Telling the classic tale of Radin Mas through Bharatanatyam and Javanese dance.

The legend of Radin Mas has been passed down for generations, the epic tale of a princess born out of forbidden love, and the subsequent trials and tribulations that followed the family long after, to its eventual, tragic conclusion of filial piety and self-sacrifice. The classics never get old, and under the collaborative efforts of Bhaskar’s Arts Academy and Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts, elevates it further, with a new production that marries Bharatanatyam, Javanese dance, and other traditional folk arts to present a truly Singaporean show.

Co-choreographed by Meenakshy Bhaskar, Iramaya Sophia Hamzah, Ahmad Sufiandi Bin Jumadi, and Mohammad Syaiful Nizam Bin Khamis, the show starts off exactly how you would tell a traditional story, with a ritual as the dancers mimic the wayang kulit art form, their shadows forming on the screen behind, as we feel slowly immersed into the ancient world of Radin Mas. Under music directors Dr Ghanavenothan Retnam and Muhamad Firdaus Bin Mohamad Shah, along with Safuan Johari’s multimedia design and soundscape, you become keenly aware of how everything syncs together so well, as the dancers move in time to the beat, lulling us into this fantasy onstage, supported by a dreamy facade created by Alberta Wileo’s lighting.

Even for those unfamiliar with the story, each act is preceded by a short synopsis, allowing all audience members to better appreciate the creative direction taken in this production. In the opening dance sequence, we see dancers from both companies come onstage, representing the organic, seamless weaving of both Malay and Indian cultures together. Visually, this is represented by the costumes, with elegant gold and black kebayas on one side brimming with royalty, while the other features bharatanatyam dancers with bells on their ankles. Most of all, when Pengaran (Mohamed Fareed Bin Mohamed Sallim) and his chosen bride (Davinya Ramathas) appear, with a keris knife and a crown respectively, they are both graceful and beautiful, befitting of a royal couple, as they start a family together, with a baby in hand, filled with joy.

But joy never lasts for long, as conflict threatens the happy family, and horses enter the fray. Utilising the unique horse dance art form from both Javanese and Tamil cultures – kuda kepang and poikal kuthirai, we see elaborately decorated horses enter the fray, with bows and arrows that make it clear the kingdom is caught in a brutal war. As Radin Mas’ mother sits under the moonlight and sings a song of love to her baby, she falls asleep, and the dancers surround her, dancing feverishly like flames, eventually engulfing and extinguishing her once and for all.

Come the second act, and Pengeran has fled with baby Radin Mas Ayu to the kampungs of Singapura, utilising bamboo structures to cleverly form the shapes of houses. Once again, the royal family, or what remains of it, is under threat, this time by invading pirates, and the music is more important than ever, helping evoke the high tension from the danger in the scene. Both the dancers and musicians trade glances with each other, and it is clear that they both enjoy this collaborative process, happy to be telling this story together. Radin Mas may be a tragedy, but this production also finds time for some lighter moments as well, along with moments of respite that make the eventual deaths all the more devastating – watching rain come down from all directions, there is joy as they sing and dance in the deluge.

In its third and final act, Pengeran and Tengku Khadija (Nur Izzayanti Binte Ali)’s rift is clear, with the tension clearly displayed through well-executed dance moves. As Khadija begins to plot with Tengku Bagus (Bala Saravanan Loganathan), we begin to fear for our protagonists, as their nefarious plans turn to action, and they celebrate their dastardly deeds with what almost looks like a jig. With Radin Mas Ayu now a beautiful young woman, Biju Gowripriya dons the same clothes used to wrap the princess as a baby, showing the continuity from birth to adolescence to marriage. Turning to Tengku Bagus, they begin to dance, almost in conversation, showcasing her fear.

Everything comes to a head as Khadija’s plans come to light, and chaos ensues, the vengeance and jealousy gleaming in Bagus’ eyes. In the final climactic moment, as he moves to stab Pengeran, Radin Mas does the unthinkable, shielding her father with her own body, leading to a slow dance of death. The bond between father and daughter is clear for all to see, the sheer anguish clear from his expression and movements, as he lays her to rest in the very same cloth she was wearing, following her from birth to death to complete the cycle.

As we now see family and friends come forward to lay flowers upon her and mourn, we take a moment to take in the savage beauty of this entire production, minimalistic yet able to convey incredible emotion with nimble footwork, body language, and facial expression to bring out the full sense of loss. Kudos to both companies for a successful collaboration, and for Bhaskar’s Arts Academy Artistic Director Meenakshy Bhaskar for carrying on the torch her parents started with yet another powerful cross-cultural work that is testament to the strength in diversity and multiculturalism in the arts.

Photo Credit: Lijesh Karunakaran

Radin Mas played for one night only on 14th October 2023 at Victoria Theatre. More information available here

Production Credits:

Advisor Som Binte Mohamed Said Artistic Director Meenakshy Bhaskar Choreographer Meenakshy Bhaskar, Iramaya Sophia Hamzah, Ahmad Sufiandi Bin Jumadi, Mohammad Syaiful Nizam Bin Khamis Music Director Dr Ghanavenothan Retnam, Muhamad Firdaus Bin Mohamad Shah Performers Biju Gowripriya, Mohamed Fareed Bin Mohamed Sallim, Davinya Ramathas, Nur Izzayanti Binte Ali, Bala Saravanan Loganathan Set Designer Randy Chan (Zarch) Lighting Designer Alberta Wileo Multimedia Designer & Soundscape Safuan Johari Sound Engineer Steven Cheong Stage Manager Tan Ching Ting Production Director Adel Dzulkarnaen Bin Ahmad Production Manager Thava Rani Mohan