Cindua Mato the Musical

I was at the Istana Budaya recently, a couple of days ago to check out the new Musical 'Randai' play  they had scheduled for 25-27 of March at the Panggung Sari theatre there . I am pretty sure it is going to be a very interesting play as the line up of actors and actresses are pretty star studded such as Remy Ishak, Azhan Rani, Ashraf Muslim as well as the lovely Puteri Aishah Sulaiman.

(Barisan artis popular seperti Remy Ishak, Azhan Rani, Ashraf Muslim dan Puteri Aishah Sulaiman akan menjayakan pementasan Panggung Seni Ekstravaganza Muzikal Randai “Cindua Mato” pada 25-27 Mac ini di Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya (IB).)

Randai is a traditional folk theater musical that incorporates music, singing, dance, drama as well as local silat martial art. Randai is normally performed for traditional ceremonies and festivals, and some of the complex stories could even span a few of evenings. 

. Stories are told by acting and singing and are mostly based on Minangkabau legends and folktales. Randai originated early in the 20th century out of fusion of local martial arts, story-telling and other performance traditions. 

Since I was there early, I got to meet some of the main characters for the Randai Musical such as Azhan Rani here who plays the character Dang Tuanku, who may or may not be Cindua Mato's half brother. He was engaged to the Puti Bongsu but then lost her to Cindua Mato...

The love birds in the story... the title character Cindua Mato , played by Remy Ishak and Puti Bongsu, played by the lovely newcomer Puteri Aishah Sulaiman. Puteri Aishah happened to be my step daughter, Alyssa's college mate and close friend back then...

And I finally get to meet one of the veteran actors I admire most... Dato’ Jalaluddin Hassan who plays the character Rajo Tiang Bungkuk, Cindua Mato's enemy.

According to Datuk Norliza Rofli, the Director of Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN) at the press conference today, the show is a part of the effort to make sure that the art of Randai continues in today's modern society so that our country's heritage will be protected for future generations to come...

(Menurut Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN), Datuk Norliza Rofli dalam satu sidang media hari ini, pementasan ini ialah sebahagian daripada usaha untuk memastikan kelangsungan kesenian Randai dalam masyarakat moden bagi memastikan warisan negara ini dipertahankan untuk generasi akan datang.)

This is also to raise awareness, understanding, and public appreciation for a classical art which is authentic and rich with culture and good moral values. Randai is a traditional art well known among the Minangkabau society who originate from West Sumatera and who has expanded to all over the Malay archipelago.

(Ia juga bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan, kefahaman dan apresiasi masyarakat terhadap kesenian klasik yang autentik dan kaya dengan nilai seni dan moral.Randai ialah kesenian tradisional yang terkenal dalam kalangan masyarakat Minangkabau yang berasal daripada Sumatera Barat telah berkembang ke seluruh pelusuk alam Melayu di nusantara.)

The sneak preview I got to watch was really moving, powerful and colourful...as to be expected by the star studded cast line up...

The Randai musical using the simple language and daily dialect of the Minang society will be directed by Istana Budaya's Lokman Ghani. Dr Indra Utama will act as the choreographer, assisted by four other choreograhers from JKKN who will be Siti Suhailah Taman, Amran Nunet, Zaidi Karim and Nik Azwadi.

(Muzikal Randai yang berasaskan bahasa dan loghat harian masyarakat Minang ini akan diarahkan  oleh Lokman Ghani dari IB.  Dr. Indra Utama bertindak sebagai koreografer dibantu oleh empat orang koreografer Kumpulan Kesenian JKKN iaitu Siti Suhailah Taman, Amran Nunet, Zaidi Karim dan Nik Azwadi. )

Dato’ Jalaluddin Hassan in his element as the Rajo Tiang Bungkuk.

Puteri Aishah Sulaiman as Puti Bongsu bemoaning the fact she is being married of to someone she does not know or want to be with....

Cindua Mato is a story about the origins of Minangkabau royalty. The story which might or might not be the one that will be staged (since I googled this up and translate it a bit to my understanding...) involves a mythical Minangkabau queen, Bundo Kanduang who lives in Paga Ruyuang. 

She embodies the behaviors prescribed by adat. Bundo Kanduang had one child called Dang Tuanku as well as a step-child who was Cindua Mato. Dang Tuanku and Cindua Mato were brothers that had same father but different mothers. 

This musical is about him, and how he stole his half brother’s fiancée as well as used magic to defeat hostile outside forces, saved the kingdom to be crowned King of the Minangkabau…

This musical gets its artistic touch from Hazize San, from Istana Budaya. And at least 40 cultural artists and musicians will be involved in the staging which also has the Negeri Sembilan cultural team and local teams teaming up and musicians from both the JKKN cultural group and Istana Budaya's musicians working together 

(Muzikal ini turut mendapat sentuhan artistik daripada Hazize San, dari IB.

Seramai 40 orang artis budaya dan pemuzik akan terlibat dalam pementasan ini yang melibatkan gabungan Kumpulan Kesenian JKKN Negeri Sembilan, Ibu Pejabat dan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala serta pemuzik tradisional yang terdiri dari gabungan pemuzik Istana Budaya dan Kumpulan Kesenian JKKN.)

There will also be 15 silat practitioners from the Persekutuan Seni Silat Cekak Pusaka Ustaz Hanafi, Malaysia as well as the Kumpulan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Kampung Gagu, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan making this musical a success

(15 orang pesilat dari Persekutuan Seni Silat Cekak Pusaka Ustaz Hanafi, Malaysia serta Kumpulan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Kampung Gagu, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan turut memeriahkan lagi pementasan ini.)

ACTORS/ACTRESSES

REMY ISHAK as  Cindua Mato

AZHAN RANI as Dang Tuanku 

Dato’ Jalaluddin Hassan as Rajo Tiang Bungkuk

Dato’ Ahmad Tamimi Siregar as Datuk Bandaro

Ashraf Muslim as Rajo Mudo 

Zuhairi Ibrahim as Imbang Jayo

Wan Mohd Azlan Hussin as Che Wan Silat 

Buyung Zasdar as Tuan Kadi 

Khusiary Effendy as Datuk Mangkudum 

Ebby Yus as Duba 

Vanidah Imran as Bundo Kanduang

Puteri Aishah Sulaiman as Puti Bongsu 

Juhara Ayob as Puti Linduang Bulan 

Norsiah Mohd Yatim as Kambang Bandahari

The tickets to watch this musical play will be priced at RM25, RM55 dan RM 85 and available via www.airasiaredtix.com or directly purchased from the box-office counter at the Istana Budaya or certain Rock Corner or Victoria Music outlets

( Tiket bagi menyaksikan persembahan Randai ini berharga RM25, RM55 dan RM 85 dan boleh didapati dengan melayari www.airasiaredtix.com atau dengan membelinya di kaunter tiket box-office Istana Budaya atau outlet Rock Corner di The Gardens, Mid Valley, KLCC, Subang Parade dan The Curve, serta di outlet Victoria Music di Sungei Wang,  Amcorp Mall dan Tropicana.)

 RANDAI PERFORMANCE AT ISTANA BUDAYA______________________

1.	25 & 26 Mar 2016 (Fri   & Sat)	8.30 pm Panggung Sari Istana Budaya	RM 25.00 RM 55.00 RM 85.00
2.	27 March 2016 ( Sun )	3.00 pm Panggung Sari Istana Budaya