3. ALFIAN SA’AT
• Born July 18, 1977
• Known for his provocative works.
• Muslim of Minangkabau,
Javanese and Hakka descent
• often referred to as his country's enfant
terrible
4. ALFIAN SA’AT
Back then in school…
• Chairman of drama societies
• Received Kriplani Award
• Took part in the Creative Arts Programme twice
• Attended medical classes at NUS but did not graduate
Work
• I998 – Published first collection of poetry
• Wrote well known plays in English and Malay
• 1999 – Published first collection of short stories
• Currently playwright of WILD RICE and student in NTU
5. ALFIAN SA’AT
Awards
•1995 - Kripalani Award for Outstanding
Contribution to Creative Arts
•1998 - Commendation Award by the Malay
Language Council for Causeway
•2001 - Golden Point Award for Poetry
•2001 - Young Artist Award (Singapore)|Young
Artist Award for Literature
•2005 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script
for Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2
•2006 - FRONT Award
•2010 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script
for Nadirah
6. ALFIAN SA’AT
And he will not do all that because he has already
chosen. He has chosen to believe in “recklessness
over paralysis”, to be “moving” and “dynamic”
rather than stagnate. He has chosen to have a
mindset of “calculated naiveté … to guard
against poisoning [himself]” He has chosen to
speak his mind since “the [cost] of not speaking
out is greater than the cost of being persecuted”.
He has chosen to see all his obstacles as “only as
significant as [he makes] them out to be”. He has
chosen, above all, to be himself.
7. Ma ke a g ue s s on
w h a t N a d ir a h is
a ll a b o u t …
8. NADIRAH
Presented By Written By Directed by
Teater Ekamatra Alfian Sa’at Zizi Azah Abdul Majid & Jo Kukathas
Starring
Siti Khalijah Neo Swee Lin Tony Quek Hatta Said Shida Mahadi
9. NADIRAH
• 1st Run:
17 – 19 December 2009 @ Substation Theatre
• 2nd Run:
17 - 21 August 2011 @ Drama Centre Black Box
• Language: Malay and English
(with English subtitles)
Awards Winning:
• Winner, Best Original Script, Alfian Sa’at
• Winner, Best Supporting Actress, Neo Swee Lin
• Best Actress (Nomination), Siti Khalijah Zainal
• The Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards 2010
10. NADIRAH the play
• A chronicle of what happens when a union of
love goes against religious laws.
• Nadirah is the Vice-President of the NUS Muslim Society.
• How she negotiate her family situation when
her single mother falls in love with a man who is
a Chinese Christian?
• Thought-provoking play.
• Raises Questions.
Themes:
Interfaith marriage, Race, Racial stereotypes, Religion,
Differences within the Malay community and what it really
means to be an Asian.
• The complexities of human relationships.
11. About the Character: NADIRAH
• Popular and articulate Vice-President
of her university’s Muslim Society.
• She convenes inter-faith meetings where students talk
about how they should respect one another’s spaces.
• Product of a mixed marriage.
• Nadirah is a loving yet independent daughter.
• Has a devoted, caring mother; Sahira
who at the same time having dilemma with
desires and emotions.
• Has two Malay Muslim friends,
a liberal woman; Maznah, and a conservative guy; Farouk
• Accusing Mom of not practicing what she preached.
12. Themes & Conflicts
Themes:
• Mother-Daughter Relationship
• Interfaith marriage
• Race
• Racial stereotypes
• Religion
• Social Hierarchy
Issues:
• Sahira’s decision to marry a Christian in a civil marriage.
• Robert not wanting to convert.
• Struggles with the daughter (Nadirah) who is a devout Muslim.
• Mom of not practicing what she preached.
• Different perspectives about the marriage,
religion and society.
13. Other Characters
• Sahira – Mother
A Muslim convert and divorcee. She is a dedicated, patient
and caring mother for her only daughter.
