Ekamatra’s take on Nusantara classic emphasises modern sensibilities and brings joy to the stage.

If it’s one thing Teater Ekamatra knows how to do best, it’s to produce theatre that knows exactly what it wants to achieve and the emotions it hopes to evoke in its audiences. In its latest, sold out production, the powerhouse local theatre company adapts the classic Nusantara folktale of Bawang Putih Bawang Merah for the Esplanade’s annual Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts.

Directed by Moh Fared Jainal, and adapted by Malaysian writer Ridhwan Saidi, who also worked on Teater Ekamatra’s smash hit Bangsawan Gemala Malam (2022), Bawang Putih Bawang Merah marks a new entry for the company as they expand on and dive deeper into the fairytale, maintaining its sense of whimsy and magic, while introducing more contemporary values and modern sensibilities into the classic tale of rival sisters.

In this version of Bawang Putih Bawang Merah, we open with an all-seeing, all-powerful figure – Nenek Kebayan (Siti Khalijah Zainal). Often presented as a crone, Ekamatra’s reimagining instead grants her much more youth, brimming with an aura of wisdom and knowledge in a grand, warrior-like golden outfit by Tube Gallery, as performer Siti sings an opening number, preparing us for the mini odyssey that lies ahead, her voice crisp and confident.

What we’re then faced with is a darker interpretation of the original myth, as we meet rivals and stepsisters Bawang Merah (Nabila Huda) and Bawang Putih (Munah Bagharib), who live in the same house as their respective mothers – Mak Labu (Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit) and Mak Kundur (Siti Hajar Abdul Gani). In the absence of a father figure and grieving his loss, the women end up bickering and wrestling for control over the household, constantly plotting against or abusing each other. Especially with the older women both magic practitioners – one a healer and the other a practitioner of black magic, there are clear contrasts and antagonisms that emerge between them, creating a discomforting atmosphere where we feel a palpable sense of danger, with the very real possibility of injury or even death.

These are brought out not only by the clear colour contrasts in costumes adorned by the cast, but also in their characterisation and performances. Nabila Huda brings a distinct sense of gentle innocence and care to Bawang Merah, while Munah Bagharib’s Bawang Putih is more mischievous, with a streak of something primal and cruel on the verge of emerging from the depths of her soul when interacting with her stepsister. Yet, it is clear that these behaviours are learned from their mothers – Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit too brings kindness to Mak Labu, while Mak Kundur often takes on something far more wicked, driven by powerlust and rage to do harm onto her rivals, often with a scowl or a smirk on her face.

On the other hand, these scenes are also interspersed with those of the prince Raja Munda (Rizman Putra) and his loyal advisor and companion Pembesar (Fir Rahman), both returning from travelling the world for Raja to claim his rightful place on the throne. While the tension here is less palpable than that of the women, there is still a sense of resistance felt as Raja insists on performing kingship his way, often fumbling about as they engage on royal hunts, with Rizman Putra’s larger-than-life, laugh-out-loud performance a clear crowd favourite each time he takes a tumble, with impeccable comic timing. Opposite him, Fir Rahman keeps his cool while staying stoic, though clearly disapproving and almost on the verge of sighing at his tough job.

What ties these two seemingly disparate storylines, and Bawang Putih Bawang Merah as a whole together, is the inherent need to push back against generational trauma, conflict, and traditional rules that prevent each individual from moving on and forming their own identity. All this becomes clear once the four younger leads meet, as they turn their energies outwards towards the systems that have kept them entrapped, pushing back against what is expected of them and instead, standing their ground to make a change so they can be freed.

To that end, Bawang Putih Bawang Merah becomes a kind of battle between traditions and modernity, utilising and adapting this tale as a means to show that while there is plenty to be appreciated and held onto in one’s time-tested culture, one must also be rid of the toxicity holding people back. These are elements that are presented even through its storytelling and stylistic features, where ensemble members Ali Mazrin, Elizabeth Sergeant Tan, Jayden Lim and Natalie Linn Titus showcase puppet work of animals roaming and birds in flight, at times reminiscent of wayang kulit, while the live, Malay music ensemble plays a combination of more traditional sounds, and more contemporary beats, all composed by Safuan Johari. Tube Gallery’s costumes, while showcasing tie-dyed colours, are matched with trainers and silhouettes that merge classic and modern silhouettes.

All this plays out against Mohd Fared Jainal’s minimalist set design, comprising angular polygonal shapes in white, forming a landscape that at times resembles the deck of a ship, while being abstract enough for us to imagine the interior of palaces or kampungs, when the script calls for it. Adrian Tan’s lighting forms the backdrop for the set, with singular colours over a gradient of shades and hues to focus the emotions and energy of a scene.

As director, Fared clearly knows how to have his cast navigate their way around both the set and Ridhwan Putra’s dialogue-heavy script, which not only makes the story feel like a twisting, contorted dark forest, where anything could happen, but even plays with the language, utilising pronouns and wordplay that mixes in modern lingo to give a sense of anachronism, and the feeling that this is a play ready to break from traditional confines. Together, the ensemble showcases great chemistry, their interactions genuine as they tease or grapple with each other, able to take us on that journey of shifting alliances and perspectives to showcase character growth.

What Bawang Putih Bawang Merah shows is that there is indeed a place for a happy medium between the old and the new, so long as those that have stood guard for so long allow for the space for the younger generations to explore and redefine culture in their own way, while respecting the work of those that came before them. And amidst all that, it also remembers to do what good theatre is meant to do – to entertain, to delight, and still to ensure there is a subtle moral to be brought home after the show’s over, as it champions the process and triumph of self-discovery and the value of challenging societal norms, in the hope for a better age, in having the courage to fight for one’s independence and free will.

Photo Credit: A. Syadiq

Bawang Putih Bawang Merah played from 10th to 12th May 2024 at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre. More information available here

Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts 2024 ran from 9th to 12th May 2024 at the Esplanade. Full programme and more information available here

Production Credits:

Director/Set Designer Mohd Fared Jainal Playwright Ridhwan Saidi Cast Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit, Fir Rahman, Munah Bagharib, Nabila Huda, Rizman Putra, Siti Hajar Abd Gani, Siti Khalijah Zainal Puppeteer/Ensemble Ali Mazrin, Elizabeth Sergeant Tan, Jayden Lim, Natalie Linn Titus Musicians Mohamad Norazamm Isma Suffian, Muhammad Akasyah, Muhammad Azfar Lighting Designer Adrian Tan Music Director/Sound Designer Safuan Johari Costume Designer Tube Gallery Technical Manager A Kumarran Choreographer Ruby Jayaseelan Vocal Coach Babes Conde Puppetry Associate Ellison Tan Wardrobe Master Rafil bin Kamaruddin Hair & Makeup Nur Jan Shah Hair & Makeup Assistants Muhammad Aizat Ibrahim, Alif Ali Khan Producer Shaza Ishak Production Stage Manager Khairina Khalid Assistant Production Manager Anais Adjani Resident Designer Akbar Syadiq Assistant Stage Managers Ashley Maddala, Giovanni Harris Sound Operator Leon Gabriel Wan Surtitlist Nur Farisah Production Intern Sharmin bte Norman