MELAKA: Translating a masterpiece recognised as a world heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) onto the theatre stage is a bold move, said National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN) of Melaka director Ezlina Alias.
She said that while the JKKN of many other states had taken masterpieces in various contexts, including works of national laureates, Melaka was brave enough to translate a historical manuscript recognised by UNESCO, which has a record of 32 copies worldwide, into a musical theatre production.
“The manuscript authored by Tun Sri Lanang, also known as Sejarah Melayu, is indeed controversial but also engrossing as it is rich with philosophy, which I feel is very challenging to translate into a theatre play in terms of scriptwriting and casting,” she said.
She told reporters this after the staging of the musical ‘Manifestasi Karya Agung Sulalat’us Salatin: Keagungan Kemaharajaan Maritim’ at the Panggung Seri Kompleks of the Melaka JKKN here yesterday.
She said that the staging of the masterpiece also offered an opportunity for youth to appreciate the great manuscript in a way that is easier to understand and more enjoyable.
“As stated in this manuscript, there is a mention of a submarine or ‘peti kaca’ which Raja Suran used to go down into the sea to explore and such imagination transcends time and I feel that it is more exciting than The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter (series),
“So, it is the responsibility of the JKKN to showcase these masterpieces in a simpler form because who would want to read in the classic language that is difficult to understand? But when presented in this form, it can attract people to come and appreciate it,” she said.
Meanwhile, theatre director Siti Rohaya Attan admitted to the immense challenge she faced in translating the work onto the theatre stage, especially having to start from scratch and within a short time.
“There was not even a script. So, we prepared the script within three weeks. From the time I was approached to work on the manuscript until tonight’s performance, everything was done in two months.
“But we knew that this manuscript is the history of our nation and I drew inspiration from that to stage it, give an opportunity for the younger generation, those outside of Kuala Lumpur, to appreciate it, especially with what is happening now where many forget their roots, consider ourselves a defeated nation, not smart… whereas in Sulalat’us Salatin we prove that we are a great people,” she said.
The staging of the three-day musical theatre production, which began yesterday (Dec 20) at the Panggung Seri Complex, is a collaboration between the Persatuan Gerakan Anak Seni and CTRA Production and in cooperation with the Melaka JKKN, which received support from the 2024 Cultural Sector Support Grant.
