A Modern Mahsuri

First published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times

19 April 2009

A Modern Mahsuri

Actress Vanidah Imran puts a modern twist to the role of Mahsuri in the latest musical reinterpretation of the tragic tale, writes MAX KOH

I remember hearing the tragic story of Mahsuri when just a child. I was on a boat heading for Pulau Langkawi when I was told how the heroine was wrongly accused of adultery and was executed by stabbing.

As white blood flowed from her wounds signifying her innocence, she laid down a seven-generation curse on the inhabitants of Langkawi.

It is no wonder that the story commands such an attention. And, it gets a new lease of life in Fauziah Nawi’s Teater Mahsuri to be staged at the Istana Budaya soon.

Screen siren Vanidah Imran will take on the titular role, working alongside singer Azharudin (Arja) Ramli (Akademi Fantasia 4), thespian Azman Hasan, and veteran actress Azizah Mahzan.

Some of the female performers in Mahsuri

“It is a great privilege to play the character as I have always been fascinated with Mahsuri’s story,” says Vanidah.

“I want to bring a new quality to the role that modern audiences can easily relate to.”

In preparing for her role, Vanidah admitted that she did not watch any of the previous film versions, as she did not want to be influenced by their portrayals.

“I want to express a different take on the role, and I completely trust the direction of Fauziah to bring out the character in me,” adds Vanidah who was last seen onstage in Muzikal Putra.

“But I’ll probably watch the film versions after I’m done,” she adds with a lovely laugh.

Vanidah describes her role as a regular kampung girl who is trapped in a situation where she is accused by her jealous mother-in-law of adultery.

This happens when her husband, Wan Darus, sets off to war and a handsome peddlar, Deramang, comes to visit Mahsuri and her parents.

Rehearsals are fun

The green-eyed mother-in-law accuses Mahsuri of adultery when she gives birth to Darus’ son, causing both Mahsuri and Deramang to be sentenced to death.

“The musical allows me to channel Mahsuri more as a regular person (and less of a mythical figure),” says Vanidah.

The musical features a number of songs composed by Rahimidin Zahari, and include duets with Arja and Azman.

This is a new experience for Vanidah as she will be singing “live” for the first time in a staged musical.

“I’m slightly nervous. Previously, I had my vocals recorded in the studio first. These were then played during the show.”

For this, Vanidah says, she has to ensure she eats right to take care of her vocals. But she loves the challenge, including learning some silat moves, which she describes as a load of fun.

She also describes the cast as a good mix of new and old actors.

“This is something new for Arja who has no previous acting experience. On the other hand, you have veterans like Azizah (who plays Wan Endah) and Azman Hasan (Deramang). The mix is really great as we get to learn new things from each other.”

With many acting credits in films and television under her belt, she still feels most at home on stage.

“I’m really pushing myself and working harder for this play as I know that people’s expectations are quite high. The reason why I love theatre is that you are constantly exploring the character.

“It doesn’t matter if you have played the role for one night, you can always bring a new side to her the next time. And theatre demands you to be consistent throughout the whole play, something very different from acting in films and TV,” explains Vanidah who first debuted onstage in Megat Terawis in 1994.

Vanidah has acted in films such as Histeria and Akhirat. She will soon appear alongside Afdlin Shauki in Setem and Papadom coming out soon this year.

For now, Vanidah will mesmerise the audience as Malaysia’s most famous folklore heroine, Mahsuri.

• Catch Teater Mahsuri at 8.30pm from April 24-30 at Panggung Sari Istana Budaya. Tickets: RM30, RM50, RM70, and RM100. Call 03-41498600 or 03-40265558 or visit www. istanabudaya.gov.my.