• Dr. Robert Goh – Sahira’s Boyfriend
A doctor in a health clinic. He became devoted to Christianity
after his late wife passed away. He is a composed, attentive
and a wise person.
• Farouk – Nadirah’s friend
As the president of the Islamic society, he is a bigoted and a
fundamentalist with his responses regarding his religious
beliefs.
• Maznah – Nadirah’s friend
Liberal and outspoken with her views and not really pious,
Maznah is smart and articulate, argumentative.
14. Audience Feedbacks
“
"Nadirah" becomes
a platform for voicing
starkly different
perspectives about the
marriage, religion and
society
”
16. Scene Breakdown
“ P la y in g
p o w e r f u lly o n
R a c e & R e lig io n ”
17. Scene Evaluation: Scene 1
Different Beliefs
Are Atheists welcomed to
inter-faith meeting if they
do not believe in God?
18. Scene Evaluation: Scene 2
Socio-cultural Issues
3. What defines a person?
By ethnicity or by race?
How can we make foreigners
understand what is “peranakan”?
2. Foreign labor workers are much cheaper;
how those the other survive?
19. Scene Evaluation: Scene 3
Challenges of Living as a Muslim-convert
(Living as a Muslim)
4.How Sahirah adjusted to her new life and
her challenges in winning custody over
Nadirah.
6.We start to question whether Sahirah truly
believed what she practice.
2. Is living as a Muslim a burden?
3. Would Sahirah do it if it weren’t for
Nadirah?
20. Scene Evaluation: Scene 4 & 5
Inter-religion Marriage
3. What happens when one of them
will not give in their religion?
2. What will be the ending for Sahirah Inner-Conflict
and Robert?
What would Nadirah do as a good 3.Maznah questions
muslim as well as a daughter that Nadirah’s belief as
wants her mother to be happy? oppose to Farouk’s.
Being a Malay Muslim in a 2. Do you agree with
developed society Farouk in terms of his
overall opinions?
1. Can we use religion as an excuse
for “backwardness”?
21. Scene Evaluation: Scene 6
Inter-religion Marriage
1. What happens when one of them will
not give in their religion?
2. What will be the ending for Sahirah
and Robert?
What would Nadirah do as a good
muslim as well as a daughter that
wants her mother to be happy?
Being a Malay Muslim in a
developed society
1. Can we use religion as an excuse
for “backwardness”?
22. Scene Evaluation: Scene 7, 8, 9 &10
Complexities of relationship
For example: (Nadirah’s dad)Muslim
man can marry four wives. In
Nadirah’s case, her dad married
another woman after her mother.
There is a question on how believers
use religion as an excuse for their
own benefits.
23. “ “
Differences in issues between all
Similarities in issues between all the three stories?
three stories?
3. Nasi Lemak 2.0 have a
3. Socio-cultural issues straightforward ending while it is
different for Nadirah and Pinoy
Sunday.
5. Religion or race was portrayed
as a ‘division’ in a society. 4. Tension was mainly on religion,
”
but in Nasi Lemak 2.0 and Pinoy
Sunday, the main issue was
7. Main character(s) are fighting
cultural acceptance.
an inner conflict to resolve the
situation.
