Kata Kata Penulis MMSA FTKL '09

It was all started when Pacel was too itchy to act (the Itch Syndrome), I told him there is a venue….Festival Teater Kuala Lumpur. Hence, Pacel with the help of Usop registered The Qum Actors in a jiffy and immediately got in the bandwagon of FTKL09! What they now need are actors and a script. I told him, you need a minimalist set and you have done it….Miao Miao Sang Arnab, (the prequel of Cinta Sang Arnab…hahaha…yes, yes…we’ll get to this later). So there is he is trying to gather actors….his closest buddy Koba, Usop, Jijol, EE, Haha, Lutfi (in Sarawak!), Pot & Polo (in Kerteh)…all graduates from the TTS University which taught them the Shark’s Method of Acting…hahaha. Wow, talk about long distance relationships in acting! How do you do this? I don’t know. You only need four actors. Usop can be Roy…. Can you find an actress? No? Don’t worry, I’ll help you…I’ll convert Fati Ermi to a man! What? A gay man? Errr…yes…ask Jijol first. Can he do it?

Hmmm…No? …okay okay, I’ll rewrite the play to have Lutfi (if he agrees) for the play. Hence, it was wonderful writing the script designed for my most loveable actor since I know how he would deliver it! And I know he only needs minimal guidance as always. An actor who could be as real as your mother and father! So I edited the original CSA script into MMSA script, gave it to Pacel. Here you go…direct it! Hence, this started the ONE MAN production of MMSA by none other than the director himself incharge of everything! Talk about commitment.

Volunteers for his production comes from ex TTS (except for the newcomer Saha) members. However, commitment from some are left to be desired. (you would expect they remember that they are no longer doing a UTP production but an external one!). Actors have to check in by 6 pm. No going out for dinners anymore! Everybody has to be at their stations at 8pm! (immediately after maghrib). Actors should be disciplined enough to be at their respective spots after getting their instructions. It is difficult, but things have to be done for a production. Emotions do not need to be flying if everybody knows their responsibilities.

Now comes the director’s lamentations…oh…they are so not free. Oh they are so not concentrating. Oh you are taking him overseas! (tak jadi lah!). Oh he is meeting his fiancé. Hmmm….well, my dear. You are the director. I can’t get involved. I’m in the Perak’s Tok Janggut’s fight for FTP09 (ehem , ehem). But I’ll be your driver, since you use my script. You don’t have props, you can borrow TTS props with minimal charge (RM0). Pacel did managed to gather all the groups together.

But he has Pot in the role of Roy. One discussion over Polo’s dinner treat (yes, I do “pau” my former graduates) with them in Kerteh lead one thing to another…and an idea came out to incorporate the script into a more street “musical” story. With Pot and Polo….the hottest indie Band in Kerteh? Ye ke? Tak pernah dengar pun. They will be the story teller. Okay, okay…I went back …reedited the script. emailed it to Pacel. Here you go,…send it to them. No, no…you need to create your own melody not MNasir ke ape ke! The bomb dropped…Usop quits, Pot has a course…..I don’t know Pacel. What? Saha? Who is he? Newcomer? Okay…let me see….boleh lahhhhh kot. (ye, kot.) U yang nak direct. Then what about Pot and Polo. You know what? Why don’t you invite Neesa to be the storyteller…who is the storyteller? Hmmmm….Ros! (Now, the most awaited moment of Ros to be incarnated (not alive before)! Ros materializes! (when does this happen?...two days before using the storyteller’s lines!) Now you have an actress in MMSA! (best actress award?....errrr…nahhhh…not enuf la….) But you do have an actress at least. (love the interpretation by Akin on her costume). So…now you have a play….Ros telling a story about humanity and how he lost Mat and she is now on the verge of committing suicide…the beginning of Cinta Sang Arnab (well, wangi, ros….same lah…wow a prequel!...nak buat sequel ke? Anak Sang Arnab?...hahahahaah..)

How was the play? What play? oh you mean MMSA? Well, the show started with a technical blunder from an ex Med Tech (long history here). However, from there on, it was a smooth non technical error (one is enough). The followspot had some problems with fused transformers I heard. I watched the rehearsals, I stayed for them. Anyway…the rehearsals went smoothly. I did not see any emo diva actors on stage (errrr…ada ke?...tak perasan kot..there was a Tok Janggut snippet performed by the primadiva I think..hahahah) Flyers been distributed to CM, mime promo by the famous TTS Mime Artist – Anuar! (no, not Anwar Ibrahim!). He may replace the famous Marcel Marceau soon I hope….one day maybe.

