How do you maintain your creative energy while under quarantine? 

As is the case for all artists in lockdown, some days are great, some are more challenging. There's pressure to be super productive and make the most of self-isolation but sometimes, what our bodies and minds need the most is to sit down with a cup of tea, have a chat with our families and be grateful that we have a roof over our heads.

We're trying to get this balance right. We’re both very driven people, so it’s frustrating when external forces prevent our plans from being realised. You have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. We’re very lucky to have our health and not be on the front line.

How do you engage with your audience right now? 

As producers, we have a responsibility to create content that is reflective of the current climate. Enhancing Liver & Lung’s online presence was the next logical step. Our digital content has provided us with an opportunity to grow and develop as original content makers, challenging us to adapt and create work specifically for digital channels. By continuously creating, we’ve been able to keep our art alive and introduce our work to new audiences, allowing people a chance to escape from the horrific news stories we see everyday.

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What kind of content have you been working on since the MCO started?

One of the first things we did was set up a podcast called Finding Fabulous, available on Spotify and Apple podcasts. We had been meaning to launch it for a while and self-isolation provided us with a unique opportunity. In each episode we talk about creativity, storytelling and pay tribute to our 'Idol of the Day'.

We’ve also begun hosting a variety of original musicals on our YouTube channel for audiences around the world to enjoy. We can finally be in more than two places at once!

Was it a challenge adapting your productions digitally?

Absolutely! There’s always a level of risk involved when you innovate and try something different. We’re very proud of our live stage shows but were concerned about how recordings, which were not originally intended for broadcast purposes, would translate to screen. Would the intimacy, power of music and stagecraft be lost? Thankfully, our videographer, Riz Hamzah, is top-notch and the quality wasn’t compromised.

The receptions for Sepet The Musical (@ Home) and the subsequent Malaya Relived: The Penang Riots (@ Home) were incredible. Many viewers were not traditional theatre-goers, so it was fantastic to be able to reach new audiences and introduce them to the magic of the theatre.

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What would you like to see more of in the local arts scene?

The Malaysian arts scene is special. It’s diverse, it’s eclectic and it has demonstrated incredible pockets of talents across the board. What it needs is a little more love, some funding and an opportunity to showcase to the world how amazing it is. The ambition for Liver & Lung is to facilitate this. Our mission has always been about developing locally astute but globally relevant content that promotes semangat ('spirit' in English) in a truly British-Malaysian way, giving local narratives the platforms they deserve.

How have your plans shifted in 2020?

We had plans to tour our work to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and to the Black Box Festival in Macau this summer. We had revivals of our Malaya Relived shows in the pipeline and were working on some exciting adaptations for TV. Covid-19 halted these plans but in doing so, provided us with an opportunity to work on projects that had previously taken a backseat.

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Give us a glimpse of what's ahead for you.

The future is fabulous. Liver & Lung is about developing exciting musicals, film adaptations, dance pieces, immersive events and theatrical experiences for all audiences. When the MCO is over, come watch one of our shows. We promise you will be in for a treat. For now, see you on YouTube.

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