Why Fahim Murshed loves theatre: On his latest show and the joys of being onstage

Fahim (centre) with the rest of the cast of Crack the Case: The Dreamcatcher.

Fahim Murshed can tell you the exact moment he fell in love with theatre: he was seven, on stage performing his first role, and dressed as an elderly mouse. The primary school production “Who Will Bell the Cat?” saw him play the Grandpa Mouse, whose family of mice were trying to figure out how to stop being terrorised by a cat.

“It’s such a scary thing to be on stage with everyone looking at every little thing you do. But being able to flip that fear into a thrill by telling a story, it feels like the whole audience is eating out of the palm of your hand.”

Fahim plays the role of Kamil in this theatrical escape experience.

Since then, Fahim has spent his life chasing that moment — though without the big fuzzy mouse ears. He took up freelance acting gigs while studying biomedical science in his polytechnic years and later switched to a Diploma in Performance at LASALLE College of the Arts. 

“I’ve been doing freelance acting for about six or seven years now. I love that this is my job and sometimes it feels like a dream come true.”

An interactive mystery show like no other: Crack the Case: The Dreamcatcher

Throughout his career, Fahim has constantly sought new challenges to test and expand his artistic boundaries. 

This year, he’s back with The Dreamcatcher. It is the fourth edition of Crack the Case, a series by local theatre company Sight Lines Entertainment that blends theatrical performance with solving puzzle mysteries in a live escape room. Unlike a conventional seated performance, the audience is invited to wander around and explore the set to look for clues. 

Audience members looking for clues throughout the set to solve the mystery.

Fahim plays the main character, Kamil, a brilliant scientist who has planted a destructive weapon at an unknown location in the fictional, futuristic biotech city of Ikanpura. The audience has to uncover his plans by exploring the insides of his mind.

For this purpose, the Black Box at Goodman Arts Centre has been transformed into the physical expression of Kamil’s subconscious. The audience is invited to journey through Kamil’s fragmented memories, which are vividly brought to life by the actors. 

The set is a free-roaming space for audience members to explore.

How Fahim Murshed immerses himself in roles

When preparing for a role, Fahim tends to examine his life experiences to draw inspiration. While this method works most of the time, some characters prove tougher to portray. And where experience falters, imagination takes over.

To play Kamil, Fahim takes on the gait and voice of a much older man.

For instance, Kamil is much older than Fahim. To compensate for this gap, Fahim has to explore how age would influence the character’s thoughts and physical presence. His voice, walk, and mannerisms change and the energy shifts as Fahim is transformed, carrying the full weight of his complex, troubled character’s many years.

Altering his gait is especially important when performing in Crack the Case: The Dreamcatcher as Fahim has to move through the audience's space. Aside from helping him become Kamil, it is a tool that stretches his creativity.

Without the barrier of a stage, the audience shares an intimate space with the actors.

“Instead of a regular stage where you have to hit your mark, you’re surrounded in a room full of people who are walking around too. We have a lot more freedom to play within the performance, with varying levels of intensity and intimacy to explore.”

To amp up the audience’s immersion into the play, writer and director, Krish Natarajan, deliberately crafted scenes to occur sporadically throughout the space. The story’s timeline is also jumbled. This way, the play unfolds in a manner which mimics how brain synapses fire at random.

“It’s a funky space and the way the audience pieces it all together is always different and wild.”

Why Fahim has such a strong passion for theatre

For Fahim, the most satisfying part of being a theatre actor is the final rehearsal before any show. Bump-in day is the first time the cast is on the designed set in full costume; all elements, music, and lights are put together and the show comes to life.

The stage manager making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes.

“You have this mind-blowing moment of realisation like ‘Oh my gosh, there's a whole team behind the scenes putting in so much effort for every little detail.’ Just two days ago, we were still practising in a dance studio with tape on the floor to mark the stage. But now, it’s a magical experience where we’ve put together something wonderful.”

Then, it’s opening day and the audience joins the journey, becoming part of the process.

Fahim having fun onstage with the cast.

“You’re standing on stage as an actor and you can feel the audience’s commitment to the play. Sometimes, you catch someone’s gaze and you can feel how they’re as equally invested as you are. To be a part of that is so rewarding and fulfilling. Even now, after I do a really good show, I’m buzzing. It's exhilarating!”

But most importantly, Fahim finds it empowering that theatre spaces allow him to give voice to those who may lack one in day-to-day life. 

Crack the Case: The Dreamcatcher runs till 25 October 2025 at the Goodman Arts Centre. It is just one of the many unique productions you can experience with your SG Culture Pass. From theatre to museums and heritage trails, your credits open doors to a whole world of homegrown stories. Redeem your $100 SG Culture Pass credits today at sgculturepass.gov.sg