Malam Adiwarna

At last, the most anticipating event which was our theatre show was the best time I ever had in my DPA days. For three nights, we have been practising the lines, trying the costumes and did some fitting, re-arranging prop and set (and got headache due to some design flaw), it turned out to be the most rewarding moment, which I could not have the best words to describe here.

As the curtain rolled aside, there were ohh and ahhs (a good sign) when my prop team and I were on stage checking everything in order. It was exactly what I have been experiencing during my college time for our English Drama play, only for the previous time was done in careful and highly organised order (we had plenty time to do research, planning and executing within a year). The thrill and the best part would be our unsung loyalty to our batch pride, the secrecy of every single detail of the play will be kept mum till the day of the play. So it was normal for any of us tried to korek here and there, for the sake of knowing other batch strategy to win the Best Play Award. In one time, all our sewn gowns and costumes were regarded by some seniors as rental props from a bridal shop. Nevertheless, we took it as some form of flattery. They could not believe those were made by us, the third formers. Thanks to Farah for being meticulous in sewing all the sequins and stuff on every gown designed by her. I was with the prop team as usual. The spirit among the team members was the best thing I ever had. Till now, I still remember every prop designed using those glittering, silvery or golden paper being crumpled, wrapped or sticked in every imaginable item as decor. We spent quite a lot for sprays, paints, paper and wires. Some even gergaji some plywood, but it was conducted safely without any injuries.

That was about 10 years ago. We are no longer that bunch of young people, passionate, highly imaginative, talented or simply restless. For my DPA theatre, “Ayam Jantan Ayam Betina” the “spirit” was not exactly what we had, as the time did not permit us to mingle and know each other. Perhaps, they never know how exactly I feels about the whole thing. To some of them, it was a mere, one-time infactuation or temporary escapism from the harsh reality of our mundane DPA routine – Negaraku, PTD song, doa, Public Speaking and classes.

And for now, the theatre has given me another chance to experience back the youth, the eagerness and what I have lost along the way.

The theme was for 70’s era when the play was written, so some influence from Rolling Stones, Kugiran and the Hippies way of living. We even had to use every single resource even to borrow a lot of stuff from INTAN and modifying is the best to save the cost. The idea of wrapping the softboard with INTAN white bedsheets as our “walls” or flat proved to be the most cost effective rather for us to build it and sprayed colours on it. Other thing was wrapping some of the “walls” with Dewan Makan table clothes. Luckily, it give some colours like peach, cream and brown. To create the brick effect for the outer part of the house, I bought some cheap bright orange colour of nylon material with black tape as the lining. It looked quite real, and the rest was brought by Ila and the team to make the prop looked authentic for the audience . I even had to hunt this old tobacco pipe for hours in Central Market for a scene in the theatre. Luckily, it was on bargain. Ila had to painstakingly brought her hubby Chooper bike (the most popular type of bike during 70’s even before our BMX) in her already sempit Satria. So, all of us were like puttng our 100 percent effort for this one, this time.

So it was worth every moment as Hema, the STAGE MANAGER and I were congratulating ourselves after we was announced as the winner – The Best Play, The Best Director and the Best Co-Actor Award . Only there was no award for Best Costume or Best Prop (which was too bad lah!).

The rest of Adiwarna Night was filled with other categories which the performance from Georgie’s Band “I will Survive” really rocked the whole audience. I am trully happy that the task is over. Now I can concentrate for my Penempatan Daerah Module.