GEORGE TOWN –The opening act for ‘A Decade with penangpac’ held last weekend was a Boria sketch and dance, helmed by the first non-Malay tukang karang (singer) in Boria performance history in the country. It was also the first time the Malay theatrical production featured a multicultural main cast.
According to production manager, Ilya Rusaidy, a 12-week workshop, supported by aid from Cendana, was held to recruit those who were interested to learn Boria from August to September. They were taught by Boria expert, poet and scriptwriter, Omar Hashim.
Most of the students were then roped in to perform a 10-minute sketch and dance during penangpac’s 10th anniversary celebration and performance. Usually performed by Malays, penangpac is proud to introduce this artistic heritage to non-Malays so they can also enjoy and cherish the art.
“We are very happy to have our first Chinese tukang karang, Saw Ling Siao, who took up the challenge to sing the verses highlighting what penangpac is facing right now, which is the possible closure.
“Then we had the sketch that talks about recent events, namely Covid-19 and penangpac. In the traditional Boria, it is all impromptu, but since our Boria performers are first timers, the script was written just for ‘A decade with penangpac’,” she told The Vibes.
According to company manager, Alexander Ooi, penangpac, as a performing arts centre, plays a crucial role in preserving, promoting, and developing local traditional theatre in Penang – which is Boria.
Compared with other traditional theatrical arts, he believes Boria presents content in a very light and humourous way. It is more like an entertainment variety show.
“If it could be promoted in every corporate event here, the market will grow and there will be a fanbase. It would be able to support more artists and then we can eventually bring back Boria to our community.
“I agree we should learn, preserve and cherish the original form of Boria, but at the same time we could also not just keep this among the Malay community, Boria should be something that can be enjoyed by every Penangite,” he said.
He hopes to continue educating non-Malays about this traditional art form, and that it will be staged more often so friends, families and the public will be able to support such shows. With multiracial elements introduced into the art form, he hopes that another kind of Boria can be developed and be loved by all.
If there is a chance, Alexander wants to introduce other local traditional theatres to vernacular schools through their Kelab Bahasa Malaysia.
“If English language clubs can do a Shakespeare's play, learn and promote the beauty of the language, I can't see why Kelab Bahasa Malaysia cannot achieve that through putting up a traditional Malay theatre performance,” Alexander said.
Boria, is a theatrical art that reached Penang in the mid-19th century that is believed to have originated from Persia. The 150-year-old art form that has been slowly losing its prominence on the heritage front was brought centre stage to a contemporary crowd at penangpac, with nine other acts consisting of dance, song, comedy, and drama from November 11 to 13. – The Vibes, November 21, 2021
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