During the Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival at Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) on Aug 18-20, the musical drama Rentap: The Battle of Bukit Sadok was performed, bringing to life the story of the legendary Iban warrior Rentap. Festival director Zaini Zainuddin expressed his hope that the success of this musical would encourage the growth of the creative industry and performing arts in Sarawak, with the vision of creating a larger platform for the industry and establishing a studio in the future. Zaini envisions Sarawak becoming a hub for Malaysian filmmakers, which would benefit local artists.
The musical drama Rentap portrays the life of the warrior from his youth leading up to the battle against the troops of the White Rajah at Bukit Sadok. The production team made efforts to ensure the historical accuracy of the story, even visiting Bukit Sadok to immerse themselves in the location. The drama specifically focuses on the second battle Rentap fought, where he lost his brother due to the presence of a traitor within their ranks.
Rentap: The Battle of Bukit Sadok explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, jealousy, revenge, and romance between Rentap and his wife Sawai. The majority of the dialogue and songs are in Iban, with some portions in Bahasa Malaysia and English. Artistic director Hamzah Tahir aimed to depict Rentap as a warrior while entertaining the audience, ensuring that each scene was captivating and conveyed the spirit of the warrior.
Hamzah also drew inspiration from West End and Broadway songs for the duets and solos in Rentap. Despite the challenges, such as learning Iban in a short time, the cast displayed discipline and dedication. Sarawakian actor Anding Indrawani, who portrayed Rentap, emphasized the importance of research and preparation to uphold the name of the legendary warrior.
Actress Shakira Stephen, who played Suntey – Sawai’s best friend in love with Rentap, shared her experience of learning Iban within five days, even dreaming about the language at night. Sarawakian singer Melissa Francis, who portrayed Sawai, found the role to be a new challenge, as acting in a stage play differed from singing. Melissa expressed gratitude for working with a talented cast and involving herself in this production.
The story intrigued Melissa, particularly Sawai’s decision to dispose of Rentap’s amulet to save their marriage. This action ultimately led to Rentap’s failure in the final battle. The main cast included Nick Jansen as the White Rajah, Arwan Umar as Rentap’s friend Orang Kaya Nanang, and Abdul Wahab as Iban raid leader Orang Kaya Pemanca Dana Bayang. Additionally, approximately 80 dancers from SCV, apprentices of Sistem Latihan Dual Nasional, and students of Sekolah Seni Malaysia Sarawak participated in the musical.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
