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

Kata-kata Pengarah Miao Miao Sang Arnab

Ulasan oleh Faisal Aziz (Pacel)
Foto oleh Farhan Iqbal


Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera…

Pementasan Miao Miao Sang Arnab (MMSA) sudah pun berakhir dan sesuatu menjadi sesuatu yang terang lagi bersuluh akan banyak perkara yang dapat dipelajari sepanjang usaha untuk mementaskannya. Selaku pengarah dan ketua The Qum Actors (TQA), saya mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih yang tidak terhingga kepada semua. Penat lelah dan usaha akan terbayar walaupun bukan disini, tetap ada habuannya disana. Apa yang penting kita sama sama Ikhlas melakukan semua pekerjaan ini.

Apa yang dapat diperhatikan melalui gambar gambar yang diambil oleh Paan (terima kasih Paan!), tidak lari dari setiap gambar, ekspresi muka yang sangat jelas. Maka, pada pendapat saya masing-masing tahu untuk memberi respon secara ekspresi untuk watak yang mereka lakonkan.

Untuk berlakon dan menghidupkan watak bukanlah sesuatu perkara yang boleh dibuat satu malam atau melalui beberapa hari latihan. Namun, berdasarkan apa yang telah ditunjukkan oleh orang yang kali pertama berlakon (terutamanya Saha dan Nisa’), saya merasakan apa yang telah dipertontonkan adalah sesuatu yang bagus. Paling tidak, lebih bagus dari sessi sessi latihan sebelumnya. Seharusnya untuk kali pertama berlakon, saya tidak meletak harapan lakonannya seperti mereka yang sudah banyak kali berlakon.

Nisa' sebagai Ros yang juga bertindak sebagai pencerita banyak bermain dengan emosi sedih dan kecewa.

Saha, orang baru dalam teater, dengan gaya playboynya yang tersendiri.

Lakonan memerlukan begitu banyak latihan dan pernyataan ini termasuk kepada saya, Koba dan Lut. Komitmen sedari awal serta kemahuan yang mendalam untuk melakukannya. Mudah untuk mengatakan “Watak playboy senang aja… Watak yang suka main perempuan lah!”. Namun disebalik kenyataan sebegitu, ia menyelinap lebih dari segenap ruang fizikal seorang playboy. Apakah playboy itu sekadar suka perempuan?Atau adakah playboy itu seorang yang tenang lagaknya tapi jauh dilubuk hati, dia akan membaham mangsanya tanpa belas? Bagaimana lagak gaya seorang playboy? Cara berjalan, cara merokok, cara bercakap dan sebagainya.
Justeru, pelajaran yang boleh diambil adalah mengkaji watak yang diberi. Menonton filem filem yang boleh dijadikan rujukan masing masing. Akhirnya kita mampu mengatakan, “Owh itulah playboy gaya Saha!”

Ada mengatakan MAT kurang respon dari segi ‘verbal’. Namun, watak yang dibawa Mat pada malam tersebut adalah watak selesa beliau. Saya selaku pengarah mencuri lihat ekspresi ekspresi yang ditunjukkan sewaktu beliau berlakon. Pada perkiraan saya, adegan menjual kain yang dimaksudkan oleh komen tersebut apabila MAT kurang memberi respon kepada Pak Tam. Saya akui, memang sukar untuk memberi respon sewaktu tiada baris skrip untuk dilontarkan, namun ia boleh diganti dengan respon ‘non verbal’ seperti “ooo”, “aaa”, “er” dan sebagainya. Dari segi ekspresi muka, MAT berjaya melakukannya.

Watak Arnab sememangnya mencabar fizikal dan mental tetapi berjaya didukung dengan begitu baik oleh Pacel, merangkap Pengarah teater ini.

Emosi yang pelbagai penting untuk menjadikan sesebuah teater itu lengkap dan ini telah berjaya ditunjukkan melalui watak MAT

Memegang watak Arnab sangatlah mencabar stamina dan keyakinan diri. Sepanjang latihan dahulu, saya asyik berfikir bahawa watak Arnab ini adalah jelmaan diri MAT. Maka setiap gerak gerinya adalah pantulan gerak geri MAT sebenarnya. Memang ada yang sedar akan watak Arnab sedikit tercungap pada awal dan selaku orang yang memainkan watak tersebut saya sendiri mangakuinya. Watak Arnab perlu dikawal agar karakternya hidup sehingga akhir persembahan. Watak arnab perlu memberi kesan kepada penonton. Watak ini perlu membuat penonton ingin menonton sampai habis cerita tersebut. Duduk, terpaku dan terpukau. Memang ada kelemahan Arnab yang dibawakan oleh saya terutama pada adegan akhir apabila ‘energy’ dikatakan sedikit turun. Watak Arnab memang penat untuk melakonkannya serta sakit badan, pinggang dan tangan. Alhamdulillah, persiapan yang saya lakukan dengan berlari selepas habis kerja untuk mendapatkan stamina akhirnya membuahkan hasil.

