Malaysian Verse Drama

The first Malaysian verse drama written in English was staged recently in Penang:

THEATRE-goers in Penang were recently treated to Anike, a verse drama by Wong Phui Nam. Closely based on Antigone, the ancient Greek tragedy by Sophocles, Anike presented no small challenge to Cape Poetics, a group of amateur actors.

Though carrying out their roles with dedication, the two main actors - Jayaram Menon (playing king Maniaka of a fictional pre-Islamic Nusantara state) and May Kung (playing Anike who defies him) - managed to convey the emotional underlying subtexts while maintaining the lyrical sound patterns.

Indeed, the subtext and lyricism are closely interconnected in Wong's first play.

Read the full review here.