New version of 1970s Malay theatre play channels contemporary existential angst

What's behind the door?: Award-winning actor Ashraf plays Adam in 'Bukan Bunuh Diri', a struggling artist who questions his existence. Photo: Azmi Hud

Che Shamsuddin Othman’s 1975 play Bukan Bunuh Diri, which was first staged at Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, is not the easiest of plays to understand.

Indeed, this story of a struggling artist who questions his purpose in life grapples with hard-hitting themes such as existentialism and the search for the divine.