Jake Mace
We last caught up with performer Faizal Abdullah and his producer and wife Khai Ramli, when we watched Faizal’s autobiographical lecture-performance Siapa Yang Bawa Melayu Aku Pergi? (Who Took My Malay Away?) at VAULT Festival over two years ago.
The piece explored the place of the Malay community in Singapore through Faizal’s own migration to London, and navigated the community’s place in law, culture, and the Jawi script as a lens for that. Now the show has been adapted into a new piece, Mendaki, due to be performed as part of the Voila! Theatre Festival next month.
We caught up with Faizal and Khai to discuss the show, the meaning of Mendaki, and what they’ve been up to in the intervening period.
You can catch Mendaki as part of Voila! Theatre Festival at The Cockpit on November 4th at 7pm and November 8th at 5pm. Tickets (£15) are available through the Voila! Festival Online Box Office.
Jake: Hi Faizal! We last caught up with you when we saw Siapa Yang Bawa Melayu Aku Pergi? (Who Took My Malay Away?) at VAULT Festival in 2023. Tell us about what you’ve been up to since then.
Faizal: Wow, VAULT feels like a lifetime ago, in a good way! Not long after that, we brought Siapa Yang Bawa Melayu Aku Pergi to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe later that year, which was such a ride. We were awarded the Eclipse Award to help make it happen, and it really opened a lot of doors. The run went great, and I was also part of the Horizon Nova artist programme, which gave me space to connect with other artists and reflect more deeply on the work.
Since then, things have been a bit more low-key but still creatively full. I felt like the show needed a rest (and honestly, so did I!), so I’ve been focusing on developing new ideas. My wife Khai – who is also my creative partner – and I have been working together on smaller projects, and we’ve taken the exciting step of setting up our own company. It’s been a season of plotting, dreaming, building… and seeing where this all takes us next!
Jake: Your upcoming show Mendaki means ‘to climb’ – tell us about what inspired the title and about the process of developing it so far.
Faizal: The title Mendaki, which means “to climb,” really came from reflecting on the last 7 years that Khai and I have spent here in London, all the ups, downs, and everything in between. It felt like the perfect word to capture the constant effort, the quiet resilience, and the many personal and shared challenges we’ve had to navigate during that time. But it’s not just about our journey, it also speaks to that daily climb we all go through in different ways.
The show weaves together different characters and stories, each facing their own kind of obstacle to climb. Some climbs are steep, some are slow, but what ties them all together is the shared spirit of persistence, of not giving up, no matter how tough things get. That’s really the heart of it: the climb continues, and so do we.
Jake: You’ve put together a rather intriguing concept for fundraising for the show in the 20 for 20 scheme – tell us a bit about it and how it’s been going so far.
Khai: 20 for 20 started as a bit of a social experiment . I wanted to try something different. The idea was simple: 20 people donate £20, and in return, they get a one-on-one session with an amazing creative. I reached out to friends across different areas of expertise like, theatre design, playwriting, directing, even dance… and 22 creatives jumped on board, donating their time without hesitation. That in itself felt like a huge win.
So far, four people have donated, and we’ve scheduled 4 chats with the participating artists. We haven’t hit the target yet – far, far, from it – we’ve raised £80 so far, but funnily, I feel the real success has been in the connections it’s sparked. It’s made me reconnect with the amazing people in my community and celebrate small wins in a tough funding landscape. We didn’t get our recent ACE bid, that stung, but instead of wallowing in disappointment, this fundraiser has been my way of spinning it around into something positive. It’s a risk asking for a flat £20 instead of “donate what you can,” but I wanted it to feel bold, useful, and a little bit fun. Even if it doesn’t hit the full target, it’s already been worth it.
Jake: What will be the first thing the audience sees, feels, and hears as they enter the space?
Faizal: Honestly, I’m still figuring that out. It’s a challenge I’m excited to take on. Being alone on stage means I really have to lean into the rawness of the moment and work closely with the audience as part of the experience. I want to take more risks and push myself as a performer, playing with what’s in front of me. It’s live, it’s real, and that’s what makes it engaging.
I’ve always loved premiering new work on the festival circuit because it gives me space to experiment and try things that might feel a bit risky. So while I don’t want to give too much away just yet, I hope the audience will walk in curious, ready to be gently challenged, and be open to whatever unfolds in the moment.
Jake: What are you hoping the audience might take away from the experience, if anything?
Faizal: For me, the magic of theatre is that it’s live, you’re sharing a space with a room full of people who’ve come to see what you have to offer at that moment. That energy is electric, and it’s both a huge responsibility and a privilege. I want the audience to leave feeling entertained and engaged, but also with something a little deeper to chew on.
I’m not trying to hand them answers, but rather to provoke questions and reflection. Theatre is like holding up a mirror, hopefully, it helps people see something new about themselves or the world around them. If they walk away curious, a bit moved, or even just thinking differently, then I think that’s a pretty great outcome.
Jake: With Voila Festival 2025 just around the corner, what are you most excited for?
Faizal: Honestly, I’m most excited to finally put this show in front of an audience. I think this might be the riskiest thing I’ve created so far, and I’m really curious to see how people respond. Not just to the story I’m telling but also to the different forms and ways I’m experimenting with. There’s something thrilling about stepping into the unknown like that.
I’m also really looking forward to being part of the festival atmosphere again. Festivals are such a great space to connect, be inspired, and watch loads of other amazing shows. I can’t wait to soak it all in and share this moment with everyone there.
Jake: Given the themes of Binge Fringe, if your show was a beverage of any kind (alcoholic, non-alcoholic – be as creative as you like!), what would it be and why?
Faizal: Mendaki would be a cup of tea infused with pandan leaves — no milk, just tea, sugar, and those fragrant pandan leaves. The tea is the British part, which connects to where I live and work, and the pandan adds that touch of home, something unique and deeply personal from my roots.
It’s also a drink my mum makes all the time, so it carries that sense of comfort and familiarity for me. I love how it’s simple but layered, soothing yet a little unexpected — just like the show I’m trying to create.
You can catch Mendaki as part of Voila! Theatre Festival at The Cockpit on November 4th at 7pm and November 8th at 5pm. Tickets (£15) are available through the Voila! Festival Online Box Office.
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