Plays English Fighting (1994) Black Boards, White Walls (1997) Yesterday My Classmate Died (1997) sex.violence.blood.gore (co-written with Chong Tze Chien) (1999) Asian Boys Vol. 1 (2000) What's The Difference? (2001) Don't Say I Say (2001) poppy dot dream (2001) The Corrected Poems of Minah Jambu (2001) The Optic Trilogy (2001) 7 Ten: Seven Original 10-minute Plays: Not In (2003) Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2 (2004) Tekka Voices (2004) Mengapa Isa? (2004) The Importance of Being Kaypoh (2005) Harmony Daze (2005) Confessions of 300 Unmarried Men: Blush (2006) Homesick (2006) Happy Endings: Asian Boys Vol 3 (2007) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2008) Beauty And The Beast (2009) Cooling Off Day (2011) Malay Deklamasi Malas (Declamation of Indolence) (1997) Dongeng (Myth) (1997) Anak Bulan di Kampung Wa' Hassan (The New Moon at Kampung Wa' Hassan) (1998) Madu II (Polygamy) (1998) Causeway (1998) Peti Kayu Ibuku (My Mother's Wooden Chest) (translated into Malay from Kuo Pao Kun's translation of Ng Xin Yue's original Mandarin text) (1999) The Miseducation of Minah Bukit (2001) Tapak 7 (Seven Steps) (2001) Selamat Malam Ibu (adapted from ' night Mother by Marsha Norman) (2003) Keturunan Laksmana Tak Ada Anu (adapted from Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral by Kuo Pao Kun) (2003) Minah & Monyet (Minah & Monkey) (2003) Nadirah (2009) Pariah (alternatively staged as Parah ) (2011) Mandarin Fugitives ( 失控 )(co-written with Ng How Wee) (2002) [ edit] Prose English Corridor (SNP, 1999) ISBN 981-4032-40-9 Malay Bisik: Antologi Drama Melayu Singapura (Whisper: Anthology of Malay Singaporean Drama) (Pustaka Cipta, 2003) Poetry One Fierce Hour (Landmark Books, 1998) A History of Amnesia (Ethos Books, 2001) Awards 1995 - Kripalani Award for Outstanding Contribution to Creative Arts 1998 - Commendation Award by the Malay Language Council for Causeway 1999 - Singapore Literature Prize Commendation Award for Corridor 2001 - Golden Point Award for Poetry 2001 - Young Artist Award (Singapore)|Young Artist Award for Literature 2005 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script for Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2 2006 - FRONT Award 2010 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script for Nadirah
Plays English Fighting (1994) Black Boards, White Walls (1997) Yesterday My Classmate Died (1997) sex.violence.blood.gore (co-written with Chong Tze Chien) (1999) Asian Boys Vol. 1 (2000) What's The Difference? (2001) Don't Say I Say (2001) poppy dot dream (2001) The Corrected Poems of Minah Jambu (2001) The Optic Trilogy (2001) 7 Ten: Seven Original 10-minute Plays: Not In (2003) Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2 (2004) Tekka Voices (2004) Mengapa Isa? (2004) The Importance of Being Kaypoh (2005) Harmony Daze (2005) Confessions of 300 Unmarried Men: Blush (2006) Homesick (2006) Happy Endings: Asian Boys Vol 3 (2007) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2008) Beauty And The Beast (2009) Cooling Off Day (2011) Malay Deklamasi Malas (Declamation of Indolence) (1997) Dongeng (Myth) (1997) Anak Bulan di Kampung Wa' Hassan (The New Moon at Kampung Wa' Hassan) (1998) Madu II (Polygamy) (1998) Causeway (1998) Peti Kayu Ibuku (My Mother's Wooden Chest) (translated into Malay from Kuo Pao Kun's translation of Ng Xin Yue's original Mandarin text) (1999) The Miseducation of Minah Bukit (2001) Tapak 7 (Seven Steps) (2001) Selamat Malam Ibu (adapted from ' night Mother by Marsha Norman) (2003) Keturunan Laksmana Tak Ada Anu (adapted from Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral by Kuo Pao Kun) (2003) Minah & Monyet (Minah & Monkey) (2003) Nadirah (2009) Pariah (alternatively staged as Parah ) (2011) Mandarin Fugitives ( 失控 )(co-written with Ng How Wee) (2002) [ edit] Prose English Corridor (SNP, 1999) ISBN 981-4032-40-9 Malay Bisik: Antologi Drama Melayu Singapura (Whisper: Anthology of Malay Singaporean Drama) (Pustaka Cipta, 2003) Poetry One Fierce Hour (Landmark Books, 1998) A History of Amnesia (Ethos Books, 2001) Awards 1995 - Kripalani Award for Outstanding Contribution to Creative Arts 1998 - Commendation Award by the Malay Language Council for Causeway 1999 - Singapore Literature Prize Commendation Award for Corridor 2001 - Golden Point Award for Poetry 2001 - Young Artist Award (Singapore)|Young Artist Award for Literature 2005 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script for Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2 2006 - FRONT Award 2010 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script for Nadirah
Plays English Fighting (1994) Black Boards, White Walls (1997) Yesterday My Classmate Died (1997) sex.violence.blood.gore (co-written with Chong Tze Chien) (1999) Asian Boys Vol. 1 (2000) What's The Difference? (2001) Don't Say I Say (2001) poppy dot dream (2001) The Corrected Poems of Minah Jambu (2001) The Optic Trilogy (2001) 7 Ten: Seven Original 10-minute Plays: Not In (2003) Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2 (2004) Tekka Voices (2004) Mengapa Isa? (2004) The Importance of Being Kaypoh (2005) Harmony Daze (2005) Confessions of 300 Unmarried Men: Blush (2006) Homesick (2006) Happy Endings: Asian Boys Vol 3 (2007) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2008) Beauty And The Beast (2009) Cooling Off Day (2011) Malay Deklamasi Malas (Declamation of Indolence) (1997) Dongeng (Myth) (1997) Anak Bulan di Kampung Wa' Hassan (The New Moon at Kampung Wa' Hassan) (1998) Madu II (Polygamy) (1998) Causeway (1998) Peti Kayu Ibuku (My Mother's Wooden Chest) (translated into Malay from Kuo Pao Kun's translation of Ng Xin Yue's original Mandarin text) (1999) The Miseducation of Minah Bukit (2001) Tapak 7 (Seven Steps) (2001) Selamat Malam Ibu (adapted from ' night Mother by Marsha Norman) (2003) Keturunan Laksmana Tak Ada Anu (adapted from Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral by Kuo Pao Kun) (2003) Minah & Monyet (Minah & Monkey) (2003) Nadirah (2009) Pariah (alternatively staged as Parah ) (2011) Mandarin Fugitives ( 失控 )(co-written with Ng How Wee) (2002) [ edit] Prose English Corridor (SNP, 1999) ISBN 981-4032-40-9 Malay Bisik: Antologi Drama Melayu Singapura (Whisper: Anthology of Malay Singaporean Drama) (Pustaka Cipta, 2003) Poetry One Fierce Hour (Landmark Books, 1998) A History of Amnesia (Ethos Books, 2001) Awards 1995 - Kripalani Award for Outstanding Contribution to Creative Arts 1998 - Commendation Award by the Malay Language Council for Causeway 1999 - Singapore Literature Prize Commendation Award for Corridor 2001 - Golden Point Award for Poetry 2001 - Young Artist Award (Singapore)|Young Artist Award for Literature 2005 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script for Landmarks: Asian Boys Vol. 2 2006 - FRONT Award 2010 - Life! Theatre Awards for Best Original Script for Nadirah
Alfian's previous work and another tribute to Yasmin Ahmad
Nadirah brings across a myriad of issues, some very real issues. Cross-racial and even more strongly, a cross-religion marriage. Synopsis Nadirah is the popular and articulate Vice-President of her university’s Muslim Society. She convenes inter-faith meetings where students talk about how they should respect one another’s spaces. Nadirah is also the product of a mixed marriage. Her father is Malaysian Malay and her mother Singaporean Chinese who had converted to Islam. One day, Nadirah’s mother tells her that she’s going to re-marry. To a man who’s not Muslim. Nadirah’s best friend Maznah, believes that everyone has a right to happiness. Her senior, Farouk, however, is outraged and urges her to do ‘the right thing’. How does Nadirah make peace between various religions in school when she’s having the same problems at home? Can mother and daughter worship different gods? Will love or faith prevail?Funny, insightful and moving, Alfian Sa’at’s award-winning Nadirah wrestles with the complex issue of religion by grounding it in a story about a quirky family and the ties that bind. The relationship between Khalijah and Neo is emphatically played out, with perfect chemistry between the two actresses, who executed their parts convincingly and portrayed the complexities and nuances of a mother-daughter relationship.
