Semoga Bahagia: For all Singaporeans past, present and future

Transcription

Semoga Bahagia: for all Singaporeans past, present and future
Semoga Bahagia:
For all Singaporeans past, present and future
adapted from the book by
Geraldine Song
1
SYNOPSIS
In 2015, to celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday, the annual Anugera Jiwa
Singapura was introduced to acknowledge the Singaporean who has devoted a
lifetime to giving Singapore the elusive “jiwa”, or “soul”.
In 2015, Andryani Abu Bakar receives the first ever Jiwa. Soon after, she dies in a
mysterious accident, before she could witness the birth of her twin grandsons,
Zubir and Said.
Zubir and Said are born with special powers. Because of their gifts, they are
chosen to help find a newer and better place for Singaporeans to live in the
future.
However, the Evil Spirits from the netherworld are determined to wreak havoc.
They approach Said with an irresistible offer – the promise of the Jiwa in 2065,
the year Singapore celebrates her 100th birthday.
Will Said betray Singapore?
This play is for all Singaporeans, past, present and future, and for any nonSingaporean who has ever been touched and moved by Singapore and her
people.
It is a play that echoes Singaporean Encik Zubir Said’s two simple wishes for
every Singaporean -- “Forward Singapore” and “May You Find Happiness”.
“Majulah Singapura” and “Semoga Bahagia”.
2
Characters in order of appearance
Matahari, empress of Singapore
Khatijah Begum
Andryani, 1
Shafiqhah Efandi
st
ever recipient of the Anugera Jiwa Singapura
Hodoh, ugly evil spirit
April Kong
Bodoh,
Haky Darsuki
Nurul,
stupid evil spirit
Andryani’s daughter
Nurul Faizzah Azmi
Said, Andryani’s grandson
Zaaki Nasir
Zubir, Andryani’s grandson
Abdillah Zamzuri
Minister, high-level gahmen minister
Amal Luqman
Prime Minister, Matahari’s daughter
Khatijah Begum
Raziah, Zubir’s girlfriend & eventually his wife
Shana Yap
Friend,
Raziah’s friend
Khatijah Begum
Saidah,
Zubir’s and Raziah’s daughter
Adiva Elena
3
ACT I SCENE 1
2015, August 9. Esplanade Theatre. Strains of the Semoga,
sung by children.
VOICE-OVER:
Semoga Bahagia, everyone! This is a very
special year because we’re celebrating
Singapore’s 50th birthday! So, let’s welcome
our honorable Empress, the Yang Maha Mulia
Maharani, Madam Matahari Alsagoff to open our
show for tonight!
MATAHARI enters.
MATAHARI:
Semoga Bahagia, Singaporeans! Today is
special because we have come up with – no, we
have invented – an anugera – an award to be
given to the deserving Singaporean who has
managed – whether we believe or not – to put
the soul, the jiwa into Singapore. I am
pleased to present the first ever Anugera
Jiwa Singapura to Andryani bte Abu Bakar, who
has put the jiwa into Singapore!
ANDRYANI accepts the award.
ANDRYANI:
Thank you, Puanku. I am honoured to be the
first to receive the Anugera Jiwa Singapura!
Actually, it isn’t mine – it belongs to Encik
Zubir Said, who gave us the Majulah Singapura
and the Semoga Bahagia. It also belongs to my
dear friend, the late Iskandar Ismail, who
really should be receiving this first ever
Jiwa, not me. It was his idea to set up the
Zubir Said Conservatory of Singapore Music.
Mr Iskandar Ismail had succeeded in imbuing
Singapore with a jiwa that is surpassed only
by Encik Zubir Said himself. Iskandar was
taken away much too soon. (Respectful pause)
This award also belongs to you – all of us
Singaporeans, past, present and future!
Semoga Bahagia, everyone!
ANDRYANI sings the entire Semoga, with a choir of children.
[Hope we can get different groups to sing on different days
– I have already spoken to a primary school in my area –
Stamford Primary School].
***
4
ACT I SCENE 2
2015, September. Dining Room. It is eery and dark. Evil
Spirits HODOH and BODOH appear, prowling about creepily.
They are looking for something. Scary music getting louder.
HODOH and BODOH bump into each other. Music stops as both
squeal.
HODOH:
Eh, Bodoh, you sure they’ll come here or not!
BODOH:
Yes, Hodoh! When they are not at their home,
they’ll come here to her mother’s place for
dinner. I’m very sure.
HODOH:
Donno whether to trust you or not. You always
get things wrong. Real bodoh.
BODOH:
Nah. I know. See? Her mother has cooked all
these delicious things! Wah, ayam penyet,
rendang …
BODOH starts piling up plate.
HODOH:
Isn’t it unusual for them to be so late?
BODOH:
Nom nom nom … actually yes.
HODOH:
We’d better go back to the netherworld. I
feel our energies being drained – we’ve
stayed too long up here.
BODOH:
But we have to finish the job!
HODOH:
True! We have to get rid of that woman and
the two diabolical imps in her belly. The
Great Evil One will punish us dreadfully if
we go back empty-handed.
BODOH:
I’m not empty-handed! Hodoh, try this sayur
lodeh … sedap sekali!
HODOH:
(Smacks BODOH’s head) Stupid! And it’s your
fault we can’t find that woman! The Great
Evil One said that the woman will be at her
house at this time, not here at her mother’s!
We should have waited longer there. Perhaps
we should go back there.
BODOH:
Nah, I’m sure she’ll come here for dinner.
Deep voice booms from above.
5
VOICE:
You useless devils!
HODOH:
Alamak, it’s The Great Evil One!
HODOH falls down on her knees, quaking with fear.
BODOH:
(Nonchalant) O Great Evil One, devils we may
be, but useless we are not! Try some rendang?
VOICE:
Shut up, or I’ll cut off your tail! What are
you doing here? She’s now on the way to the
hospital, and you’re still here?
HODOH:
How can that be, O Great E … ?
VOICE:
You have no brains! Didn’t you see her
husband driving her off to KK Hospital just
moments ago?
HODOH
(Stammering in fear) It’s all Bodoh’s fault.
But O Great Evil One, you said she’s not due
till next week!
VOICE:
She’s gone into labour early, you stupid
fools!
BODOH:
Poor thing, she’ll miss all the nice food her
mother cooked! How sad to die before having a
good meal!
VOICE:
(Thundering) Get moving, you lazy slobs! Go
get rid of that woman and her two imps NOW!
Five extra days in the fire for the both of
you!
HODOH and BODOH squabble and exit clumsily, falling over
each other.
ANDRYANI enters. Fusses over dinner things. Phone rings.
ANDRYANI:
Hello, Karen! No, no, not disturbing me.
Azhar and Nurul are late today. My ayam
penyet getting cold already. Nurul is due in
two weeks, but I think she may go into labour
early, because she is carrying twins. Yes,
I’m serious! I want them to be named Zubir
and Said! Cannot meh? Ey, I got to go, it’s
Azhar on the other line … bye, Karen … Azhar!
It’s so late! When are you and Nurul coming
home for dinner? Oh? (Very excited) Really
6
ah? So fast? Like, now? You already
downstairs ah? Alamak, I have to change my
baju and all. And where is Nurul’s hospital
bag? Oh, in the car boot already. Okay, okay,
I go down now, Azhar!
ANDRYANI rushes about comically.
ANDRYANI:
I’m going to be a grandma! I’m going to be a
grandma!
Sound of car horn. Lagi kancheong. She throws selendang over
herself and rushes out.
***
7
ACT I SCENE 3
2036, 21 years later, same room. SAID and ZUBIR are
preparing the dinner table. NURUL walks in. She has been
crying, but tries not to show it.
NURUL:
What are you two doing? I’m supposed to be
doing everything today.
SAID:
Today we decided to do this for ourselves,
Mum! It’s our 21st birthday! Freedom!!! We
can now do what we like!
ZUBIR:
Said and I decided to do everything for you
today, Mum.
SAID:
Yes! Today, we’re doing the cooking and
washing up for the best Mum in the world!
NURUL is overcome, sits down. ZUBIR goes to hug her. He is
about to cry too.
SAID:
Zubir, be a man! You’re already 21 years old!
ZUBIR:
I can’t bear to see Mum cry!
NURUL:
Sorry boys. You know I cry over every little
thing.
