Write an article about Re-examining the tale of Hang Tuah, for modern times .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), Retain any existing tags from Performer Faiq Syazwan Kuhiri rehearsing on the stage of ‘Fragments of Tuah’. (Five Arts Centre pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Several years ago, during the pandemic, director Mark Teh noticed something unusual online. Local hero Hang Tuah was suddenly making quite an impact online.
Many content creators were invoking his name in their videos, some claiming to have discovered his birthplace and final resting place at various sites across the region.
“I was very curious about this. Why was there this sudden resurgence? Why were people so invested in proving the authenticity of this folk hero from about 500 years ago?
“I thought it might be because of Covid, a time full of anxiety, which led many people going down online rabbit holes,” Teh told FMT Lifestyle.
Teh, a member of arts group Five Arts Centre, joined forces with fellow members to research the different faces, facets and phases of the legendary figure. It was a journey that would take about three years.
The result of this is “Fragments of Tuah”, new documentary theatre work set to original music, that revisits, reconsiders, and reimagines Hang Tuah through materials drawn from archival documents, episodes from “Hikayat Hang Tuah”, songs, memories and representations of this iconic historical figure in the country’s landscape.
Director Mark Teh visited this statue on Jalan Hangtuah in Bali as part of his research. (Five Arts Centre pic)
“We’re not staging a Hang Tuah vs Hang Jebat fight or anything like that. That’s been done better by many other productions already. We’re presenting a documentary work looking at different fragments of evidence, or stories, about Hang Tuah,” Teh said with a laugh.
The documentary” is produced by June Tan and Hoe Hui Ting, and features multimedia designer Bryan Chang, musicians/performers OJ Law and Shariman Shuhaime, and stage manager Azmanzaki Amirolzakri.
Teh revealed that the production’s set design was derived from “Hikayat Hang Tuah”: quite literally. The stage is decorated with pages from the classic Malay epic, in a literal deconstruction of the legend.
The team behind the show (front, L-R): production designer Wong Tay Sy, lighting designer Syamsul Azhar, performer Faiq Syazwan Kuhiri, (back L-R) stage manager Armanzaki Amirolzakri, multimedia designer Bryan Chang, director Mark Teh (Five Arts Centre pic)
The theatre production features about seven “fragments”, each one an investigation into a different facet of Hang Tuah’s life.
Teh added that in putting the production together, he visited places bearing Hang Tuah’s name, including in Jogja and Bali. He also examined 300-year-old manuscripts mentioning the iconic figure in archives in Britain and the Netherlands.
The production also features an interview with Waveney Jenkins, the sculptor of the famous Hang Tuah mural now displayed in Muzium Negara.
“Fragments of Tuah” features a performance by researcher Faiq Syazwan Kuhiri. According to Teh, Faiq’s role represents the experiences of the researchers on this project, and the actor plays himself, i.e. a young Malay who goes in search of Hang Tuah.
Faiq is also a member of the rock band Terror: some of their songs, which touch on issues such as toxic masculinity, will also be featured.
“We use some of Faiq’s songs as a way to think about the warrior figure of Hang Tuah. That brings in the contemporary views of young Malaysians now, and how this contrasts with the seemingly ‘national figure’ of Hang Tuah. How does he hold sway over us now? Faiq contrasts his own experiences with the mythic hero’s,” Teh said.
‘Fragments of Tuah’ will be staged in August and September of this year. (Five Arts Centre pic)
He added the production did not aim to present one single truth or linear biography of Hang Tuah. Rather, it invited audiences to a space of reflection, to ponder about what this legendary figure may mean in the historical and contemporary landscape within and beyond Malaysia.
“’Fragments of Tuah’ takes a look at a story that we think we know, but we actually don’t. There’s so much more to the story of Hang Tuah beyond just his fight with Hang Jebat and his loyalty to the sultan,” Teh concluded.
“I think it’s important to think about what stories take centre stage in our society and our politics now. Who are the storytellers? What do their stories achieve? That is the question we are trying to address in our history,” Teh said.
Fragments of Tuah
Venue: Pentas 2, klpac
Time and Dates:
8.30pm (Aug 28-30; Sept 4-6)
3pm (Aug 30-31; Sept 7-9)
Ticket prices: RM80 (regular); RM60 (concession); RM360 Group of 5
Tickets to ‘Fragments of Tuah’ can be purchased via Cloudjoi.
and integrate them seamlessly into the new content without adding new tags. Include conclusion section and FAQs section at the end. do not include the title. it must return only article i dont want any extra information or introductory text with article e.g: ” Here is rewritten article:” or “Here is the rewritten content:”