Despite everything, the show was basically a hit! And this is Qum’s first production! The audiences response is the proof! Forget the judges! You can see TQA saying: Hey, guys! Here I am! Come and get me! (remembering the line from Victor Victoria’s sluttish character played by…errr???). Yes, TQA made their first mark in the theatre scene with this play. The only thing now is to move on! What do to do next? Are the actors ready? Are the group ready? I just hope it will not die a quick death like GestShop in 1993! Rules of the game have to be set.

What type of productions? (similar to TTS I hope!). More shows needed to bring this out. But it can be just FREE shows initially to further introduce them to the general public (CM?). Whatever it is, they need to plan. A management team need to be set up immediately. What’s with the new batch of TTS members graduating in December! They are too excited to be on board. (I think!, Are you?). I wish all the best to TQA! May Allah bless whatever you do. Because whatever you do, it should be for the sake of HIM. Bravo Pacel!

How was the actors? Hmmmm….let’s go for the easiest shall we? Pak Tam portrayed by Lutfi – wow….the play was actually saved by Lutfi’s Pak Tam. I doubt Fati Ermi can do much better than this. It was so hilarious when he came on stage. And the moment he appeared on stage, the audience is all geared up to laugh at his antics. Superb performance. Its as if the script was rewritten for him! (yes it was!...ahhaaha). Any flaws if there is any was hidden and tucked away in his moments of thinking. I heard he was only trained for this role for the two days prior to bump in! (now…can YOU do that? Dare you?)
Lutfi deserved the Best Supporting Role for FTKL09! (I don’t care about others..but he deserved the nomination and recognition…..frustrated when he did not get it in Asylum50 in FTP07!). Now, it’s revenge time I guess. Being in Qum Actors is the platform for these EX-TTSians!
You got it Pak Tam & the Boys! (oh….nak tukar nama ke Qum Actors?)

Arnab@Arn’s energy played by Pacel(the director himself!) was high. The heat and energy melted his make up throughout the play (what make up artist did they use? must be a cheap one). You can see it dripping!

However, Pacel managed to maintain his energy from scene 1. He could have came in with lower energy and increase it along the way. But he did manage to maintain it. Lots of energy of preparation, staging was single handedly done by him! Crazy, just crazy. And he has to act too? What Pacel (not Arn) need to improve to is to learn the art of fine cuisine acting (I just created that!) when on stage. The words can come as naturally as the character. However he has a problem. Not his problem. But his coactor. He can also use the Pak Tam’s technique of “thinking” and “responding” while waiting/listening to others. This was really obvious with Koba as Mat at times when the emotions are running low in the scene. Koba’s portrayal as Mat could have been much better. Facial expressions would not be enough if the feelings do not come from within. Delivering lines in anticipation is certainly not the way. What do you do when your co-actor is delivering the lines? Koba has done this role back in UTP…errr…100 times? This is the time he could have showed all. However, some scenes by Koba are quite good.

Just that the audience did not feel with him (me, basically). I hope in further productions of TQA he will be more into it. Now…Neesa….what do I say…despite tripping over the actors in the dark, she was really good in the first scene. However, (yes, however…) the character remained stagnant in the next scenes and she tried to go higher up with the death of Arn. I did not feel it. I want to see her face in tears, not sobbing. But she faced the floor. She should remember, offstage, she should still be in character till the show ended! An actor has to already be in character when in full view of the audience (when you are out of the curtains, even in the dark!) Watching the rehearsals, this was the best performance from her. She only performed with an audience. That is a big problem. The director will never know what she will give on the performance day! Some commented on her small voice, some commented on her dancing….All in all, she is a dangerous girl! (?). Last but not least, Saha as Roy was commendable in his acting. Energy in the scene was maintained. You can feel the audience in their seats making sense (or nonsense!) of his views and ideologies!
However, again anticipations of his co-actor made him “wait” a few times. The scene could be more natural. But it was just okay. Especially a first timer on stage! Good performance Saha!

All, in all, I think TQA deserves a big applause especially to the founders Pacel and Usop for setting a base for the TTS members (hey, if they are not interested, forget them…..you got lots in KL to choose from!). TQA needs to think of setting up a management team ASAP to be successful in this business. Pacel, you have made an impact in the Malay Theatre Scene. Bravo! Despite being infected by SLS, it should not affect the director (it affected me in Tok Janggut though! and Jebat!) it should not stop here, even when after you are Married With Children (remember the series?). Again, I salute TQA!



The writer of MMSA prequel of CSA,


Dr. Shark.
Advisor,
Tronoh Theatre Shop (TTS)
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS