[FriendsServingPWDs] A theatre for the Disabled [4月6-8日]

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Finding strength

BY YAM PHUI YEE

A HAPPY tune plays in the background when Mohd Hafizul Roslan appeared on stage. He hurls himself centre stage, as if the music energised him, and swings a cardboard axe with a mighty strike towards an imaginary tree.

"Hiak! Hiak!" he cries, his face gleaming with a smile of satisfaction.

The young man moves around the stage quickly, 'chopping' down more trees before lifting his arms up with pride, like a bodybuilder parading before the judges. There is no sign of shyness on his face even though he is less than a metre tall. He has under-developed limbs, with stubs peeping out of his knee-length leotard and barely a finger on his left hand.

"I'm a strong man," says Mohd Hafizul, 20, known to friends as Amy. He plays Badang, the strongest man in Malay folklore in the stage production Hutan Kenangan.

This is Amy's first time acting in a theatre show, for him the experience so far has been empowering. He prances on stage freely and expresses great confidence doing it. Physical limitations turn into a unique asset which Amy lends to the show.

Hutan Kenangan is a culmination of a three-year theatre program for the disabled, presented by Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLpac) and produced by The Actors Studio and The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur (JFKL). The nine-member cast is selected from Pusat Latihan Perindustrian & Pemulihan Orang Kurang Upaya (PLPP) Bangi, Spastic Centre and Beautiful Gate Foundation.

Based on the similar story which premiered in Osaka, Japan two years ago, Hutan Kenangan has a Malaysian flavour with a scene from classic Malay folklore Bawang Putih Bawang Merah and a joget piece thrown in.

Audition began last year and Shahkirul Nizam from PLPP was thrilled to be selected. Shah is one of the forest fairies who attempts to protect the forest from the evil creature, loosely referred to as jembalang.

"I'm a fairy who is born from a tree. He takes good care of the forest but leaves one day to find strength. During that period, the jembalang destroys the forest so the fairies return to fight it," Shah, 22, excitedly explains.

Walking on his knees, Shah's facial expression is convincing and he also takes on a second character - a comical wigged transvestite. His favourite scene is when the forest fairies are born from roots: the actors rolled underneath a large brown cloth on the floor, showing only different curves of the disabled bodies.

"I was scared at first since I was not used to it, and wearing the sexy leotard too. It was also difficult because there's no dialogue; we have to use all we have to express ourselves.

"But when interest kicks in, I have semangat lah," says Shah, who loves reading, fishing and watching Hindustan movies.

The performers are trained to be independent and only when they need help, the have able-bodied backstage helpers or kuroko at hand.

"You feel appreciated because they give their cooperation voluntarily to make this production a success," says Shah, who hopes his family and friends from Raub, Pahang, will come watch him perform.

Performance troupe Taihen founder and artistic director Kim Manri said the performers and kurokos' performance are beyond her expectation.

Kim's life is a story by itself. After polio left her disabled at age three, she later learnt to live independently and started the troupe to showcase the unique beauty of disabled body in expression. She developed movements from sitting and lying positions; coupled with the performers' individual body forms, the result is inimitable.

When Kim plays the jembalang, she rolls and bends her small body in fluid movements across the stage, the term wheelchair bound falls short in describing her.

"My definition of body movement for the disabled is not like that for normal people. There's originality in our movements. The feeling must come from your heart and naturally, you will enjoy and produce a beautiful movement," says Kim.

The woman who commands high regards from the team is also responsible for the successful staging of My Mother at KLpac January last year. She enjoys every moment on stage, creating new steps and engaging a deep sense of humanity.

"Art is where you can feel the value of human existence. When the movement comes from your heart, both performer and audience will feel it too," she concludes.

Hutan Kenangan will be staged at Pentas 2, KLpac at 8pm on April 6 and 7, as well as at 3pm on April 8. Tickets are priced at RM30 and RM15 (for students, senior citizens, disabled and JFKL members). Contact 03-4047 9000 (KLpac) or 03-2094 9400 (The Actors Studio Bangsar Related Stories:
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[ 本帖最后由 多麗絲 于 7-4-2007 01:11 AM 编辑 ]