitchen has put in into this event was evident. I love how this format of food and theatre is so novel and I especially love their commentary on the current situation with media and information in Malaysia.

In the end, the experience is worth more than the asking ticket price of RM40 per person.

If you are intrigued and would like to experience one of Wayang Kitchen’s productions, join me and keep an eye out for their next announcement on all the usual digital platforms. Just search for ‘Wayang Kitchen’. 

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