A Samad Said's Masterpiece On The International Stage
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- After waiting for over two decades, National Laureate Datuk Seri A. Samad Said has finally granted permission to Pertubuhan Seni Nusantara (NuArt) and Titian Teater Ilham Seni to stage a play adapted from his poem ‘Rumah Kosong’.
The play will be staged in Singapore on Sept 20 and 21, 2024.
The play's director Iryanda Mulia Ramly said the script for the theater production, also titled ‘Rumah Kosong’, underwent a 20-year narrative development process.
“This script has gone through several long phases and we always referred to Pak Samad. Finally, he felt it was the right time to approve the script. Once he agreed, we were able to proceed with the staging project,” he said in a statement today.
Iryanda Mulia said the play is a significant step in efforts to expand the influence of Malaysian literature and introduce the national laureate's masterpiece to an international audience.
“The performance in Singapore follows a special invitation from Variasi Performing Arts (a non-profit arts group in Singapore). They fell in love with the script and invited us to stage the play there,” he said.
He added that although the script is set before and after World War II, the themes in the poetry collection remain relevant to contemporary issues and serve as reminders of life for society.
“This performance delves into human experiences, such as a mother’s hope for her child’s return, a lover’s longing for family life and a man's frustration in seeking peace amidst the destruction of war.
“We hope this play will serve as a window for the world to see how powerful Malaysian literature is in capturing historical events and human emotions,” he said.
The play’s cast comprises Dila Abdul Halim, Fazreen Mohd, Shasha Masella, Syura Hazmi and Azwan Ahmadi.
The play’s staging is supported by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Department of Culture and Arts, Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, National Water Services Commission and Indah Water Konsortium.
For more information, contact Public Relations Officer Mariana Samsudin at 017-316 7995 or via email at balaiseninusantara@gmail.com.
-- BERNAMA