Nadirah is the Vice-President of her university’s Muslim Society. She is popular and articulate. She convenes inter-faith meetings where students talk about their religions and how they should respect one another’s spaces. Nadirah is also the product of a mixed marriage. Her father is Malaysian Malay and her mother Singaporean Chinese who had converted to Islam. One day, Nadirah’s mother tells her that she’s going to re-marry. To a man who’s not Muslim. Farouk – a fervent muslim Maznah – discovering about her religion in a new-age way. Liberal. Nadirah confronts her dilemma with the serious , earnest Farouk (Hatta Said) and the exuberant, romantic Maznah (Shida Mahadi), and the triangular friendship between these diverse characters becomes a platform for voicing starkly different perspectives about the marriage, religion and society. Farouk wanting to meet Sahirah to persuade her not to forsake Islam for a Christian man. Nadirah’s best friend Maznah, believes that everyone has a right to happiness. Her senior, Farouk, however, is outraged and urges her to do ‘the right thing’. How does Nadirah make peace between various religions in school when she’s having the same problems at home? In a more subtle and skilful way, Nadirah also speaks from the higher moral ground when confronting her mother about her mother’s wavering conviction in her religious identity; instead of outrightly accusing Sahira of not practicing what she preached, she slyly asks why her mother raised her as a Muslim. Then in the custody battle, she had to prove she’s a good Muslim because of her daughter so that they can be sure that her daughter will be brought up as a proper Muslim Can mother and daughter worship different gods? Will love or faith prevail?
Interfaith marriage, Race, Racial stereotypes, Religion, Differences within the Malay community and what it really means to be an Asian. Serious ground when the mother (a Muslim convert and divorcee) announced her decision to marry a Christian in a civil marriage where he doesn’t need / want to convert. In a well-crafted scene between Robert and Farouk, they talk about the football teams they support. Robert is a die-hard Liverpool fan and Farouk is loyal to Manchester United. They banter about their teams in between struggling with Robert’s refusal to convert from Christianity to Islam. How does Nadirah make peace between various religions in school when she’s having the same problems at home? Caught up in Different perspectives about the marriage, religion and society. he daughter is torn between love for her mother and love for her God.
Bigoted - utterly intolerant of any creed , belief, or opinion that differs from one's own. 'Ustaz'-like youth, passionate about his delivery, and genuine in emotions. Sahira – Mother A Muslim convert and divorcee. She is a dedicated, patient and caring mother for her only daughter. As a convert, she struggled yet persevered and hold on to her new faith. Dr. Robert Goh – Sahira ’s Boyfriend He became devoted to Christianity after his late wife passed away. However with his old age, he wishes for a partner like Sahira. With life experiences, he is a composed, attentive and a wise person. Farouk – Nadirah ’s friend As the president of the Islamic society, he is a bigoted and a fundamentalist with his responses regarding his religious beliefs. However, he still cares and advices for Nadirah and Maznah as his friends. Maznah – Nadirah ’s friend Very outspoken with her views and not really pious, Maznah is someone who is re-discovering her own faith. Shida is a darling, and had the audience smiling with her zingy delivery and sparkle as Maznah. Maznah is smart and articulate, and can present pretty good arguments. Nadirah’s best friend Maznah, believes that everyone has a right to happiness
In Nasi Lemak 2.0 we have a clear ending in which people reconciliate with each other ’s differences but this is not apparent in Pinoy Sunday and Nadirah. Differences in issues between all the three stories? Nasi Lemak 2.0 have a straightforward ending while it is different for Nadirah and Pinoy Sunday. Nadirah ’s main issue and tension was mainly on religion, but in Nasi Lemak 2.0 and Pinoy Sunday, the main issue was cultural acceptance. Why do you think so? Could this be ever resolved? Do you agree with Farouk?
