A Malaysian theatre production inspired by the emotional world of Tamil cinema will take the stage at the Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre (JCPAC) in Petaling Jaya from 12 to 15 November 2026.

The Failed Romances, created by Malaysian theatre collective TerryandTheCuz and Australian theatre-maker Adriano Cortese, combines cabaret, live music and theatrical storytelling to explore love, heartbreak and identity. The production draws on the heightened emotions and familiar tropes of Tamil cinema, using romance as a starting point to examine ideas around masculinity, femininity and belonging.

The show features performers Govin Ruben and Udaya Soundari, accompanied by a six-piece live band. Moving between English, Tamil and Malay, the production uses English subtitles to make its multilingual performance accessible to a wider audience.

Reworking the language of romance

Rather than presenting a conventional romantic narrative, The Failed Romances approaches love through its disappointments and contradictions. Its hybrid format brings together music and performance to consider how cinematic ideals of romance shape personal expectations and the ways people understand themselves and one another.

The Petaling Jaya engagement in JCPAC forms part of the production’s wider international journey. Following its Malaysian run, The Failed Romances is scheduled to appear at Esplanade in Singapore on 21 and 22 November, before reaching Lincoln Center in New York on 13 January 2027.

The New York presentation marks a notable milestone for Malaysian theatre: it will be the first Malaysian work ever presented on that stage. For local audiences, the November dates offer an opportunity to experience the production in Malaysia before it continues to an international audience.

Further show information, tickets and details here.