This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 22, 2016.

THREE years ago, Penang-born Kent Tan gave up the laid-back environment of his hometown, the proximity to the beach and the security of his loved ones to come to Kuala Lumpur to pursue his dream job. The 35-year old, who works as an assistant theatre manager for the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, admits that he initially had a difficult time adjusting due to the pressure. “It was very different from Penang,” relates Tan.

At one particular low point, he even contemplated suicide. “I was staying on the second floor, and I thought of going up to the 23rd floor and just jumping,” he reminisces. “This is my dream job, but why was facing customers making me feel like it was a nightmare? Why is this job that I loved so much was killing me softly?”

Tan soon realised that he was far from alone, and observed people pursuing various career paths here in Kuala Lumpur who carried similar stresses and tensions constantly. This gave birth to an idea for a theatre show that would allow urban city folks to come and just let their hair down, and late last year Tan decided to create it.

I Hate My Job is a madcap, monodrama-style comedy play that sees six people share stories about their jobs and its woes. Meant to reflect the struggles of white collar workers trying to make a living in the city, the show highlights the emotional struggles and the love-hate relationship some Malaysians have with their jobs.

“Occasionally when I take the bus, I see people with their headphones plugged in, and they just seemed shut off, as if they were not alive,” recounts Tan, “On Facebook, my friends always write posts about how they hate the HR (Human Resource), or their supervisors or bosses.”

Wanting to do something to recognise the sweat and tears of Malaysian employees, Tan said his show will have a light and fun atmosphere, where for one hour and fifteen minutes, the audience can just relax and let the stresses of the day melt away.

Tan promises his audience opportunities to dance, take selfies, go on social media, and to write their frustrations, sign or draw graffiti on the plain white stage. “You can bring any food, snack or drinks and just feel free to come watch the show in your shorts, slippers and singlets,” he declares, adding, “I don’t want them to feel any pressure.”

He’s also opting for a pay-after-you-watch policy, with a minimum sum of RM1 only. It is something he feels strongly about, despite the obvious gamble. Having been involved in the performing arts since he was a teenager, the theatre maker and founder of Allcan Productions has a soft spot for producing shows for the “everyday people” in mind.

“I want to return the power back to the audience and the public, not to the performer,” he states, “Art is not meant only for rich people, or the upper middle class … art should be relevant to our lives and affordable.”

He admits that it is a big risk for the actors and for him, but insists it’s a good challenge. Drawing a parallel to street performances in the old days, Tan says that anyone can come to watch in the community, and the performers needed to put in 100% to make sure the crowd enjoyed it in order to maximise their earnings.

“You can’t play safe, you really need to put in everything,” he smiles, “I needed to find actors who are willing to be as crazy as me.” It’s not just their pay at stake, but Tan also pushes his actors’ limits in their performance.

The actors picked out their roles by drawing lots that Tan had prepared ahead of time. They then picked a personality type from another box. The end result, for example, is a customer service assistant that also suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, and a lusty security guard. The actors then prepared their own scripts, with Tan’s guidance and assistance.

From his own varied work experiences, and through much research, the director observes that most people don’t actually hate their jobs, but more often the people they have to work with. He says it’s also a broader issue of corporate culture in general. “They don’t value the people as much as they should. It should be more human based, and not just about numbers and scales,” Tan emphasises.

Nevertheless, he says he learnt how to control his reaction to stressful work situations. “I used to have insomnia because of some of the customers, or projects … but don’t make your life so miserable. Your emotions are controlled by you, not your bosses or supervisors.”

Pointing out today’s society’s obsession with achievements, Tan says it was telling when he noted how friends who earned more tend to be unhappier. “No, I’m not telling you to go quit your job. But you have to find what your core value is. Ask yourself, what is the initial motivation that led to you getting into the job or career?”

While pondering on that, he says, “Come laugh, cry, and curse together with us”.

I Hate My Job will be staged at the Indicine, KLPac, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, from Feb 26 to 28. The show is multilingual, but subtitles will be provided. To book a seat, SMS or call (011) 3921 0188 or email [email protected].