Recently, I've been to Istana Budaya to watch P.Ramlee The Musical, twice. The VIP tickets were courtesy of my clients YTL. Managed to get 3 extra tickets and invited some close friends to go with me. Out of a rating of 10, I would give The Musical a 7, compared to PGLtM which was a 9. Of course the latter would rate higher! Puteri Gunung Ledang was a world-class show and I can't wait for 2008!
Anyway, watching P.Ramlee from the VIP seats gave me a whole different angle. Literally. The last time I was in Istana Budaya, it was to watch M! The Stoopid Opera. The seat I was in was actually ok, but the musical sucked, big time. I digress. The seats were good as I sat on the third row from the front and the second time I went I was in the middle, 4th row from the front. Not too bad, and they served dinner before the show and refreshments during the intermission. But then the food was so-so la. Nothing flash.
Back to PRtM. Sean Ghazi did a great job as P.Ramlee as he managed o get even the mannerism down pat. But his singing didn't create the urge to buy his album though... I've heard his album the last time and for me, his singing is still not quite there yet, he wasn't as good as I thought he'd be... But he's still better than the other Malaysian singers we get here. Mawi who? Psshaw.
Then we have the talented Liza Hanim, who plays Saloma. I like her singing. Not too over-the-top and somehow it seems just right.
Dato' Siti Nurhaliza gave a good showing too. Her voice is very good. That was the first time I've ever heard her sing live and she really does deserve the accolades. I love her kebaya but I don't like her blue tudung organza that she accessoried with last Friday night. I preferred her pink, delicate lace one that she wore last Saturday. Prettier also. Her role was P.Ramlee's muse, the incomparable Azizah. Siti also sang like 2 songs and they really should have more of her. But somehow I don't think she can play anything passionate. One, she's too "delicate and breakable". Second, don't think her husband and the public would take too kindly to their princess being touched or fondled onstage by other men.
Then we have Atilia who plays the first kampung wife, Junaidah. She is a cute actress and not that bad a singer. But I think the strain of singing everyday took its toll on her voice. By last friday, we could detect loss of strength and a little crack. Poor girl.
And then we have Melissa Saila, playing Norizan, P.Ramlee's second and attention-seeking and drama queen of a wife. Good lord, what a flamboyant person she must have been. But the part where he confronts her about her cuckolding him... that was overdone and not nice singing. But then I didn't like the Malay lyrics for this song.
The rest of the cast was good too. Joseph Gonzales did well for the BS Rajhans role.
But the real star of the show was the girl who played Budak Azizah. In the programme, it says that it's Nurazliana Haslin Binti Rusli, but she has an understudy: Rachel Wesley, so I'm not sure who was it that I heard sing both times. Anyway, Budak Azizah's voice was so clear, strong and so heartbreakingly sweet that I held my breath so as to not mar the sound with my own breathing! This girl will be the one to watch out for.
Not too bad an effort for PRtM and Enfiniti Productions. Good job.