Memaksudkan skrip juga adalah suatu kemestian. Setiap perkataan adalah berharga. Walaupun hanya beberapa baris skrip, namun tetap ada tujuannya. Ramai yang bertanya, apa kepentingan watak Ros? Tidak dinafikan, watak Ros itu kecil, tetapi setiap baris ayat itu sangat bermakna. Antaranya “Punya cinta tiada rasa, ada rasa tiada cinta”. Mengapa disebut sebegitu lalu ditujukan kepada arnab? Itu yang perlu difikirkan.

Kemunculan Ros sebelum dan selepas adegan memang ada tujuannya. Mengapa tidak kita kaitkan dengan adegan seterusnya selepas mendengar apa yang dilontarkan oleh Ros? Ros melontarkan persoalan untuk kita berfikir. Pentingnya Ros adalah setara dengan pentingnya Dang Wangi dalam cerita Jebat. Namun Nisa’ perlu banyak latihan untuk memaksudkan setiap baris skrip dan perkara ini adalah peringatan yang jelas untuk kita semua kerana berlakon bukanlah hanya sekadar melakonkan.

Watak Pak Tam yang dibawa oleh Lutfi sememangnya dicipta bersesuaian dengan karektor Lutfi sebagai seorang yang bersahaja. Maka tiada masalah untuk melakonkannya dan jelas Lutfi sangat menikmati watak tersebut. Penonton bergelak tawa sepanjang kemunculan Lutfi di atas pentas. Pada saya, watak Lutfi mampu menutup kelemahan cerita ini. Peringatan kepada pelakon, Lutfi adalah seorang yang penuh dengan idea yang sangat spontan. Maka untuk berlakon dengan Lutfi, maka kita perlu bersedia dengan idea tersebut kerana mungkin kita boleh tertawa sewaktu berlakon. Maka, hati hati.

Gelagat Pak Tam sudah pastinya lucu dan menghiburkan para penonton yang hadir.

Saya sangat berterima kasih kepada Lutfi yang sudi terbang jauh dari Bintulu untuk berlakon dalam cerita ini. Malah mengorbankan cuti tahunannya yang sepatutnya digunakan untuk perkara yang teramatlah penting.

Secara peribadi, skrip MMSA adalah boleh dikatakan lucah. Ada tujuan diwujudkan nuansa yang sebegitu didalam MMSA. Memang mungkin yang menontonnya merasakan, “Eh cerita apa ni?, Ular kepala hitamlah, tu tu lah, bla bla bla”. Walaubagaimanapun, ini jelas menggambarkan pemikiran pelakon utamanya iaitu MAT. MAT sebelumnya seorang yang agak sesat dan rosak, dan memang agak biasa dengan perkara perkara lucah sebegitu.

Kedua, mengapa lucah? Karektor karektor didalam cerita tersebut sememangnya mewakili watak yang jahat. Siapa Ros? Ros yang menduakan MAT dengan melakukan hubungan sulit bersama Roy di Paris. Roy? Sudah terbukti kejahatannya. Pak Tam? Samada perasan atau tidak “Aku dulu pun macam tu jugak, katanya ada ular dalam rumah, rupa rupanya, ular kepala hitam”.

Cuma watak Arn yang ada kedua duanya. Arn dicipta untuk menjadi sinikal terhadap setiap watak dalam cerita tersebut. Ini termasuklah watak watak yang tidak wujud yang hanya sekadar nama seperti Nona, “Nona? Mesti ayam Bandar!”.

Kesilapan teknikal sewaktu pementasan adalah sangat mendukacitakan. Namun apa yang telah diusahakan oleh Moorthy, Ainor dan Jijul harus diberi pujian. Kesilapan langsir pentas terbuka sebelum waktunya adalh boleh dielakkan. Nisa’ yang masih tiada lagi di atas pentas sewaktu adegannya adalah menjadi suatu kesalahan. Ainor selaku pengurus pentas perlu mengawal keadaan. Jawatan pengurus pentas adalah bukan sekadar jawatan. Ainor boleh sahaja memarahi sesiapa sahaja yang tidak mematuhi arahan yang diberikan. Saya berharap perkara kecil sebegini tidak berlaku lagi pada masa yang akan datang. Ia adalah pelajaran yang sangat berharga. Namun tempat mendapatkan pelajaran ini adalah sangat menyakitkan hati (sewaktu persembahan).

Kumpulan Produksi The Qum Actors bersama-sama dengan sebahagian penyokong dari Tronoh Theatre Shop UTP.

Terima kasih semua…


PACEL