WHAT would Langkawi’s Mahsuri have said in her defence before her execution on charges of adultery? Was she even given the chance?

Langkawi-based arts initiative Suatukala sets out to retell Mahsuri’s story in a one-night only musical theatre performance with an all-female cast on November 27.

Pulau Sri ― Never Destroy An Island With A Lie will be staged in a unique setting by the beach at the Langkawi Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa.

Suatukala co-founder Karina Bahrin said the performance is an original musical inspired by the Mek Mulung dance from Kedah that was popular in the late 1700s.

The all-female cast of 13 includes local Langkawi talent, and will be led by independent performing artists, the spoken word poet Sheena Baharudin and musician Takahara Suiko.

Sheena will play Mahsuri and Takahara the Penghulu.

In the legend, Mahsuri is a young woman accused of adultery while her husband is away, and is to be executed.

She bleeds white blood, symbolising her innocence, and curses Langkawi Island for seven generations before she dies.

For centuries, Karina said, Mahsuri has always been portrayed as the victim of a crime.

“There has been little room for her to reclaim the narrative.

“Our show seeks to give Mahsuri a chance to tell us her side and provide a more female-centric perspective.

“Using an all-female cast strengthens our goal of amplifying women’s voices,” Karina told The Malaysian Insight.

The show, staged with the help of a grant from Yayasan Hasanah, is a fundraiser for Suatukala’s ongoing initiatives to promote storytelling among Langkawi youth.

Suatukala was formed in Langkawi as a volunteer-based community development initiative to promote and encourage locals to share the island’s stories and keep the local culture of story-telling alive.

The island, a top tourist destination in Malaysia, is known for its many legends.

“We hope our modern retelling of Mahsuri’s tale will inspire Langkawi folk to revisit their other legends and give them a new lease of life,” Karina said.

People can also purchase tickets to be donated to youth and children from underprivileged families in Langkawi so that they can watch the performance as part of Suatukala’s efforts to cultivate local interest in the island’s culture and heritage.

“Giving our youth and children a chance to watch the show will expose them to the wonder of musical theatre.

“They are, after all, the keepers of Langkawi’s fables, so it is critical we encourage them to treasure their heritage from an early age and show them the different ways in which stories can be told,” Karina said.

People unable to travel to Langkawi to watch the live performance can catch a recording of it which will be streamed on Facebook on December 8, in conjunction with Hari Mahsuri, which falls on November 27, and takes place soon after the island is opened to international tourists.

Tickets for the one-night performance can be purchased at RM95 each via ticket2u.com.my.

From November 15, Langkawi will be reopened to vaccinated foreign travellers for a minimum of three days, with no quarantine restrictions.

Foreign tourists only need to undergo a Covid-19 test 72 hours before departure and on the second day of arrival in Langkawi.

Those staying more than five days must do another screening test on the fifth day.

Each tourist must also have minimum insurance coverage of US$80,000 (RM320,000) and use a service licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. They must also be registered using the MySejahtera mobile app before travelling. – November 2, 2021.