Natrah Review

I went to see theater: Natrah last Sunday. My first commercial theater. I watched theater a few times during undergraduate because my friend acting in one and one more to get credit so I know I don’t have problem with theater.

Natrah is based on true historical story in about 1945 where by Natrah who is Maria Hertogh, a dutch child was given to a Malay woman named Che Aminah because of war. She had been brought out as a Muslim and Malay culture. Then when she 13 years old, her parent want her badly and started a battle of custody between adopted mother and biological parent that brought to battle of religion and colonist and unsettling subjects that end with a riot in Singapore even though Natrah wanted to stay Muslim and leave with her adopted mother. The parent won the custody when marriage between Natrah and Mansor Adabi complicated the situation because Natrah was under age.

Overall I think it was a good theater. I don’t have any comparison since it was my first time but I enjoyed it. The most that touch my heart will be separation between Natrah and Che Aminah. I had teary eyes but didn’t cry because didn’t want to let a stranger see me cry.

However there are uhhmm moment like the song and singing part. I don’t really like the song. Sometime its felt too Bollywood and sometime didn’t click with the scene before. One more things was during part of Natrah and Mansor, I felt soo…what the word, in Malay ‘geli’ (Roha-chan describe this to me and was gigling and controlled laughing during the scenes). I totally had the same problem. I felt that it was too cliche…cheesy for my liking. The rest was okay. Even the props not that bad and they even had second floor building prop but felt funny when they have to push the props. Since it is a theater, it was understandable but Roha-chan did watch a theater in London and she said there  was no pushing props and they made better transition of props. Okay theater producer, take notes.

However the story didn’t really satisfied my question and needs to check on Internet for better and extra information on what had happened. Maria or Bertha Hartough passed away in July 2009 when she was 72.

I don’t have picture. Picture with Roha-chan and they said only 20% ticket is left. Please check Istana Budaya website for more info. At website they say until 9 Dec but I heard during the show until 13 Dec. Maybe they extend it.

Oh yeah, I heard that Remy Ishak was beaten by a few people after theater. What had really happened?

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