Nyeh nyeh... I got free tickets for the "Puteri Hang Li Po" musical! Ahhahhhhh..
I know, I know I said I would be on hiatus... but the musical was so memorable I simply have to jot this down before I forget.
Date: 23.7.2005
Time: 8.00pm
Venue: Stadium Perpaduan, Kuching.

According to Malaysian history, during the Ming Dynasty (approx. 1400s) the then Emperor of China sent his daughter, Princess Hang Li Po to be the wife of Sultan Mansur Syah of Malacca in order to strengthen ties between both countries. This musical illustrates the Princess's initial reluctance of her father's proposal, struggling between fulfilling her destiny as a bridge to forge ties between two nations and cultures, and giving up her first love, the admiral.

For the first time, Istana Budaya brought this much acclaimed musical to the land of the Hornbills in colloboration with the Commissioner for City of Kuching North (DBKU). From the 23rd to 25th July, Kuching Folks are given the golden opportunity to see for themselves a major local theatre production.

This showcase coincides with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia. Therefore, it was with much anticipation that I went for the musical.

I was not dissappointed.
A strong cast comprising of Soong Ai Ling (as Puteri Hang Li Po), Zaefrul Nadzarine Nordin (as Sultan Mansur Syah), Yap Choong Boon (As Admiral Ming You), Louisa Chong (the Chinese nanny), and Loo Aye Keng (the Empress of China) presented this wonderful musical. A lot of efforts were made by the producers to strike a balance between upholding the historical value and the artistic value of the performance. I was amazed at the props- with backdrops and props and costumes like these, you are looking at a nett budget of RM150,000.00.

Right... here's my first hand account of the performance:

My bro, sis and myself were lucky enough to grab good seats in the stadium, so I managed to get a good picture of the stage before the performance started:


This is a view of the Chinese stage (which is where the story begins).
Turn the props around and you get this:


The Malay stage (for scenes in Malacca)

I have to say, the lighting and audio was superb. I had no idea you could do all that in a sports stadium.
Here are a few shots of the performance (shot using Night Mode without flash)








The songs were composed by Suhaimi Mohd. Zain, or more affectionately known as "Pak Ngah" in the music industry. Although the musical was presented in 60% BM and 40% Mandarin, the songs reflected the fusion between two cultures, with BM lyrics written to Chinese melodies. The effects were really good. I should have bought the music CD, come to think of it. Never mind... can always get it some other time. May I add that the production team actually bothered to put up English subtitles.

Soong Ai Ling's potrayal of Princess Hang Li Po was vivid. Honestly speaking, prior to this I didn't really have a good impression of her because of her "ditziness" in "E-life with Ai Ling" (aired on TV2 earlier last year). But tonight she emerged a totally different person, a true actress in her own right. This Penang lass has really made something for herself.

Another member of the case worth mentioning is Yap Choong Boon (aka Aman Yap). A professional dancer, his portrayal of the Admiral left a lasting impression on me. The story of his undying love for Hang Li Po is indeed touching... and yet he had to personally send her to Malacca to fulfil the Emperor's destiny. The heartbreaking scenes were good. It is a silent reminder to us of those days when a man's honour and his loyalty to the Emperor was the prime consideration, and true love cannot stand in the way of his honourable duty to the country.

Of course, there were also light hearted moments, such as veteran comedian Louisa Chong's potrayal of the Chinese Nanny (translated as "Kembang Cina" in the musical. Can someone tell me why?). She deliberately added Chinese intonation into her Malay dialouges to make it more authentic. We really laughed our heads off. There was also one scene where the chinese maids in honour were learning how to wear the sarong and they danced to a tune. It was so hilarious.

Of course, all stories must have a happy ending. Princess Hang Li Po, upon meeting the Sultan in person, finally realises her role as a facilitator for stronger ties between China and Malacca, and that her marriage to the Sultan did not amount to a sacrifice of her true love, but was a realisation of a noble cause. She accepts the Sultan's proposal and a grand marriage was held in Malacca.

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Scene from the wedding.

And the Grand Finale featuring all members of the cast:



Ahhh... wonderful. Although I feel that the Mandarin dialouges could be improved... More research needs to be done on the usage of royal jargon- the actors and actresses used common language which did not sound quite right. Well, perhaps its me being picky anyway. But in arts, being perfectionist is good.

After the performance, we were given an opportunity to take pictures with the members of the cast and get their autographs as well! Wow!

hehhehe... this is yours truly posing with the beautiful Soong Ai Ling (she looks very beautiful in real life I tell you. And she is so slim! Scary)


She was very friendly too! Nothing like a diva. I am sure she will go far in this profession. My sis actually told her " Ni hen Piao Liang Ar!" (You are very beautiful) which made her night I think. She obliged when we asked her for more photos (me, my bro and my sis respectively). Who says flattery won't help? Kikikih. In fact, all the members of the cast were very friendly. I congratulated them on their successful performance and they thanked me for my presence. Wow.

And of course, we got to play around the stage props:


hehehe.... this is where the Sultan and Princess sat or, don't play play...

And finally... my current most prized possession:


Autographed programme book and my free RM80 ticket! Woohoo!

Looking foward to more musicals. It really enriches my soul.
For those of you who haven't seen it, go get tickets! Its absolutely worth it.