SAID:
It’s okay Mum. On our birthday, our wish is
for you to do whatever you please. So if you
want to cry, also boleh.
ZUBIR:
Mum, I noticed you were already very sad this
morning.
SAID:
She’s always sad on our birthdays, because
Grandma and Dad passed away in that car
accident while she was delivering us at KK.
So it’s okay, Zubir.
ZUBIR:
I just thought that Mum looks sadder than
usual this morning.
SAID:
Really? Oh. Yes, come to think of it, yes, I
noticed it too. Come Zubir, let’s make Mum
happy … let’s talk about nice things, like
what we’re going to do after ORD.
ZUBIR:
Oh, I have good news that’ll make Mum happy!
We had two very important visitors in Pulau
8
Tekong today. When they called me up, I
thought they wanted me to escort them around
the camp, but they wanted to see me instead!
NURUL:
Who? The Prime Minister of Singapore, Ms Tin
Pei Ling?
SAID:
The Empress herself, the Yang Maha Mulia
Maharani, Miss Matahari Mestilari Manalagi
Alsagoff?
NURUL cheers up and laughs.
ZUBIR:
Yes. Yes, she did!
SAID:
Who? Tin Pei Ling or the Empress?
ZUBIR:
Said’s correct! The empress!
NURUL:
Isn’t she very old by now?
ZUBIR:
She came in a wheelchair, surrounded by many
bodyguards.
NURUL:
Why did she want to see you?
ZUBIR:
She ordered me to pursue composition studies
and gambus at the Zubir Said Conservatory!
SAID:
What? And you’re happy? Whatever happened to
our life-long commitment to being quantum
physicists, so that we can discover that
elusive graviton particle?
ZUBIR:
Well, Mum always wanted one of us to be a
musician, and I’m happy to do it.
SAID:
Mum’s just joking! Of course she’d rather
we’re studying cosmology and particle
physics, in keeping with the gifts we were
born with! You’re joking, right, Mum? You
don’t really want Zubir to be a musician
surely?
NURUL:
I’m happy with anything you choose, Zubir
dear … and you too, Said darling. I’m only
echoing your Grandma’s wish – that one day,
one of her grandsons will be a great musician
and composer.
9
SAID:
But we’re gifted with the ability to transascend to different dimensions, so an
education in quantum physics and such would
be so much more in keeping with our gifts. We
can help Singapore so much more that way,
than if we studied music! Anyway, why did the
Empress change her mind? She herself ordered
us to pursue the sciences for the next 10
years and work on the Bahagia Collider, and
in the other dimensions!
Strains of Semoga. We hear ANDRYANI singing. She appears.
NURUL runs to her and hugs her, cries again.
NURUL:
Mak! I miss you! I was so miserable, waiting
for you since morning!
ANDRYANI:
Nurul-girl, I said I would come. Today is a
very important day as you know, and the Evil
Spirits are out in great numbers, trying to
cause trouble.
NURUL:
Are they coming here to try to take my boys
away again?
ANDRYANI:
Yes. They try every year. It’s getting harder
for us in the Spirit World. They are getting
quite powerful.
SAID:
But now we’re 21, we will also be fully
empowered, won’t we Grandma? We can resist
them. We’ve managed to shield ourselves and
Mum from them all these years.
ZUBIR:
And repel them and send them back to the
netherworld too!
ANDRYANI:
Boys, all these years, you have had the help
of the Good Spirits. As you were shielding
yourselves and warding them off and
protecting your mother, we in the Spirit
World were helping you. But as you grow
older, and your vibrational powers become
stronger, so you’re more visible and open. We
in the Spirit World cannot protect you as
much as when you were little.
NURUL:
I didn’t tell you this, boys … that the Good
Spirits protected you so well that on the day
you were born, they did not have enough
10
resources to protect your father and
grandmother.
ZUBIR:
What? You mean that …
NURUL:
Yes, I never told you that the car crash was
not an accident.
SAID:
The Evil Spirits caused the accident? Is that
true, Grandma?
ANDRYANI:
Yes. Your Mum was shielded by the Good Lights
as your father drove her to KK Hospital. Then
he came over to drive me to the hospital.
That was when we were attacked. It was better
that we were taken away, rather than the both
of you.
SAID:
But there are other people born in the 21st
Century with our gifts, yes? Can’t we all
just band together and fight the Evil Spirits
once and for all?
ANDRYANI:
It’s difficult. The government is having a
difficult time identifying who belongs to
which world.
NURUL:
But our family was chosen by the Spirit World
to be the one to lead Singapore to a better
and newer dimension. That’s what makes me so
frightened.
SAID:
Don’t be frightened, Mum. I’m honoured that
our family was chosen. I’ll protect you and
Zubir forever, I promise!
ANDRYANI:
Well said, grandson! This is our destiny.
VOICES:
Andryani, come back! It’s time to close the
portal!
NURUL:
Mak, don’t go yet! Please stay!
ANDRYANI:
Nurul darling, I have to go. The portal door
cannot be shut till I go back. And if I stay,
my auras will weaken.
SAID:
Why, Grandma?
11
NURUL:
Our earthly auras are bad for the Spirits,
Said. It enervates them and they get very
weak.
ZUBIR:
What about the Evil Spirits – will they be
enervated too, when they come up here?
ANDRYANI:
Yes. That is why very often, we allow them to
roam all over Singapore, instead of chasing
them back. We want to reduce their energy.
VOICES:
Andryani!
ANDRYANI:
Goodbye my darlings. Semoga Bahagia!
ANDRYANI hugs NURUL and the boys, and wafts off serenely and
sadly, humming the Semoga sadly. ZUBIR comforts NURUL. SAID
is thoughtful, goes upstage and stares out.
ZUBIR:
Mum, do you think I should study quantum
physics instead of music?
NURUL:
Because you want to protect me?
ZUBIR:
Yes.
NURUL:
No. It’s destiny, Zubir. Nothing happens
randomly. The Empress has been isolating
herself for years, and she chose to come out
of her shell to express her wish for you to
pursue music. So you must. I think the Good
Spirits have willed it.
ZUBIR:
How can I help as a musician?
NURUL:
Your gift of White Shield Protection and your
ability to trans-ascend will remain, Zubir.
And who knows what other powers may develop
as you grow older. And remember, your
children will be even more powerful than you.
They will be born with gifts that don’t even
exist now.
ZUBIR:
Yes, as Said mentioned, we should feel
honoured to be the family chosen to serve
Singapore and all her people.
SAID hears his name, and comes back to sit with them.
SAID:
Somehow though, I feel empty. There’s great
adversity out there, and I am beginning to
12
feel the burden of a responsibility that is
much too great for the two of us to bear.
NURUL:
Our family was not chosen for nothing, Said.
Be brave, both of you.
SAID:
So, Zubir, you’ll take up quantum physics
now, won’t you? I can’t handle the Evil World
all on my own you know …
ZUBIR:
No, Mum says …
SAID:
What? Mum, surely you’re not going to allow
him to be a musician, after all that we now
know?
NURUL:
Said darling, sit down. There are things that
are meant to be. I know it.
ZUBIR:
Yes, I’m trusting Mum about this, Said.
SAID:
Well okay … although I think you really
should make your own decision, Zubir. You’re
not a baby any longer.
ZUBIR:
It is my decision, Said.
SAID shrugs his shoulders, unconvinced. Exits abruptly.
Lights dim. Strains of sad Semoga.
*** *** ***
13
ACT II SCENE 1
PRIME MINISTER’s office. MINISTER enters with a bagload of
envelopes and postcards and places on table.
MINISTER:
Congratulations, Puanku.
PM:
Thank you.
MINISTER:
I should now address you as Your Honourable
Primeness, Miss Prime Minister Maria Menado
Alsagoff!
PM:
(Stiffly) Just Prime Minister will do! This
is 2040, not 2015. Sexism died long ago! Only
old-fashioned women like my late mother, the
Empress herself, wanted to be called Puanku
and all that Maha Mulia Maha-whatnot.
MINISTER:
True. Puanku, Minister Mentor Tin Pei Ling
would like to begin the meeting at 2.30pm.
PM:
Yes, 2.30pm with MM Tin. And please get used
to calling me Prime Minister.
MINISTER:
Yes, Prime Minister.
PM notices bagload.
PM:
Are these my fan mail?
MINISTER:
Yes Puan … er Prime Minister.
PM nods, waves her arm imperiously to the door. MINISTER
exits.
