Wangi Jadi Saksi - the untold story of Hang Jebat

‘Wangi Jadi Saksi’ World Premiere
Golden Globe-winning producers team with Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka to back indie film director U-Wei bin Haji Saari in the untold story of Hang Jebat

Golden Globe-winning film company leBrocquy Fraser has teamed up with Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka and the Ministry Of Culture, Arts And Heritage Malaysia to produce the theatrical comeback of local indie film director U-Wei bin HajiSaari in a never-before-told thriller about the legendary 15th-century warrior Hang Jebat and the circumstances surrounding his death.

leBrocquy Fraser were the producers of the 2003 film “Osama” which won several awards including the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film (for Afghanistan), as well as awards for director Siddiq Barmak at the Cannes Film Festival and the London Film Festival. The company is also behind U-Wei’s new short film “My Beautiful Rambutan Tree In Tanjung Rambutan”, which premiered at the Cannes Directors Fortnight last month.

leBrocquy Fraser is now staging the theatrical return of writer and director U-Wei with the Bahasa Malaysia play “Wangi Jadi Saksi”, a production in the collaboration with the Ministry Of Culture, Arts And Heritage Malaysia as well as Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with the opening of a state-of-the-art auditorium within its office building on Jalan Dewan Bahasa in Kuala Lumpur.

“Wangi Jadi Saksi” is the story of Hang Jebat’s final moments, as told through the eyes of his young widow Dang Wangi, as she confronts those accountable for her husband’s fatality. Through flashbacks and flash-forward, Jebat’s confrontations with his comrades and nemesis are revealed as the writer and director provokes his audience by presenting a different interpretation to this historical event.

The politically charged thriller is set in 15th-century Melaka during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah. The four Great Lords who represent the hierarchy of nobility in the Melaka Sultanate are the Bendahara, Penghulu Bendahari, Temenggung and Seri Bija Diraja. However, when the post of Laksamana is instituted, the position of Seri Bija Diraja begins to decline as the status of the new warrior rises to be on par with it.

Hang Tuah becomes the first and most famous Laksamana who serves until the reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah. The main literary sources for Tuah are “Sejarah Melayu” and “Hikayat Hang Tuah”. In these books, “Hikayat Hang Tuah” chronicles the story of Tuah from childhood to his death, while his bravery and accomplishments are detailed in “Sejarah Melayu”. His legend is highlighted by the depiction of his loyalty to the Sultan and to Melaka when he is summoned to kill his closest friend Hang Jebat.

“Wangi Jadi Saksi is one version of that event where, by trying to understand the meaning of Hang Jebat and the sensibility of Malay written and spoken texts, I’m allowing myself to conjure what may have taken place behind the closed doors of the palace during the confrontation between Jebat and Tuah,” says U-Wei.

“I found the confrontation between these characters the most interesting aspect of these two books,” adds U-Wei. “It’s mentioned only briefly, and that allows for interpretation and speculation, and writers have written countless texts with various dramatic fight sequences between Jebat and Tuah them since then.”

“Wangi Jadi Saksi” features a cast of character actors assembled after an exhaustive search for the perfect ensemble. Starring in the performance are Khir Rahman as Hang Tuah, Vanidah Imran as Dang Wangi, Sobri Anuar as Hang Jebat, Dato’ Rahim Razali as Bendahara, Khalid Salleh as Pateh Kirma Wijaya and Sabri Yunus as “Time”.

Equally impressive is the creative team that’s directed by Desmond Crowe, who was art director of filmography on such movies as “Alexander” (directed by Oliver Stone), “Hamlet” (by Kenneth Branagh) and “Othello” (by Oliver Parker). In 2002, along with art directors and production designers of the television miniseries “Band Of Brothers”, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Art Direction.

The creative team includes Sutex Haron as costume designer, Azizul Zahid Jamal (better known as Toe Moe) as lighting designer, Y. Subowo of Indonesia as music composer, and Dwiono Hermantoro and Suhaimi Maggi (Rono) as choreographers.

“This production has all the elements that are distinct to U-Wei’s style of storytelling,” says producer Julia Fraser. “It’s a compelling combination of psychology, emotional depth, literary sources, tortured performances, strong detail and a fine sense of craft.”

“Wangi Jadi Saksi” is U-Wei’s first theatrical production since “Bakai” in 1997. He’s known most as the writer and director of such acclaimed films as “Perempuan, Isteri Dan Jalang” (which won Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Story and Best Film at the 1994 Malaysian Film Festival), “Jogho” (Best Director and Best Film at the 1999 Malaysian Film Festival) and “Kaki Bakar” (“The Arsonist”) from 1995, one of the most talked-about independent films in modern Malaysian history.

In addition, “Wangi Jadi Saksi” will launch the new RM50million auditorium at Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka, and serve as another signal in the escalating interest and support by Malaysians and international audiences towards the creative and performing arts in Malay.

“It’s a great step for Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka to support such meaningful theatre, and we could not have staged this without the enormous support of Dato’ Dr Firdaus Hj Abdullah,” says Fraser. “We are also honoured to have the Minister Of Culture, Arts And Heritage Dato’ Seri Dr Rais Yatim supporting us, and constantly nourishing and preserving Malaysian culture and literature.”

“Wangi Jadi Saksi” premieres on Thursday July 27 at the Auditorium Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka, Menara DBP, Jalan Dewan Bahasa, Kuala Lumpur, and runs until Sunday August 6. Performances are at 8:30PM from Tuesday to Sunday, with extra shows on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00PM. Tickets at RM35, RM55, RM75 and RM100 are on sale through Axcess Hotline at 03-7711-5000 and online at www.axcess.com (discounts are available)

Starring
Khir Rahman Vanidah Imran Sobri Anuar
Khalid Salleh Dato' Rahim Razali Sabri Yunus

Written and Directed by
U-Wei bin Haji Saari