Keluarga Besar En. Karim (The Karims) - DIGITAL

“The play was especially accessible to our NA/NT Malay students because of the mix of their mother tongue in it, yet understandable by those from other races. It opened up questions and gave our Malay students a chance to share more about their practices.” – Teacher, Queensway Secondary

“I really enjoyed the show and since it was my first time watching a theatre production, I think this show has allowed me to have a great impression of theatre production.” – Student, Springfield Secondary

Meet Keluarga Besar En. Karim (The Karims). All living in the same HDB flat are Encik Karim, his wife Normah, and his two daughters, Rinny and Balqis. But when new son-in-law Aqil moves in, the shifting dynamics re-open old wounds and surface new tensions. With Encik Karim determined to remain the centre of his newly-expanded household, how far is each of them willing to compromise for the sake of family?

Written with wit and affection, playwright Adib Kosnan offers an intimate and strikingly recognisable look at family, in all its joys and messiness. Between the sotong hitam dinners, spontaneous heart-to-heart chats, and monthly family gatherings, the Karims learn to navigate the rituals and traditions that hold them together. With a bit of rewang¹ from all sides, the Karims have to find a way to come into their own without growing apart.

¹rewang – a collaborative effort involving the community.

Learning Objectives

• Examine the gender roles in Encik Karim's family

• Identify and reflect the differences in culture and tradition in the traditional and modern family

• Examine and reflect on the dynamics of intergenerational relation