PM drops her haughty stance and digs into fanmail, squealing
in delight as she goes through them.
PM:
Dear Prime Minister … Honorable Prime
Minister … woohoo, power!
***
14
ACT II SCENE 2
2040. Discussion Room.
SAID:
Raziah, remember Prof Benjamin Goh? He’s the
Jiwa recipient for this year!
RAZIAH:
Wow, about time too! He’s really amazing,
with all that work on Project Bugis!
SAID:
Yes, nobody believed that Singapore could
build a whole city underground, in a space
just 25 years!
RAZIAH:
Prof Goh is a visionary! He really deserves
the Jiwa!
SAID:
What wouldn’t I do to be awarded the Jiwa
Singapura …
RAZIAH:
You have one at home already.
SAID:
That belongs to my grandma, bless her soul. I
miss her, she’s been visiting fewer times
past few years.
RAZIAH:
I wish my folks would visit from the Spirit
World. I would like to see my folks too.
SAID:
Well, in my family, only my Grandma’s able to
visit. Not even my father has come to visit.
And you – nobody at all has come here?
RAZIAH:
No. I thought my Grandpa came once. I wasn’t
so sure. I was very small. But your
Grandmother visited me a few times. She’s
very beautiful even in spirit form.
SAID:
(Surprised) Really? Whatever for? And how do
you know it’s really my Grandma?
RAZIAH:
Everyone knows who your grandma is! She’s the
first Jiwa recipient! She’s all over our
history books!
SAID:
Oh. So my grandma visited you to tell you
that you’ll marry me one day, yes?
RAZIAH:
(Amused) Good try. Don’t you have the balls
to ask me yourself, instead of having your
grandma come from the spirit world to ask me?
15
SAID:
I will ask you one day, Raziah. But I think
you’ll have to wait.
RAZIAH:
I’m not waiting.
SAID:
You are. Well, patience, lady. I’m worth
waiting for, I promise you.
RAZIAH:
(Flirts lightly) OK, I’ll wait. You are a
very important person at my wedding. I won’t
marry if you’re not there.
SAID:
I haven’t asked you yet, Raziah. See, you’re
waiting. For me, of course. Told you I’m
worth waiting for.
RAZIAH:
I’ll choose the best suit and bow-tie for
you, Said, I promise.
SAID:
Sure! I’m just the best!
RAZIAH:
You’re indeed the best, Said. So I’ve decided
that you will be the best man at my wedding!
SAID:
Aw, come on, Raziah. There’ll be only one man
at our wedding. Me!
RAZIAH:
Said, you are the sweetest, best friend
forever! You are the brudder I’ve always
wished to have!
SAID:
Brudder? Ey, are you seeing someone else?
Like, someone special?
RAZIAH:
Nah! I’m too busy! But you’re such a nice
friend to be around with. Who needs “someone
special”?
SAID:
You do. And I’am that someone special.
RAZIAH:
I wish you much luck, brudder!
RAZIAH smiles sweetly and exits.
SAID:
I’m going to marry you, Raziah! You’re mine!
SAID whoops with confidence, strides out confidently.
***
16
ACT II SCENE 3
Cont’d. Another room. ZUBIR is reading quietly. RAZIAH
enters. She sees ZUBIR and is quite fascinated with this
young studious man. She hesitates, then fixes her hair etc,
and walks confidently to him.
RAZIAH:
Hi, that’s an interesting book!
ZUBIR:
Oh, yes.
ZUBIR stands up gallantly but clumsily. Knocks book over and
it tumbles to the floor. RAZIAH quickly picks it up. She
holds the book out to ZUBIR. He tries to take it but RAZIAH
is holding on to the book and looking at ZUBIR directly in
the eyes. He lets go of the book.
ZUBIR:
I’m sorry, I didn’t know you wanted this
book. You can have it, I was going to return
it back to the shelf.
RAZIAH:
I don’t want this book. I want your seat. May
I have your seat?
ZUBIR:
Yes, yes.
She sits. Entreats him to sit beside her.
RAZIAH:
Have a seat. There’s room for the both of us.
ZUBIR:
I … I have to be going.
RAZIAH:
Not so soon surely? You didn’t look like you
were about to leave in a hurry just a few
moments ago.
ZUBIR looks dumbly at RAZIAH. She smiles sweetly.
RAZIAH:
Come, sit.
RAZIAH gets up, gets another chair and pushes it towards
their table.
RAZIAH:
Have a seat!
ZUBIR sits. Uncomfortable shifting as RAZIAH gazes into his
eyes. He does not know where to look. RAZIAH is taken by his
shyness and clumsy gallantry.
RAZIAH:
I come here often, but I’ve never seen you.
17
ZUBIR:
It’s my first time. I came to look for some
info.
RAZIAH:
Study?
ZUBIR:
No, just interest.
RAZIAH:
What were you looking for? Perhaps I can
help. I browse around here all the time. I
know every book on every shelf!
ZUBIR:
Nothing really.
RAZIAH looks at the pile of books. Sifts through them.
RAZIAH:
Iskandar Ismail … Zubir Said … Dick Lee …
Farid Ali … Andryani Abu Bakar …
ZUBIR:
She’s my grandmother.
RAZIAH:
(Surprised) Andryani Abu Bakar was your
grandma?
ZUBIR:
(Shyly) Yes.
RAZIAH:
She’s my best friend’s grandma too! You must
be Said’s cousin!
ZUBIR:
Er, no … I’m his brother.
RAZIAH:
Brother?!! He never mentioned anything about
a brother! Or sisters!
ZUBIR:
No sisters. Just us two. We’re twins.
RAZIAH:
Twins?!!! You don’t look like brothers, let
alone twins! Oh, sorry, I don’t mean to
insult your mother or anything like that …
ZUBIR:
It’s okay. We’re fraternal twins, not
identical twins.
RAZIAH:
You’re so different from Said. He’s loud and
all over the place, and you’re … you’re …
ZUBIR:
Nerdy.
RAZIAH:
Nerds are nice. You’re blushing! (Laughs)
You’re really very different from Said. That
Said, I’ll have to slap him the next time I
18
see him. He never told me he has a twin
brother!
ZUBIR:
Well, we are two separate people, we have our
own lives. We’re very close as brothers
though. He’s the older twin and the braver,
stronger one. He’s always looked after me.
RAZIAH:
My name is Raziah, by the way.
ZUBIR:
I’m Zubir.
RAZIAH:
Zubir? And your brother is Said? Zubir Said!
You’re not named after our great composer,
surely? The Zubir Said who gave us the
(sings) ”Mari kita rakyat Singapura sama-sama
menuju” and the “Sama-sama, maju kehadapan”?
Is he related to your family?
ZUBIR:
No. My grandmother was one of his students.
It was Encik Zubir Said’s music that inspired
my grandmother and the late Mr. Iskandar
Ismail to team up and set up the Zubir Said
Conservatory of Singapore Music. When my
grandma won the first ever Jiwa in 2015, she
already knew that my mum was carrying twins,
and she insisted on naming us after
Singapore’s greatest musician, Encik Zubir
Said.
RAZIAH:
Cool!
Lights dim. They chat softly. RAZIAH slowly edges closer to
ZUBIR, then lights out.
***
19
ACT II SCENE 4
2043. Restaurant. RAZIAH and FRIEND are having dinner.
RAZIAH:
No, Zubir hasn’t asked me to marry him. Not
yet, and not on bended knee. (Laughs) But we
have been talking about HDB, if you want to
know.
FRIEND:
Please lah, Raziah, whom are you kidding!
They are a filthy rich family, there’s no way
they’re going to go for an HDB! Your Zubir’s
stringing you along.
RAZIAH:
No, he’s a very sincere man, my Zubir. HDB is
just our secret language. It’s a metaphor for
marriage, every Singaporean knows that!
FRIEND:
Oh … then it can’t be a secret language mah …
The two women giggle and chat quietly. Suddenly there is
loud music, kompang and all, like a Malay wedding. The women
are startled. SAID walks in, singing the Semoga loudly. He
is carrying a large bouquet of flowers, goes to RAZIAH. Goes
on bended knee, flourishing the bouquet in front of her.
SAID:
Raziah, will you marry me?
RAZIAH:
Get up, you silly idiot! Everybody’s staring
at you!
Patrons turn around and begin clapping and cheering. (This
can be shown on screen above).
