Love, loss and a little scandal: thespian Faridah Merican tells her story
THERE’S something impishly youthful about Datuk Dr Faridah Merican. Forget the walking stick and the crown of white curls that looks as though it has little interest in being tamed.
Datuk Dr Faridah Merican, an 86-year-old Malaysian performing arts advocate, shares her story in her memoir, Me, Mamak. The memoir reflects on her beginnings as a kampung girl in Ayer Itam, Penang, and her journey through teaching, radio, television, and the stage as an actress, producer, and director. Faridah co-founded The Actors Studio with her husband, actor and director Joe Hasham, in 1989 and helped establish Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac).
She remains an advocate for performers and building spaces for their growth. Faridah believes the arts could benefit from stronger government support, but her financial struggles have made her almost numb to the issue. She and Joe have frequently operated at a loss, finding ways to continue their work. The memoir offers intimate glimpses into the lives of people close to Faridah, including her friends Datuk Syed Alwi Syed Hassan and Datuk Usman Awang.
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