A Mak Yong adaptation of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream—reprised

When Mak Yong Titis Sakti, a production based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, premiered in 2009, it was met with delight and praises—director Norzizi Zulkifli’s has somehow created a beautiful matrimony between a Mak Yong performance (a Southeast Asian tradition and folk theatre that meld rituals, song, dance, stories and music) with that of a classic play.

Since then, Mak Yong Titis Sakti has been selected to be part of the Asian Intercultural Shakespeare Archive and mentioned in numerous publications. Meanwhile, Zulkifli furthered her mastery in the industry, directing more works—she won the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards’ Best Director title in 2013 for Usikan Rebab—and attaining a PhD from University of Wollongong Theatre.

Now, back on home shore and in full gear, Zulkifli is revisiting one of her own favourite works, Mak Yong Titis Sakti, giving it a facelift. Set in an enchanted forest, a story of three types of love will unfold onstage—the perfect love, the forbidden love, and the unrequited love. The production will be brought to life by a stellar cast, including some of the original cast members, including Zamzuriah Zahari, Asrulfaizal Kamaruzaman, Rosdeen Suboh and Shahanaros Shahruddin.

‘Mak Yong Titis Sakti’ will run from 27 January to 4 February at KLPac. For more information, visit the website.