10-year-old Eric enjoyed visiting the home of his neighbours, Habiba and Ismail. The couple, who was so fond of him, treated him like their own child. In the embrace of this warm relationship, Eric felt cared for and loved. To his young mind, the door to Habiba and Ismail’s house was a gateway to paradise. Fast forward 20 years, Eric is now 30 and has returned to his childhood home to visit his neighbours, only to uncover a shocking secret that has lain hidden in the house where he spent so many happy hours as a child.
Winner of Best Production and Best Original Script at the 2007 Life! Theatre Awards, this new Mandarin production of Fundamentally Happy is translated and directed by Nelson Chia, Artistic Director of Nine Years Theatre. It features a cast and creative team including respected performer Lok Meng Chue paired with Timothy Wan as Habiba and Eric, with set, lighting and sound designs by Wong Chee Wai, Liu Yong Huay and Ng Jing.
Fundamentally Happy is a gut-wrenching discourse on the heartbreaking nature of happiness.