SAID gets up, looks around, nods in appreciation. Turns back
to RAZIAH.
SAID:
(Dramatically) I will be your willing slave
forever! Marry me, and my Istana in Katong is
yours! We will be blessed with many, many
puteras and puteries from my jewel pouch, and
your sacred cradle!
RAZIAH is embarrassed.
RAZIAH:
Stop making a scene. Come, sit down and join
us for dessert.
SAID:
Not until you say yes! Hear ye, everyone! Let
no man nor woman in this dining establishment
here tonight miss nary a word of my grand
20
announcement! Hear ye, hear ye! I hereby
proclaim my undying …
RAZIAH:
The manager’s going to throw you out soon.
You’re disturbing the peace.
SAID:
I’m not! Until my beautiful goddess agrees to
be my wife, I won’t budge.
MANAGER dials cell phone. RAZIAH stops her.
RAZIAH:
It’s okay, Miss. He’s harmless. Said, sit
down. It’s not funny any more.
SAID:
No, it’s not funny. (Starts singing loudly
again)
RAZIAH:
I’m leaving. Charlene, let’s get the bill and
leave.
SAID:
Hey, hey! Don’t get angry ya.
RAZIAH:
So this is all a joke, yes?
SAID:
I do mean to ask you to marry me, Raziah. I
suppose I did it in a very crass way.
RAZIAH:
Crass is so you, Said. You’re really
ridiculous. Now sit down, before the manager
really calls the police.
SAID:
You’re agreeing to marry me then, Raziah?
(Sits) OK, then I’ll sit.
RAZIAH:
No.
SAID:
No? You said you’re not seeing anyone. And
we’ve been hanging out together for ages.
It’s about time we got married, no?
RAZIAH:
Said, I’ve never, ever given you that idea,
have I? You’re a good friend, and I like you
a lot. But it doesn’t go any further than
that.
FRIEND quietly gets up and exits.
SAID:
Hey, what’s up with her? She doesn’t like me?
She thinks I’m not good enough for you?
21
RAZIAH:
You’re acting weird, Said. Stop it. Come,
have some dessert.
SAID:
You’re the one acting weird. You love me, you
just won’t admit it.
RAZIAH:
Stop it, Said. I have never led you to
believe that I love you. You’ve always been a
brother to me. And if you think I love you,
it’s a brother-sister kind of love. You have
all these girls running after you anyway, you
have no lack of choices!
SAID:
I promise to stop seeing them, Raziah. Just
say you’ll marry me! (Urgently) Raziah, we
have to get married. They’re sending me away,
and I want us to go together. I can’t bear to
live without you!
RAZIAH:
I know about your going away. They’ve been
talking about it for sometime. But I don’t
want to go. I want to stay here.
SAID:
Why? There’s nothing here! Come with me
Raziah!
SAID takes her hand. She pulls her hand away.
RAZIAH:
Said, please, don’t.
SAID:
Do you really … not love me?
RAZIAH:
Miss, may I have the bill please?
SAID:
Raziah, tell me, tell me now! Tell me you
hate me, tell me now! Then I’ll leave and
never bother you again! Say it!
RAZIAH:
Said, I will never marry you. Please leave.
SAID calmly and deliberately sweeps everything off the table
with one arm. They crash noisily onto floor. He gets up, and
walks off calmly.
***
22
ACT II SCENE 5
Cont’d. Home.
NURUL:
You’re home early today, Said.
SAID:
I’m not feeling well, Mum. I’m going to bed
early.
NURUL:
What about your dinner? Don’t go to bed
without dinner. You’ve been working too hard
lately.
SAID:
I’m fine, Mum. Just a very difficult day.
NURUL:
Come, sit here. Tell me what happened.
SAID:
Just busy. I’m fine, Mum.
NURUL:
Said, there’s something troubling you, isn’t
there. Tell me, I want to know.
NURUL goes up to SAID, touches his face.
NURUL:
You’ve been crying, Said. Tell me what
happened.
SAID:
Nothing, really. I need to rest for a bit. I
need to be alone, Mum. I’m sorry.
NURUL nods her head understandingly, but is hurt
nevertheless. She reaches out to hug him but he moves away
abruptly. She tries not to cry.
NURUL:
I’ll save your dinner and heat it up later.
SAID exits. NURUL continues to potter about to busy herself.
ZUBIR enters. NURUL quickly wipes her tears away and tries
to look cheerful.
NURUL:
You’re early too!
ZUBIR:
Oh, is Said back already?
NURUL:
Yes, he’s upstairs. Not feeling so well. No,
don’t go up – he said he wanted to be left
alone.
ZUBIR:
I think he’s not happy that he has to transascend to another dimension. He prefers to
23
stay here. I wish I could go in his place. I
can’t bear to see him unhappy.
NURUL:
You look a bit unhappy today too. What
happened?
ZUBIR:
I … I have a small problem, Mum.
NURUL:
What is it?
ZUBIR:
(Hesitantly) Well, I … uh … there’s this … uh
…
NURUL:
Girl.
ZUBIR:
Yes. How did you guess?
NURUL:
A mother knows, Zubir. Well?
ZUBIR:
She’s not pregnant, Mum, don’t worry.
NURUL:
I know she’s not. My boys are good boys.
Well?
ZUBIR:
I … She …
NURUL:
You like her.
ZUBIR:
Ah, yes.
NURUL:
(Laughs) My Zubir, still a baby!
SAID enters unseen. Sits in the dark, resting.
ZUBIR:
I’m not like Said, so popular with so many
girls throwing themselves at him. I don’t
have his charming ways, Mum.
NURUL:
Said is just like your father. Your father
was a charming gentleman.
ZUBIR:
I’m like you, Mum.
NURUL:
Yes, a crybaby, like me. So what’s this girl
like?
ZUBIR:
She’s not at all like you, Mum. She’s feisty
and confident. I’m afraid you may not like
her.
24
NURUL:
No, no, Zubir darling. I will love my
daughters-in-law, whoever they are. I will
love them because my darling sons chose them.
Now tell me about this girl.
ZUBIR:
She’s one of the bio-scientists with Project
Bugis. She hangs around a lot with Said and
me. Actually she was Said’s classmate at Uni.
I only met her much later.
NURUL:
OK, so you love her. But does she love you?
ZUBIR:
I think so. I know that I love her and
to marry her. She gets along with Said
well too, and that’s why I think she’d
great wife for me. I would never marry
who doesn’t get along with Said.
NURUL:
Did you talk to Said about this?
ZUBIR:
Of course not, Mum! He’d only laugh at me for
being namby-pamby. Also, he’s not likely to
know how to propose to a girl – he’d only
romance them and break their hearts. He’s not
the marrying kind.
NURUL:
Yes, you’re right. In that sense, he’s not
quite like your father! Your father was very
sure he wanted to marry me from the start! So
your girl – you don’t know if she loves you?
ZUBIR:
I think she does. She talks about HDB you
know. She often asks what I think of the new
HDB areas. Things like that. It’s a hint,
right, Mum?
NURUL:
(Laughs) Yes. Poor girl. She’s obviously
waiting for you to ask her. So you should ask
her.
ZUBIR:
What if she says no?
NURUL:
Then you can stay home a little longer and
continue to eat my ayam penyet and rendang –
your Grandma’s recipes!
I want
very
make a
a girl
Both laugh. ZUBIR helps himself to more food. SAID gets up
from his hiding place and enters, stands near table.
NURUL:
How are you feeling, Said? Let me get you
some rice. Come, sit here.
25
ZUBIR:
No, Mum, let me get him some food. You sit
and eat.
SAID:
(Angrily) I don’t want to eat. And I don’t
need you to serve me, you sniveling crybaby.
You, you …
SAID goes to ZUBIR and punches him. ZUBIR is floored.
NURUL:
Said! What’s come over you?
SAID goes to his seat calmly. NURUL goes to ZUBIR.
NURUL:
(Crying) Said! What happened to you? You’ve
never lifted a finger against Zubir before!
You’ve always protected him!
SAID:
It’s your fault Mum! You’ve spoiled him! I’ve
had enough all these years! He’s always the
favourite one, the younger one, the poor
thing.
NURUL:
Said, you’re the elder one. You’ve always
been the man of the house. I depend on you to
take your father’s role.
SAID:
It’s not fair! Our dad passed away before I
was even born, and I’m saddled with having to
be “the man of the house” and be saddled with
two useless crybabies!
