Interview: Sharifah Amani On Improvising A Career

Moments after a rousing reception at her performance with AIIA Improv last Thursday, Sharifah Amani was still feeling the rush.

“I’m running on pure adrenaline now!” she gushed.

Winding down post-performance at TTDI’s Crackhouse Comedy Club, the local arts scene darling spoke freely and quickly. She was on a natural high thanks to another successful night with the comedy troupe.

Sharifah Amani’s selfie for Marie Claire Malaysia, in support of the Women’s Aid Organisation. Taken from Instagram via @sharifah_amani

“I met these guys and we bonded,” she explained. “They were involved in ‘Terbaik Dari Langit’ and AIIA; they’re like-minded people and they’re learners, and they know what they’re doing. It’s not just get up on stage and jerit-jerit; we have rehearsals too!”

The Malaysian actor was pretty much en point throughout the night as an improviser, and when she wasn’t onstage she was kneeling towards the side in fits of laughter thanks to her co-stars.

“Improv is something so lovely to do because it makes you think on your toes; it’s brain-wracking and nerve-wracking because you have no idea where you can go!” she exclaimed excitedly. “You want to go everywhere but there’s still some rules to remember, and you want to stay in line. And this is why I love it so much; to stay in line when sepatutnya tak ada line. Mindblown!”

After a minute or two of chatting, she settled down a bit.

“I never actually had formal training,” she confessed. “When I got into acting, the kind of training I received was from Yasmin, and from watching my mom be an acting coach.”

When asked what acting approach or technique she utilizes, she claimed that she is first and foremost her “mother’s daughter”.

“I believe the only method that works for you is your method,” she began. “Whatever that gets you there; be it Meisner, Stanislavski or anything else that’s available.”

“After working for a while, you learn certain tools and tricks that help you,” she explained. “You pick things up from watching films and working with other people. For me personally, the sure way to do things is by getting close to my character. It’s kind of like method acting but it’s not like I’m in character all the time.”

Amani became our nation’s sweetheart thanks to some critically-acclaimed projects. The late Yasmin Ahmad’s ‘Sepet’ sealed the deal and established her as a household name.

She has been in the headlines recently for several well-received live performances. Of note was her stint as a pious hostel student on last year’s ‘Asrama-Ra Allstars’ by theatre group Revolution Stage.

“I loved my character and the plot twist at the end,” she exclaimed. “It was just a fun experience and everyone had such great energy! I also greatly respect and admire abang Wan [director/playwright Khairunazwan Rodzy].”

Things however aren’t always so rosy on the stage. Amani had a particularly tough time on Nam Ron’s ‘Laut Lebih Indah Dari Bulan’ which went on to play at Esplanade, Singapore last year.

“Indah was a character I had a hard time with,” she stated with a frown. “It took me quite some time to like her and abang Nam Ron dah macam nak baling kerusi at me. I was lucky that he had mellowed out a bit by this point in his career.”

“It was such a transitional moment and character, and I know this might sound poyo but I couldn’t find much to like about Indah.”

Starring alongside some of Malaysia’s best entertainers, pressure came not only from trying to familiarize herself with the character but from the fact that she opened the performance each night.

“You’re on first, setting up the world for the other players. You’re opening this show, and after that it’s Vanidah Imran and Aqasha, and then you close it with Sofia Jane. Nak mampus?!” she quizzes rhetorically, frantic.

“And it’s a Nam Ron piece, and he hasn’t done a play in a while, and you don’t want to let him down,” she stated. “But it was all so worth it, and we got to perform at Esplanade too!”
At the rate things are going, Amani doesn’t have to worry about letting anyone down just yet. She has been consistently garnering critical acclaim in all her endeavours but could this be due to her selectiveness?

“I admit, I’m very choosy when it comes to projects,” she says with intensity. “I’m very particular, I want to learn something by the end of the day, I nak rasa something from the process.”

Follow her on Twitter to be updated on her upcoming projects and interact with her.