Two sides of the same ovary … Miriam Cheong and Shannen Tan attended the same schools, fell in love with theatre, and share an unexpected common ground: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Navigating a world that often overlooks their struggles, they turn to the stage to confront the physical and emotional toll of the condition. But as their friendship deepens, so do the cracks in their shared experience, as they reveal in their self-penned play Lotus Root Support Group.

Aptly named after a common ingredient in Chinese soups (PCOS ovaries look like lotus roots in an ultrasound image), the Lotus Root Support Group is a hilarious, heartbreaking exploration of female friendship and the complexities of chronic illness. It first premiered in Singapore in 2022 to glowing reviews, where critics called it “hilarious, gut-wrenchingly sincere” and an “empowering tale of femininity, illness and identity.”

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“Lotus Root Support Group was more successful than we could have hoped for. We had an overwhelming response from our audience back then,” shares Tan, 31, who works as a PR consultant. “More than just those with PCOS, women with varying chronic illnesses told us that they felt very seen and less alone, while the men in the audience said they could understand the pain of being a woman a little bit better. We had a surprising number of audiences who wrote to tell us that they suspect that they have PCOS and were now planning to go for a check-up!”

PCOS is a common yet often overlooked and misunderstood endocrine disorder that affects anywhere between four to 21 per cent of women worldwide. According to a 2022 study published in The Annals of the Academy of Medicine, most Singaporean doctors who took part in the study were unable to identify the clinical features of PCOS correctly and the psychological complications of PCOS were also not well-appreciated. Those with PCOS may also struggle with their physical appearance, sense of self-worth, social relationships and sexuality, and they may experience anxiety and depression.

This August, Lotus Root Support Group makes a return with a 90 per cent revamped script that takes a more intimate look at the creators of the work from an autobiographical lens based on their lived experience as actresses with PCOS. This includes their oftentimes rocky friendship with one another, from bickering about Love Bonito clothes to debating about lunch. “While the previous show spoke through different characters with a fictitious storyline, this refreshed iteration honed in on our authentic selves and as friends,” describes Cheong, 29, who is a drama teacher.

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According to her, the new show is less about the ‘lotus root’ and more about the ‘support group’. “We had this shared vision of the show being more autobiographical and we wanted the play to capture the essence of our friendship, so of course we are using elements like tacky PowerPoint slides and dance.”

“Even though we still disagree and unintentionally hurt one another at times, there’s still a lot of joy, support and laughter in the friendship. It’s hard enough being an actress and an independent theatre-maker in Singapore, let alone a woman living with chronic illness. We cannot make it through life alone.”

This live theatre performance by independent theatre collective, Impromptu Meetings, will be held at 42 Waterloo Street Black Box from 28 August to 1 September 2024. Tickets are priced at $30 from Eventbrite. Lotus Root Support Group will also be touring to the Melbourne Fringe Festival in October 2024.

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ELLE sits down with the ladies for a coffee and a chat to ask how they conjured the idea of writing a play about a chronic female health condition and how difficult it is to perform an autobiographical piece.

Can you share how you know each other?

Shannen Tan: It’s a funny story. We actually went to the same primary and secondary school, and junior college. But because I’m two years older, our paths had never crossed. But I knew of Miriam because I’ve seen her with her mother, who was my secondary school teacher. One day, we happened to be at the same play about students from Methodist Girls' School (MGS), our alma mater. I took issue with some major inaccuracies in the show and needed to share this with somebody. When I saw Miriam, who I knew was from MGS, I catapulted toward her and we just started yapping non-stop.

How did you both discover you have PCOS?

Miriam Cheong: In 2018, Shannen and I got parts in a play where we acted alongside one another. One day backstage, I overheard her saying she can’t have kids. I don’t know why but my brain went straight to “Hey, do you have PCOS?” And she said yes! She literally was the first theatre person I know who has the same condition as I do.

What were your symptoms like?

MC: I was losing my hair really badly. It was just after graduating Lasalle so I was around 26. The first thought was, “How am I going to get acting roles if I’m bald!” I had so much anxiety.

ST: I went for an ultrasound at 17 because my periods were irregular, like twice year. The doctor didn’t have very good bedside manners and simply said “Yup you can PCOS, you can’t have kids.” As you can imagine, I was distraught. She didn't give any further advice so I didn't follow up. It was only midway through university I gained a lot of weight (10kg in a year). And I have chronic fatigue now, like extreme exhaustion. I need about four cups of coffee a day to stay awake.

What inspired you to create this play at this juncture in your lives?

MC: I think it all started in 2021 after Shannen found an article that mentioned how people with PCOS were more vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus.

ST: We’re both very angsty about it, and I said we should do a play about it. And since the government was giving out grants to self-employed people, we thought that was the sign for us to create Lotus Root Support Group. We thought this would be something the masses could relate to. And the initial reception was astounding.

How do you balance humour and serious scenes?

MC: I have a hack to creating a structure for autobiographical theatre, which I use all the time. You start off by making the audience laugh, and then you say something that hits a nerve or tugs at their heartstrings, and hope it ends with them bursting with so much emotion! I remember during the writing phase, we wondered how do we structure the show. But because it's completely based on our lives—and lives don’t have any structure—it became a show that traced the highs and lows of our journeys.

What is it that you're hoping to elicit from the audience this time?

MC: A lot of hope and empathy for people who have PCOS.

ST: Or just people struggling, in general. Our first iteration was more PCOS-centered but this one is more intersectional about how tough it is to be a woman in Singapore, to have relationships, to be an independent theatre producer, to be an actress, and have a chronic illness.

So, what's next for you guys?

MC: We head to the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Then after that, I'm thinking about writing a play about the politics of being ugly. But we need to ask ourselves how do we reconcile with that in a society where the mantra now is everyone is beautiful in their own way.

ST: Originally, I intended to start preparing for my audition to do my masters at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts—the one that Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston went to. But I'm also thinking, maybe I want to write more plays and build up my portfolio first.

Photos courtesy of Lotus Root Support Group.