ZUBIR:
(Suddenly brave) Said, you have no right to
speak to Mum that way! Apologise at once!
SAID:
Oh, our little baby is becoming brave eh! Mum
should apologise to ME for all the unfair
treatment. Mum’s always going Zubir, Zubir,
fucking Zubir. So who the fucking hell am I
then? A fucking adopted child?
ZUBIR:
How dare you talk to Mum like that …
They trade blows. NURUL is helpless and crying, begs them to
stop fighting.
NURUL:
Stop, please stop fighting, boys, please!
ZUBIR:
Not till he apologises to you!
SAID:
Never! I hate you, Mum!
26
Lights dim. Strains of Semoga. Andryani walks in, humming
serenely. SAID and ZUBIR stop fighting.
SAID & ZUBIR:
Grandma!
NURUL:
Mak!
ANDRYANI:
(Sadly) The Spirit World is already split and
at war amongst ourselves. It is very painful
to see that our two chosen Singaporeans are
fighting with each other, instead of fighting
against the Evil Spirits.
SAID & ZUBIR:
Sorry, Grandma.
ANDRYANI:
You both have forgotten your duties to
Singapore and Singaporeans.
SAID:
Why us, Grandma, why?
ANDRYANI:
You have never questioned your role here, but
now you’re doubtful, Said. What has happened
to you?
SAID:
Sorry Grandma. Sometimes I find it very
difficult. I feel so … burdened. And so …
empty.
NURUL goes to hug him.
ANDRYANI:
Do you feel this way too, Zubir?
ZUBIR looks down, silent. NURUL releases SAID and reaches
out to ZUBIR.
SAID:
(Suddenly angry) Of course he doesn’t! He’s
got Mum fussing over him, and, and … (sees
ANDRYANI’s stern look) sorry, Grandma.
ANDRYANI:
You owe your mother an apology.
SAID:
Sorry, Mum.
ANDRYANI:
You were chosen to be born with these gifts –
both of you. You were chosen to help
Singapore. It is your duty. You must also see
that it is an honour to be chosen to carry
out this difficult task. Both of you will
have to carry out your responsibilities
because Singapore depends on you. We in the
27
Spirit World can only do so much. We have to
work with you here on earth, in Singapore. Do
you understand what I’m saying, Said and
Zubir?
SAID & ZUBIR nod.
ANDRYANI:
Both of you will have to carry your duties
not as if they are burdens. You fulfil them
with love. Love for your fellow Singaporeans,
past, present and future. Don’t forget that.
VOICES:
Andryani, it’s time to come back!
NURUL:
Mak, do you have to go back so soon? Please
stay! I miss you!
ANDRYANI:
Nurul darling, as you know, we spirits cannot
stay in the earthly realms for long. Our
auras mustn’t be contaminated with earthly,
human vibrations.
NURUL sobs. ANDRYANI hugs her.
ANDRYANI:
My dear grandsons, before I go, I must tell
you this. Said, it is not by chance or by any
human decision that you’re being sent to
another dimension to work. The Good
Spirits have willed it and it is your
destiny.
SAID:
But I don’t want to go, Grandma. I want to
stay here. I … I love someone who … I want to
be with her!
ANDRYANI:
I know, Said. But she is not meant for you,
Said.
Everyone looks at SAID. He is silent.
NURUL:
Who is she, Said? (Hurt) You never keep
anything from me! Who is she, Said?
ZUBIR:
Grandma, I will go! They will let me go. Said
and I have the same trans-dimensional powers,
so it makes no difference who goes.
ANDRYANI:
You are the two Singaporeans born with the
most powerful higher vibrations. Yes, your
powers are equal. But there is a difference,
Zubir. You are a musician. Said is a
28
scientist. You know nothing about particle
physics. Said knows a lot about it.
SAID:
But Grandma, Zubir doesn’t need to know about
particle physics to travel to the multiuniverses! He has all the abilities anyway!
ZUBIR:
Yes, that’s right, Grandma!
ANDRYANI:
The job is for a scientist. Zubir, you too
have responsibilities here in Singapore,
working on purifying the auric vibrations
through your music. It’s your destiny, both
of you.
SAID:
Destiny. I don’t have a choice then.
ANDRYANI:
There are rewards, Said. Destiny isn’t all
just heavy responsibilities and suffering.
Let me tell you Said, that you are destined
to be awarded the Jiwa in 2065, for your work
in the new dimension?
All are surprised. SAID’s look changes. He lights up.
SAID:
Really? I … I would kill for the Jiwa.
NURUL:
Darling Said, don’t say that! Nothing is
worth killing for.
SAID:
Sorry, Mum … I’m just saying that I would
carry my responsibilities to the fullest if
ultimately, I’m recognised for my effort.
ANDRYANI:
You will be awarded the Jiwa only if you
leave for the new dimension and work on the
project. Your job is to facilitate and
accelerate the living conditions in the new
dimension so that Singapore will have a
bigger and brighter place to live.
VOICES:
Andryani! Andryani!
NURUL:
(Sobbing) Don’t go yet, Mak!
ANDRYANI:
(Stroking NURUL’s hair) I have to go Nurul
darling. I will come back.
ZUBIR:
Grandma, when are you coming back?
ANDRYANI:
I will come back soon. I promise.
29
SAID:
Grandma, are you really sure about me … and
that I’ll be awarded the … Jiwa?
ANDRYANI nods, hums the Semoga sadly and wafts off to the
Spirit World, as the sobbing NURUL hugs her boys tightly.
*** *** ***
30
ACT III SCENE 1
2045. Surreal setting. Stage is dark and stark. SAID is
alone, in the middle. Behind him are ZUBIR and RAZIAH, happy
together, walking hand in hand, perfect couple in love.
RAZIAH:
Where are we going?
ZUBIR:
To Rochor Road’s Roasted Rib-eye Raunchyranching, Rip-roaring, Rabble-rousing, Rock’n
Rolling Rebel Restaurant.
RAZIAH:
Why? Is today something special? Are you
going to ask me to marry you?
ZUBIR:
Let’s see!
RAZIAH:
I hope you didn’t hire a kompang troupe! And
I hope you’re not going to present me with a
huge bouquet of tacky, wilted flowers! And
sing the Semoga off-key at the top of your
voice!
ZUBIR:
I’m not that crass, Raziah.
RAZIAH:
No, you’re not. You’re a gentle, sweet man. I
love you, Zubir.
ZUBIR:
I love you too, Raziah.
They stop, sit on bench. RAZIAH leans over and snuggles up
against ZUBIR. He puts his arms around her gently and
protectively. They enjoy peaceful bliss.
Spotlight on SAID, who goes wild with jealousy.
EVIL SPIRITS slowly appear from the dark recesses.
SAID:
Who are you? What do you want?
BODOH:
Said Azhar! You are a great man. You are the
eppy-tome of the Good Singaporean.
HODOH:
It’s pronounced “epitomeeee”, you Bodoh!
Said, you are Singapore’s Only Hope.
SAID:
I know! I know I am! Who are you? Why are you
telling me something I already know?
31
HODOH:
We are here to help you. We know you have
powerful gifts and that nobody appreciates
your gifts. So we’re here to help you.
SAID:
Help? Can you prevent them from sending me to
that new dimension? Can you? Can you?
HODOH:
We can. But it means that Singapore will send
another scientist to the new dimension. And
that scientist will win the Jiwa in 2065.
SAID:
I don’t care for the bloody Jiwa! Anyway, now
is only 2045! How can anyone be certain who
is going to get the Jiwa in twenty fucking
years?
BODOH:
You will, Said. But it is also your wee
frill.
HODOH:
Free will.
BODOH:
Ya, ya. That’s what I said! (Confidently)
Frill wee! I mean will free …
HODOH shoves him aside. He tumbles over.
HODOH:
Said, we know you don’t want to go because of
that girl Raziah.
What if you did go, and
have her too? Would you go?
BODOH:
You do want the Jiwa and you do want her.
Don’t you?
SAID:
Yes.
BODOH:
(Confidently) It’s settled then!
SAID:
(To BODOH) So what’s the deal?
BODOH:
(Blur) Oh … er …
HODOH:
When you are in the new dimension ….
BODOH:
YES! You help us to convert all the
Singaporeans …
HODOH:
OY … convince, convince
BODOH:
Yes, convince your fellow Singaporeans to …
uh … gyrate to our world. (Does the hula)
32
HODOH:
Migrate.
