Friday August 3, 2007
Love amidst turmoil
By S. INDRAMALAR
Zamil Idris and Doreen Tang speak enthusiastically about their lovers’ roles in Tunku the Musical.
He sang his heart out in front of thousands of Malaysians (and a panel of not-always-kind judges) in the first Malaysian Idol in 2004 and has been the host of local talk show, Hello on Two (RTM 2), for the past two years. Yet Zamil Idris is a bundle of nerves about his stage debut in Tunku the Musical, a Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) production.
Playing one of the seven principal cast members in the production, Zamil is painfully aware that he is venturing into foreign territory – theatre.
“I am dead scared,” he admits. “It will be my first time on stage. With (Malaysion) Idol, I was just singing, just entertaining ... with this, I have to sing, dance and act. I have to concentrate on multiple things ... my facial expressions, my body language, my pronunciation, my tone ... I have to bring my character out well because if I don’t (succeed), the audience is going to switch off and that’s it,” says Zamil in an interview at KLPac recently.
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Confrontation: Malik (Zamil Idris) and Fauzia (Doreen Tang) dealing with dad Syed’s (played by Tony Eusoffe) disapproval. |
Their love, however, is met with opposition from Syed, who does not approve of Fauzia because she is not a “pure Malay”.
“My dad (Syed) is kind of racist ... he does not approve of Fauzia and wants me to concentrate on my education and not get caught up in a romance,” explains Zamil.
Tang, who plays Malik’s love, adds, “I (Fauzia) fall in love with Malik and that causes me a lot of grief! Really, it does. Both of us are actually the only two characters (in the musical) who don’t take sides (politically). We are in our own world, completely in love.”
Both Zamil and Tang got their parts via open auditions held early this year. At the time, neither had a clear picture of the musical nor were they expecting to land themselves the main roles.
“I was actually accompanying a friend who wanted to audition. She persuaded me to audition as well. I definitely did not expect to get a principal role ... I was thinking I’d get an ensemble part, perhaps,” recalls Zamil, an accountant by training.
“I heard about the auditions only a day before and though I knew nothing about the story, I thought I would give it a try. I knew I would not get the part of Tunku, of course; I just went without much expectations.
“It was only when I got the part and read the story that I realised that Tunku doesn’t even appear in the play! But you know what? I was absolutely sold (on the musical) when I heard the music. To me, that’s the most important element ... that’s what stays with me when I go and see a musical and I really loved the music for this production,” says Tang, who jokes that she was a systems engineer “in another life”.
The music and lyrics for Tunku the Musical are written by Lim Chuang Yik and Teng Ky-Gan (who also did the score for the musical, Broken Bridges, last year) while the musical director for Tunku is Mervyn Peters.
The story of Tunku the Musical spans 50 years and is divided into a prologue (Aug 31, 1957), Act One (the Singapore-Malaya separation), Act Two (the 1969 riots) and an Epilogue (present-day Malaysia).
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Lovebirds: Malik and Fauzi |
Tang, who has some previous experience in theatre (she was in M! the Opera and Broadway Parodies Lah!, among others) can’t wait for Tunku the Musical to open.
“Actually, I am keen to get it (rehearsals) over with. For me, it is always more difficult during rehearsals. Once the show starts, I get into the swing of things and it is a lot easier,” says Tang.
Zamil, Tang and their cast mates (the production boasts a cast of more than 50, including an ensemble and are led by Tony Eusoff, Douglas Lim, Syuk Ibrahim, Maria Yasmin and Evelyn Toh) have been hard at work since May.
“We have been rehearsing six days a week ... for the last three months. It has been great, actually. I grew up on musicals like The King and I and other Rogers and Hammerstein musicals ... I have always loved the stage so it is great to get to do this.
“My cast members have become like family. I have learnt not only how to act, but how to move on stage properly and how to project my voice ... I actually look forward to rehearsals!” says Zamil.
Adds Tang, “Yah, you do tend to get attached to each other. Whether we are in a good or bad mood, we have to face each other. I am sure at the close of the production we will be really sad (to part).”
Was it easy for the two (who had never met, let alone acted together prior to this) to appear as lovers on stage?
“Well, it was of course awkward at first, but after a few rehearsals it was okay,” says Zamil with a laugh.
The fact that the two get along off stage makes things easier.
“It helps that we can talk to each other like friends off stage. I find that very important. If I can’t talk to an actor off stage, I find it difficult to act with him,” says Tang.
More than just great exposure, Tunku the Musical has also turned out to be a lesson in history for both the young performers. Though the story of the country’s independence is not unknown to them, the experience of re-enacting certain scenes in history some 50 years ago has been enlightening.
“Most of us (younger generation) did not live through that time of independence and the May 13th riots. This musical is trying to show how people’s lives have been affected by those events and by Tunku.
“There are a lot of emotions that surface ... love, hatred, anger, and misunderstandings ... we get it all and we see it all. I think it makes us grateful for what we are and have today,” says Zamil.
Adds Tang, “These are the things we learnt during history lessons in school. I got an A for history, by the way, but that was only to pass exams. But to try and use past events and reflect upon them on stage, to see them being played out is something totally different.
“It helps us imagine how things were back then. It has made me understand and feel our history much more than our history books ever did.”
As the costumes are in black and white, Zamil remarks that watching the production is akin to watching a black and white P. Ramlee movie.
With less than a fortnight to go before opening night, Zamil and Tang are working on perfecting certain areas of their performance as well as getting used to the stage they will be acting on.
“It is very important for me to get comfortable with the stage. Pentas One (the venue) is very different from our rehearsal space now ... we will really have to project our voices and I want to be ready for that and not feel nervous.
“I think if we are nervous it will show on stage,” says Tang.
For Zamil, one of his goals is to shed some weight.
“I have already lost about 10 pounds (about 4.5kg) since May and I want to lose another 10. Seriously, I am playing a 20-year-old and ? have you seen my dad (Tony Eusoff)?”
While they have enjoyed and gained from the direction of Joe Hasham (creator and director of the production) whom they say allowed them “creative freedom” and the rest of the cast, they are looking forward to opening night.
Tunku the Musical runs from Aug 11 to Sept 2 at Pentas 1 of the KLPac. Showtime is 8.30pm daily, except Sundays when it is 3pm. Tickets are priced at RM80, RM60 and RM40 (students, disabled and senior citizens). For tickets or more information, call the box office at 03-40479000 (KLPac) or 03-20949400 (The ActorsStudio) or visit www.klpac.com.
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