Theatre provides an outlet for the dispossessed, the disadvantaged, the voiceless and invisible, the youth from troubled backgrounds, the middle class liberal who feels under attack, the quiet conservative who feels she cannot express her opinion safely. As in the Malay tradition, good theatre can be a place of healing and emotional growth for the community, a soothing balm and an avenue to explore and come to terms with some of life’s harsh realities.
ICT has always been a ‘people’s theatre’, giving equal value to theatre and its audience. It believes in breaking through protocols and in making theatre for everyone. It hopes to make us all feel braver to say what is on our mind – singly and as a collective. There is no one opinion that is right or wrong. It wants theatre viewers to see themselves as a diverse but homogenous lot – people seeking to express themselves or to see their experiences reflected. Through its political satire it has tried to speak Truth to Power; through its current New Malaysian Writing platforms – FIRSTWoRKS and ALMoST TRUE SToRIES – it wants to help nurture new Malaysian writers who have written in Malay, English, Chinese and a mixture of all those languages, to tell much-needed new Malaysian stories. Through its workshops and education outreach it has sought to share knowledge; through its international collaborations, tours and workshops it has sought to bring Malaysia to the world and the world to Malaysia.