BODOH:
Wah, your Engrand very the powderful. But
while migrating there, they can gyrate, yes?
SAID:
That’s all? And how do I do that?
HODOH:
We’ll open many portals for you, many, many
portals, so that our human Singaporean
friends are able to come through.
BODOH:
(Gyrates about) Migrate-Gyrate! GyrateMigrate!
HODOH kicks BODOH’s butt and he tumbles over.
SAID:
And how do I get to be with Raziah?
HODOH:
The portals, Said. Only you will know the
locations of these portals, so you can lead
your Singaporean citizens freely into the
better world, and you’ll also have access
back to Singapore itself, and visit Raziah.
BODOH:
And she can visit you anytime she likes.
SAID:
It’s that easy?
HODOH:
Of course. Evil is always easy. It’s so easy,
it’s good.
BODOH:
Yah, sometimes I’m also confused whether I’m
good or evil.
SAID:
Is there anything else? What happens after I
die? Am I banished to hell forever?
HODOH:
Hell is better than where you are now, Said.
Look at us. We travel back to Singapore from
Hell and back. Singapore and Earth are in a
terribly pitiful state.
BODOH:
(Shakes head) Much worse than Hell. I’m so
happy in Hell, sometimes I think I’m in
Heaven. So, it’s a deal, then, Said Azhar?
SAID:
Hmmm … yes.
***
33
ACT III SCENE 2
2046. Conference Room.
MINISTER:
Puanku, Our Empress, the Honorable Yang Maha
Mulia Maharani, O Great Miss Prime Minister …
PM:
Just Prime Minister will do. This is 2046,
not 2015. Sexism died decades ago.
MINISTER:
I apologise. Prime Minister, a few of us are
thinking of appointing Mr Zubir Azhar to head
the project.
PM:
What? Zubir to go to the new Singapore in
Dimension 9, Multiverse 8? Why? Didn’t we
decide on Said? What could a mere musician
like Zubir do anything there?
MINISTER:
After careful deliberation and a lot of
research, we found that the conditions of
D9M8 respond far better to musical
vibrations. This would facilitate, and
accelerate the trans-ascending process.
PM:
Hmm … I have no doubt that aesthetic
vibrations can be very powerful. (Deep in
thought for a moment) Indeed, you’re right,
Minister. Our esteemed expert in particle
physics, Dr. Said Azhar would be wasted at
D9M8. It is far better to send him
underground, below Singapore to head the
Bahagia Collider Project.
MINISTER:
Yes, Your Beneficent Primeness.
PM:
It’s Prime Minister. Have you told our two
worthies yet?
MINISTER:
No, the honour is yours, Your Magnificent
Primeness. Shall I call them in?
PM:
Yes.
MINISTER exits. PM picks up huge envelope. Takes out a huge
heart-shaped card, reads contents, dabs happy tears from
eyes.
MINISTER ushers SAID and ZUBIR in. PM hurriedly hides the
card away.
34
PM:
Congratulations, Said.
SAID:
Thank you, Prime Minister. It is the highest
honour to lead the Dimension 9 Multiverse 8
project.
PM:
I’m congratulating you on being head of a far
more prestigious project, Said. You will be
sent underground to oversee and complete the
Bahagia Collider Project.
SAID:
Prime Minister, you mean to say that I am to
stay in Singapore? To run a new project in
Singapore, and not go to D9M8?
PM:
Yes, you are the man for it. And you, Zubir,
you will go to D9M8, to prepare the new
Singapore for our citizens.
ZUBIR is stunned. SAID is delighted.
ZUBIR:
But … but Prime Minister, how may I be of use
at D9M8?
PM:
Recently we have found that the conditions at
D9M8 respond best to musical vibrations. The
flora and fauna are blooming at amazing
speeds.
MINISTER:
You will head the project, and accelerate it,
and we expect 6.9 million Singaporeans to
move there within ten years.
PM:
6.8889. It’s my lucky number, please remember
that. Three eights between a six and a nine.
Three well-endowed women between two
copulating denizens.
MINISTER:
You’re embarrassing our two worthies, Your
Munificent Primeness …
PM:
This is not 2015.
MINISTER:
Yes, Your Bountiful Primeness.
PM:
It’s Prime Minister!!! (Calms herself) It’s
settled then. Zubir, you are to prepare to
trans-ascend as soon as possible. We have no
time to waste. Said, you will take over the
Bahagia Collider Project immediately.
35
SAID:
I am at your service, Prime Minister.
Voices of EVIL SPIRITS speaks. Only SAID is able to hear.
VOICE:
Said Azhar, remember your promise to us.
Remember our pact. Tell your Prime Minister
that you will not take the new job. You must
go to D9M8.
SAID:
(Hesitant) Prime Minister, sorry … I would
like some time to think, to think … to sort
out family issues.
MINISTER:
How dare you go against Her Magnanimous
Primeness?
PM:
Said, you’ll still be in Singapore, you can
come up from underground anytime. It’s Zubir
who will need some time, because D9M8 is not
quite as close to Earth as … Neptune or
Pluto, you know …
SAID:
Yes … I understand what you’re saying …
VOICE:
(Threateningly) Said Azhar, remember our
pact.
More VOICES join in, chanting.
VOICES:
Said Azhar, remember. Said Azhar, remember.
Said Azhar, remember.
PM:
(To MINISTER) Poor Said! Minister, let’s
arrange for him to take on a more …
comfortable job. We should try to find a
position to suit his flaccid personality, and
to relieve him of his many, many …
insecurities.
MINISTER:
Yes of course, Your Compassionate Primeness.
There are many vacant positions in our local
universities, Your Honorable Primeness.
PM:
Said, would you like to instead accept a
position as a tenured professor? It’s very
safe and secure. My blind, deaf, dumb and
lame grandmother is thriving as a tenured
professor at this very moment, as we speak.
SAID:
(Horrified) No, no, I don’t want to be a
tenured professor, no! Yes, Prime Minister,
36
it is an honour to accept the new post. I
accept it, and I thank you very much.
EVIL SPIRITS make horrible noises before fading away.
MINISTER escorts SAID out.
PM retrieves huge card. Kisses it, goes to large box, opens,
and places card in it. The box is full of assorted heartshape cards.
***
37
ACT III SCENE 3
RAZIAH is strolling. SAID runs after her.
SAID:
Raziah, wait! Guess what!
RAZIAH:
You’ve decided to marry one lucky gal from
the hordes of women throwing themselves at
you!
SAID:
No, no! The Prime Minister has appointed me
to run and complete the Bahagia Collider
Project. I’m not going to D9M8! I’m staying
here in Singapore!
RAZIAH:
Congratulations, Said! You never wanted to
travel out to the other dimensions.
SAID:
Yes! So, Raziah, we can get married. We can
live underground if you like, or we can live
above. We can even travel to D9M8 if you
want.
RAZIAH:
Said, it’s just as well we’re not in a
restaurant right now. I can’t deal with
another public drama.
SAID:
What are you saying, Raziah?
She walks away. He goes after her and turns her around
roughly.
SAID:
Raziah, you can forget about marrying my
stupid baby brother. They’re sending him to
D9M8.
RAZIAH:
I’m going with him, Said.
SAID:
You can’t! They’re sending useless people
there - artists, musicians, actors! You’re a
biologist, a scientist – they won’t send you
there!
RAZIAH stops and stares at SAID.
RAZIAH:
I’m going to D9M8. I have
resignation. I’m marrying
looking for a position as
I can help look after the
flora and fauna.
already tendered my
Zubir and I’m
a biologist, where
eco-system - the
38
SAID:
Hah! You’ll be downgraded to a simple
gardener, Raziah! Huh, flora and fauna eh?
It’s a grass patch you’ll be living in, with
earthworms and cockroaches for company!
RAZIAH walks away resolutely.
SAID:
(Shouts after her) You won’t be happy,
Raziah! He can never make you happy, Raziah.
You’ll regret it, you will!
***
39
ACT III SCENE 4
2049. Surreal setting, identical to the one in ACT III SCENE
1.
NURUL, ZUBIR and RAZIAH walk by. ZUBIR is pushing a
stroller. They sit by a bench. RAZIAH lifts a baby wrapped
in blankets out of the stroller. She cuddles the baby. NURUL
fusses about to make RAZIAH and baby comfortable. ZUBIR
preps baby food.
