A retelling of the legend of the 15th-century princess from Kelantan imbues her with feminine verve. And she will even get her day in India, writes Subhadra Devan
A MONODRAMA by accomplished theatre actor and director Sabera Shaik, Puteri Saadong will first be staged in our capital, Kuala Lumpur, before the venture goes across the Indian Ocean. Shares Sabera: “I’m excited because Puteri Saadong’s staging is a modern yet traditional piece of storytelling. I’m bringing (to India) a modern traditional show, with music played on traditional instruments, and songs sung in English. (The lyrics are original.)”
Only the closing of the performance, adds Sabera, has a hauntingly beautiful song sung in Malay. It is a poem said to have been recited by Puteri Saadong before she disappeared, never to be seen again.
Although a solo work, Sabera says that she will be accompanied by two of Malaysia’s foremost musicians in the traditional genre — Susan Sarah John and Mohd Kamrulbahri Hussin. Lighting is by Sivarajah Natarajan, who works
magic on stage.
Eyes lighting up, she adds: “As Susan (Sarah John) puts it, ‘Let’s show them this is Southeast Asia’.” Meanwhile, Sabera’s interpretation of Puteri Saadong “... is not some pretty, pretty Malay girl”.
Legend has it that the 15th-century Puteri Saadong was the adopted daughter of Siti Wan Kembang, the queen of Kelantan. Che Siti gave Puteri Saadong’s hand in marriage to her cousin, Raja Abdullah al-Marhum Sultan Samiruddin, Raja of Kelantan-Selatan (Jembal) when the princess was 15 years old. She was captured by the Siamese and forced to become a concubine of the-then King of Siam (now Thailand) in order to spare her husband’s life. Raja Abdullah vowed to wait for her return, but when Puteri Saadong returned to Bukit Marak years later, she found he had remarried.
It is said that the enraged princess killed Raja Abdullah with her hairpin. While Raja Abdullah’s tomb can still be viewed in Bachok, the last resting place of Puteri Saadong is unknown.
RE-INVENTING THE PRINCESS
Research for Puteri Saadong took Sabera almost two years. She was determined to get the real story behind the princess. When she first showcased it at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre in April 2015, where it was directed by Taje Larson of the Odin Teatret, Denmark, it was storytelling in its emotive, raw sense.
The musicians — Sarah on gamelan and as the princess’ lady-in-waiting, together with Kamrulbahri on gong and rebab — also acted as narrators and even the chorus, at times. Sabera imbued her princess with humanity, from her portrayal of her love for Raja Abdullah right down to the killing, which saw her looking transfigured by her own murderous action.
The character has since been given an overhaul, says Sabera.
“She’s now softer, more ayu, there will be more abhinaya and her flirtatiousness is more apparent. She’s also more subtle, moves like a princess and so, the ending now comes as a shock.”
Another “wow” factor in the show is the special songket outfits the “princess” and her two musicians get to wear. Elaborates Sabera: “My costume has undergone several changes since the first time Guna (dancer-choreographer) sat with Larsen to discuss and agree upon a costume in which Puteri Saadong had to change from a child (all of seven minutes on stage) to an adult (for the next 47 minutes on stage) without leaving it.”
From long-sleeved and high-collared, to a berkemban look coupled with skin-coloured netting to cover the shoulders and arms, Sabera will now bare more skin in the new outfit, with songket designed by Datuk Radzuan Radziwill, and woven by Yayasan Tuanku Nur Zahirah, Terengganu.
The outfit allows for movement and stays current throughout the hour-long show. Says Sabera: “When you have a play, you use costumes that are true to the period or times. This is where fashion comes in — but in theatre it has to be practical for obvious reasons. It’s only in recent years that fashion has taken a turn for theatricality.”
A versatile actress of stage, screen and television, the 64-year-old Sabera is always mesmerising in her one-woman plays. It started with Mak Su, a story about the love of a makyong dancer for her art (part of a trilogy written by Ramli Ibrahim), back in the 1990s, to her self-penned Lady Swettenham in 2006 where the talented thespian played 13 characters.
Trained in theatre in the US (Pennsylvania State University), Australia (National Institute of Dramatic Arts, Sydney) and Denmark (Odin), Sabera founded the Masakini Theatre Company in 2003. Riveting as she is in her stage performances, Sabera also captivated audiences for her shadow theatre work in her Wayang series, which began in 2011.
Puteri Saadong will be performed at the 19th edition of the Bharat Rang Mahotsav in New Delhi, after the KL performances. Sabera and her troupe will also perform in Pune and Kolkatta. The latter will see her doing a Movement Workshop, accompanied by Susan and Kamrul, with emphasis on emotional content of movements.
It promises to be a grand outing for Malaysia’s legendary warrior princess.
NOW SHOWING
Puteri Saadong
When: Feb 9-10, 8.30pm
Where: Studio Ramli Hassan, Masakini Theatre Company, No 8A, Tepian Tunku, Bukit Tunku, KL
Time: 8:30pm
Tickets: RM50
Contact: 03-62064931 / 012-6865244 or email masakinimarketing@gmail.com for ticket reservations. Or visit www.theatreantics.com.