Teen actor helps bring 'Sulalatus Salatin' to life on stage

IT is no easy feat to bring to life the monumental work of Tun Sri Lanang, ‘Sulalatus Salatin’ - better known as ‘Sejarah Melayu’ - on stage as a grand historical musical.

For 14-year-old Wan Haiyl Majid Wan Mohd Rayzuddin, who is still new to the world of acting and theatre, playing two characters in ‘Teater Muzikal Sulalatus Salatin 2.0’ was not just a valuable experience but a chance to prove that young actors too are capable of embodying the grandeur of the nation’s heritage.

Drawing from his early experience performing in historical-themed plays such as ‘Dendam Laksama’ and ‘Serikandi Jiwa Luka’, Majid applied all he had learned to bring this ancient classic to life.

He admitted that being part of a production based on a literary work recognised by Unesco as a world heritage text was an immense challenge, made even more demanding as he had to portray two vastly different characters in a single performance.

Playing two contrasting roles - Paladutani, a royal descendant of Chulan with the heart of a warrior, and Seri Akar Diraja, a vengeful traitor consumed by anger - required deep emotional precision and an ability to appreciate the epic’s historical depth.

"After playing Paladutani, I had to immediately switch to the villain’s character. I studied both characters carefully because their energy and personalities are so different. It was tough, but I like challenging myself. To stay fully in character, I chose to remain silent backstage.

"If someone talked to me, I didn’t respond, not out of arrogance, but because I wanted to stay in the role until the end,” he told Bernama after the staging of ‘Teater Muzikal Sulalatus Salatin 2.0’, last night here, which was attended by Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.

Staged at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the production runs for three days until Sunday and features an impressive cast including Nabila Huda as Puteri Gunung Ledang, Adam Lee (Sultan Mahmud Shah), Aris Kadir (Raja Iskandar Zulkarnain/Tun Jana Khatib), Zaidi Omar (Demang Lebar Daun), Zera Hariz (Tun Teja) and Siti Sarah Jamil (Tun Fatimah), with special appearances by Rosli Rahman Adam and Mubarak Majid.

Although proud of his performance under the direction of Zaifri Husin, Majid, a student of Sekolah Seni Malaysia Johor, admitted there is still much room for improvement.

"Since I live far away, I could only attend rehearsals on weekends before the show. But as the performance date drew closer, I took a week’s leave to focus completely,” said the aspiring director.

According to Zaifri, this year’s ‘Teater Muzikal Sulalatus Salatin’ differs from the version staged in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, last December, especially in terms of the script and the more compact and dynamic delivery.

He said the original script, which was heavy with monologues and lengthy dialogues, was revised to make the story easier to understand.

"I was deeply moved by the dedication of the cast, who managed to embody their characters so well despite having only one full rehearsal before the actual performance,” he said, adding that he was touched by the overwhelming audience response.

Producer Siti Rohayah Atan said the revival of the musical proves that traditional theatre can still captivate audiences when presented with a fresh approach that balances modern style and classical elements so that the story is easily understood by all levels of society without compromising its original value.

"’Sulalatus Salatin’ is a heavy text, but I tried to simplify it so audiences can follow and understand. When I saw the hall filled to capacity on opening night, I felt grateful knowing people still appreciate works like this. Even if they only grasp part of it, what matters is that the message and spirit are conveyed,” she said.

‘Teater Muzikal Sulalatus Salatin 2.0’ celebrates the glory of Malay civilisation and royalty, tracing the lineage of maritime empires from the reign of Raja Iskandar Zulkarnain to the fall of the Malacca Sultanate.

The production, featuring more than 150 crew members, is part of the ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 Cultural Programme and is produced by CTRA Production in collaboration with Bintang Timur Association. - BERNAMA