SAID is despondent, depressed.
EVIL SPIRITS appear.
HODOH:
Look, he’s there. His vibrations are very
low.
BODOH:
Ya, now is the best time to bring him over to
our Dark Realms.
HODOH:
He’s a tough one. Remember he reneged on his
pact with us years ago.
BODOH:
Can we still trust him?
HODOH:
He’s suffered a long time. His vibrational
powers are in tatters. It’s a good time now
….
BODOH:
Yah … let’s go convert him.
HODOH:
Convince.
BODOH:
Convince.
SAID notices the EVIL SPIRITS.
SAID:
What do you want! Go away! You cheated me of
everything!
HODOH:
You cheated yourself! We made a pact. You
were supposed to go to the new dimension.
BODOH:
(Confidently) Neh mind, we give you another
chance.
SAID:
So, what ideas do you have this time?
BODOH:
(Blur) Er … umm …you go underground and do
some good work for us.
40
HODOH:
Evil work, you bodoh! We’re evil spirits, we
don’t do good work.
SAID:
I’ve lost Raziah. She is everything to me. I
want Raziah.
BODOH:
We’ll arrange that for you. For you, we’ll
even throw in the Jiwa-wa (Dances) Jiwa-wa-wa
…
HODOH kicks him. HODOH falls over.
BODOH:
Jiwa-walau-eh! So violent, you.
SAID:
And what is the price?
BODOH:
Nothing so heavy you can’t carry, Said.
HODOH:
All you have to do is, on the next National
Day, you’ll organize a grand tour of the
Bahagia Collider and invite many, many
guests. All Singaporeans.
BODOH:
Thousands. The more, the merrier. (Dances
about)
HODOH:
That day, you’ll activate the Bahagia
Collider and you will be the scientist who
discovers the elusive graviton.
SAID:
Do you think I’m so stupid? Gravitons can’t
be discovered with just a simple click of a
button!
HODOH:
That button is special. When it sets off the
Bahagia Collider, we promise you that the
graviton particle will be discovered.
SAID:
I don’t believe it. What do you know about
particle physics?
BODOH:
You don’t know the extent of our powers,
Said. Of course we know the Bahagia Collider
won’t produce gravitons.
HODOH:
But gravitons do exist, nevertheless. Just
that you stupid humans haven’t proven their
existence. Here is where we can help you.
41
BODOH:
With the help of thousands of your fellow
Singaporeans. Yes. You lead them underground,
right below Singapore at the appointed time.
HODOH:
That is the day you, Dr Said bin Azhar,
eminent Singaporean scientist, will be the
founder of this elusive graviton. The
scientific world should rename this particle
after you, Said.
SAID:
How could the thousands of Singaporeans going
down below help me with the discovery of
gravitons?
BODOH:
Said, we only want their bodies lah. You
humans are very heavy beings. You’re not
giving these poor graviton particles a
chance.
SAID:
What? You want their bodies? You want me to
be a mass murderer?!
HODOH:
You’ll be the greatest scientist ever. You’ll
be awarded the Jiwa AND the Nobel Prize.
BODOH:
The thousands won’t die, Said. They’ll be as
normal as before. We just inhabit their
bodies. Nobody will know the difference.
SAID is horrified.
HODOH:
You’re scaring him.
SAID:
You’re really very evil!
BODOH:
(Flattered) Oh, why, thank you!
HODOH:
It’s not as bad as you think, Said. There are
so many human beings walking around for
centuries, whose bodies have been taken over
by aliens, by spirits. What’s new?
BODOH:
That’s why you humans have bomohs, witch
doctors etcera etcetera etcetera …
HODOH:
(Kicks BODOH) Shut up. You are taking too
much stage time.
BODOH:
… etcetera … so, Said, what say you?
SAID:
How will you get Raziah for me?
42
BODOH:
You will have to lure your brother …
HODOH:
… lead, lead …
BODOH:
Ah lead, yes, lead your brother Zubir down
underground on that day.
SAID:
And? You take over his body and have Raziah
to yourself? NO!
HODOH:
(Smoothly) Of course not. Zubir will be the
only Singaporean who on that day, will never
again see the light of day.
SAID is silent.
BODOH:
Well?
HODOH:
Jiwa Singapura!
BODOH:
Nobel Prize!
HODOH:
Raziah!
EVIL SPIRITS:
(Chanting) Jiwa! Nobel! Raziah! Jiwa! Nobel!
Raziah!
Evil music getting louder. Finally SAID goes upstage,
reaches his arms out to the sky and screams.
All music and chanting stop suddenly.
SAID:
YES!!!!
Lights out.
*** *** ***
43
ACT IV SCENE 1
2050. Conference Room.
PM:
So it’s settled then. We’re celebrating
Singapore’s 85th Birthday Celebrations
underground!
SAID:
Thank you, Prime Minister. I will do
everything I can to make it an unforgettable
birthday celebration for Singapore.
MINISTER:
Yes, the National Day Celebrations will never
be the same again, after 2050!
PM:
Said, you are a very talented man. A very
important citizen of Singapore.
MINISTER:
We should consider him for the next Jiwa,
Your Opulent Primeness.
PM:
It’s PRIME MINISTER!!!!
Silence. PM composes herself.
PM:
I have already thought about it. He fully
deserves the Anugera Jiwa Singapura.
SAID can hardly conceal his delight.
SAID:
Thank you, Prime Minister.
MINISTER ushers SAID out. PM picks yet another envelope,
opens it and takes out another huge card. Places it lovingly
into chest of cards.
***
44
ACT IV SCENE 2
Strains of sad Semoga. SAID is alone, centrestage. ANDRYANI
walks in.
SAID:
Grandma!
ANDRYANI:
Do not call me Grandma. I can hardly
recognize this grandson of mine.
SAID:
Grandma, no! No, Grandma, please don’t say
that!
ANDRYANI:
You have already sold your soul to the Evil
Spirits, Said, and while doing so, you are
also taking with you, many, many innocent
Singaporeans. And you’re going to lead your
own brother to his death. You are not my
grandson!
SAID:
I have had many great disappointments myself,
Grandma!
ANDRYANI:
Yes, you have. But Said – you were born with
very high and powerful gifts. You were chosen
and blessed with these gifts.
SAID:
I know, I know, Grandma! But did I ask to be
chosen? I didn’t!
ANDRYANI:
It is an honour, Said.
SAID:
(Laughs sarcastically) Honour? I have
nothing, nothing! What is honour? I have
never felt that I have ever been honoured!
I’m … bereft of … of everything!
ANDRYANI:
Honour is not just glory, fame and
popularity, Said.
SAID:
Zubir’s honour has all been glory, fame and
popularity!
VOICES:
Andryani, it’s time to close the portal!
ANDRYANI:
That’s not true, Said. Life in D9M8 is not as
good as you think. The Evil Spirits have
found new portals to infiltrate D9M8, and
this has slowed down Zubir’s work. Do you
think he is basking in glory and popularity,
45
with the danger of the Evil Spirits roaming
in the new dimension?
VOICES:
Andryani, come now, we have to go!
SAID:
At least he has … he has Raziah. If I had
Raziah by my side, I would overcome anything
and everything!
ANDRYANI:
You have your mother here, Said. Don’t forget
that. Your mother misses Zubir very much, and
Zubir misses her too. Now, they are
separated. But you, you have your mother. You
should appreciate having her with you.
SAID:
Mum never cared for me, Grandma.
VOICES:
Andryani, come back now!
ANDRYANI:
She does. You don’t want to admit it. You’re
here in Singapore, and you hardly visit her.
She is already missing your brother very
much, and here you are, so close to her, but
hardly there for her.
VOICES:
Andryani, we’re closing the portal now!
ANDRYANI retreats.
SAID:
Mum doesn’t love me, Grandma! She doesn’t!
Sad Semoga music in background as SAID stares into space.
NURUL walks in. Stands in corner.
NURUL:
Said, when are you coming to visit?
SAID:
I’m busy, Mum.
NURUL:
I miss you, Said. I want to cook for you and
look after you.
SAID:
It’s okay, I don’t need any cooking. I’m
fine.
NURUL:
But when will you come to visit? Raziah sent
me some presents for you from Saidah.
SAID:
(Softens) Oh.
NURUL:
Saidah loves her Uncle Said very much.
