Sharon Au's talent spans both screen and stage. A household name during her years in Mediacorp, she has appeared in numerous theatre productions commissioned by Esplanade such as 7 Sages of the Bamboo Grove by Toy Factory and Between You and Me as well as Everything for You by Nine Years Theatre.

In this interview, the Paris-based cat lover and voracious reader – fluent in Japanese as well as French – shares the books and music that anchor her, and the goals she aspires towards.

Bookmark This is a collaboration between National Library Board and Esplanade Offstage. 

What book are you reading now? Tell us more about it.

Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.

To me, it is a book about regrets. I bought it in a bookshop in Covent Garden, London. It appeals to anyone who has questions unanswered, words unsaid, who harbours regrets and yearns to travel back in time to be able to see their loved ones again. 

You have worked in so many industries: the airline industry, television, theatre and finance. Can you recommend a book that has inspired you in your career choices?

The Essays by Michel de Montaigne has been the book I turned to, which has guided me through my career metamorphosis. I have sought solace many a time in Montaigne’s essays, especially at times when I felt stuck at work, and in life.

What are your favourite genres of books and music? Why?

For books, it would be philosophical essays and prose. To me it’s the best form of therapy for depression. I highly recommend The Prophet by Khalil Gibran.

Similarly, I like meditative music. Musical Postcards, Esplanade’s series of video recordings of performances by sacred music masters such as Ani Choying Drolma and Kudsi Erguner, serves as my therapy. It’s perfect for meditation and quiet time.

Tell us more about your love for cats. Can you share a book that helped deepen your bond with your cat, Rudon?

Before I had Rudon, I bonded really well with my apartment concierge’s cat Bella. I realised cats are often misunderstood by most people as being cold and aloof. In fact, they can be as affectionate as dogs, except that they are selective with whom they dedicate their love to. And I find this discernment even more precious.

I Am a Cat by Natsume Soseki was the first book I read in Japanese.  It remains my favourite work of Japanese literature to date.  

Which are some books that have left a lingering impression on you? Why?

Walden by Henry David Thoreau, The Power of Ideas by Isaiah Berlin and The Clash of Civilizations by Samuel Huntington.

These are just some of the many books that had awakened and developed a side of me I didn’t know existed. It made me self-investigate and self-forget. And this stimulation keeps drawing me back to great critical writing.

You love reading; what about writing? Will you ever write your autobiography one day?

I did in fact started to write one in the spring of 2020, when we were locked down in “confinement” in Paris, during the pandemic. I got to chapter nine and I stopped. It would never be published. Too many of my loved ones would be hurt by my one-sided memory of my childhood.

What are three things you hope to achieve in 2024?

To obtain a boat licence. To detox from social media. To be comfortable living alone, confronting my fears. 

Catch Sharon Au at Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2024 in Everything for You by Nine Years Theatre from 16 – 17 Feb 2024.