46
Silence.
NURUL:
Said, I want you to know that I was the one
who asked Raziah and Zubir to name my first
grandchild after you.
SAID buries face in hands.
NURUL:
Come visit soon, Said. I love you Said.
NURUL waits and listens. Silence. She exits weeping sadly.
SAID broods for a moment. He hears RAZIAH’s voice calling
his name. Turns around but can’t find her.
SAID:
Raziah? Is that you? I want to see you! I
miss you!
RAZIAH:
If I appear, will you promise to save Zubir?
Promise me that you won’t let the Evil
Spirits take him away?
Silence. SAID is struggling.
SAID:
Yes.
RAZIAH enters. SAID rushes to her and hugs her tightly. She
is not comfortable and tries to disengange herself.
RAZIAH:
Please, Said, no.
SAID:
I miss you, Raziah. I love you, Raziah.
RAZIAH:
Promise me, Said, you won’t let them take
Zubir away.
SAID:
You’d be happier with me, Raziah. Stay with
me, Raziah.
RAZIAH wrestles away from SAID as he is getting desperate
and more passionate. She disappears into the darkness.
SAID:
(Shouts) Raziah! You want to be with Zubir
together forever? Okay! You can go with him
to the Evil Spirits and live together
forever! Damn you! I curse you and Zubir from
the bottom of my heart!
SAID is alone brooding again. Little SAIDAH walks in. She
has been crying, but her face is expressionless. She stands
47
a few feet behind SAID, watching him. Eventually he feels
her presence.
SAID:
Saidah!
SAID rushes to her and hugs her.
SAID:
Does Mummy know you’re here?
SAIDAH:
(Shakes her head) No. Uncle Said, Daddy says
when I grow up, he will send me here to look
after you.
SAID:
Did Daddy really say that?
SAIDAH:
Yes. But I cannot wait till I’m 18 years old.
I want to be with you now.
SAID:
No, Saidah, you have to go back. Mummy and
Daddy will miss you. Don’t make them worry.
SAIDAH:
Yes, they will miss me. And I will miss them.
But they have Azharia to take care of them.
You have no one. I love you, Uncle Said. I
want to stay here and look after you.
SAID looks at SAIDAH’s brave face, not knowing what to say.
SAID:
OK, listen, Saidah. For now, you have to go
back. I will arrange something.
SAIDAH:
When can I come back here to be with you
Uncle?
SAID:
Soon. I have to … uh … I have to sort things
out first. After that … (sudden idea) after
that, I will join you, Mummy, Daddy, Azharia
and Grandma, okay?
SAIDAH:
Promise?
SAID:
(Struggles not to lie) Yes, yes, Saidah, I
promise.
SAIDAH finally sheds her expressionless look and exposes her
real fears and also her great relief. SAID is shattered upon
seeing her vulnerabilities, and how she took pains to hide
them from him.
SAIDAH hugs SAID tightly, then breaks off suddenly and runs
into the darkness.
48
SAID is in pieces.
HODOH and BODOH creep in.
HODOH:
What a catch! Three-in-one!
BODOH:
Thank you, Said!
SAID:
What do you mean? And what are you doing
here?
HODOH:
We’re thrilled to have the two little girls
come along with their Daddy!
SAID:
What do you mean? The girls are not in the
plan!
BODOH:
You are even more bodoh than I!
HODOH:
Said, surely after getting rid of Zubir, and
having Raziah all to yourself, you won’t want
a couple of crying little girls hanging
around, do you? We’ll help you get rid of
them.
BODOH:
For free, no charge!
SAID:
No, no! Let’s re-negotiate!
HODOH:
No. You’ve let us down once. We’re not
letting you get away again. It’s sealed.
BODOH:
Two new young bodies for us, Hodoh!
HODOH:
Yup. They’re even better than Zubir, Raziah
and even you, Said. They were born in the
middle of the 21st century, so that makes
them even more powerful!
BODOH:
It’s worth waiting hundreds of years for! And
I’ve always wanted to be a girl too!
HODOH and BODOH dance about in glee and disappear.
SAID is left alone to think about the terrible consequences
about to be wreaked upon his two innocent little nieces.
ANDRYANI walks in, humming the Semoga sadly.
49
SAID:
Grandma, please help me! Please do something!
They’re going to take Saidah and Azharia to
the netherworld!
ANDRYANI:
I know. I will try to help.
SAID:
How, how, Grandma? Tell me how?
ANDRYANI:
The day before Zubir goes down to the Bahagia
Collider to … die … you must take Raziah and
the girls to SG1965 and stay there till it’s
safe.
SAID:
Grandma, I will take Zubir’s place and tell
him to go to SG1965 with Raziah and the
girls!
ANDRYANI:
Yes, you could do that. But you have already
broken your pact with the Evil Spirits once.
You can imagine what consequences your
mother, brother and his family will suffer,
if you break your promise to the Evil Ones a
second time. They will destroy every single
person from the Abu Bakar family line. Every
single member.
VOICES:
Andryani! Andryani!
SAID:
I’m so sorry, so sorry for all I’ve done.
What can I do to save us?
ANDRYANI:
You just do what you have to do. At least,
save Raziah and the girls. And bring them up
to be even greater than their father, and
more noble than their uncle. Saidah and
Azharia have greater powers than you and
Zubir, and eventually, they will overcome the
Evil Spirits. Singapore will be safe again
one day. Semoga Bahagia, Said. I hope you
will finally find happiness.
ANDRYANI goes off humming the Semoga sadly.
***
50
ACT V SCENE 1
Few weeks later.
MINISTER:
Zubir, your brother Said is amazing! He has
no end of great ideas!
ZUBIR:
I am … I am honoured to host the National
Celebrations at D9M8, sir. I am indebted to
my brother. For the first time, my dear
mother will be able to visit my home in D9M8.
PM:
Your brother Said is a good man, Zubir. He is
the one who suggested that we take the
celebration to D9M8 instead of the original
location at the Bahagia Collider underground.
ZUBIR:
My thoughtful brother! I have no one in the
world who cares so much for me, my mother and
my family.
MINISTER:
We agree!
PM:
And we will reward him with the Jiwa
Singapura Award next year for his many
creative innovations.
ZUBIR:
(Genuinely thrilled) Thank you, Prime
Minister. My mother will be the happiest
Singaporean ever, to witness this in her
lifetime.
PM:
Your family is a privileged one, Zubir. It is
the only family to have two members
recognized as the true “jiwa”, the true
“souls” of Singapore.
MINISTER escorts ZUBIR out. PM with her heart-shape cards
again.
***
51
ACT V SCENE 2
Stage split into two.
Upstage is D9M8. NURUL, ZUBIR, RAZIAH, SAIDAH and AZHARIA,
stand, watching something up in the distant sky. It is
celebration time! PM and MINISTER are also there.
Downstage is underground, at the Bahagia Collider. It is
dark and empty. SAID is standing centre stage, staring over
and above audience, staring at something inexplicable, far
away.
HODOH:
Why is this place so empty? Where are the
kiasu Singaporeans?
BODOH:
Ya man! This year’s big National Day
Celebration and nobody here! They got the
right venue or not!
SAID:
Yes, they have the right venue.
HODOH:
Then where are the irritating crowds?
SAID:
Be patient. Singaporeans are always late.
Grumbling noises from EVIL SPIRITS.
BODOH:
Eh, Said, we can’t wait all day ah.
SAID:
Soon, soon. Very soon. How many of you are
here? You’re crowding the space.
HODOH:
Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands! Our
auras are weakening with so many of us here,
Said.
SAID:
Hundreds of thousands? That is more than the
Singaporeans coming here. It would mean that
many of you will have no physical bodies to
take over, yes?
BODOH:
We take what we can, Said.
HODOH:
Now stop wasting time, and let your kiasu
Singaporeans in, and begin your stupid
celebrations!
SAID:
Yes, I will. With a click of this button, the
portals will open, and the thousands of kiasu
52
Singaporeans will come in and you can take
over their bodies!
SAID goes over to contraption and fiddles with the console.
Thunderous clap. Mayhem. Desperate shouts.
BODOH:
Damn you, Said!
HODOH:
Get him! If we have to go into oblivion,
we’ll take him with us!
EVIL SPIRITS drag SAID away, a la Mozart’s Don Giovanni’s
final scene, where Don Giovanni is dragged down to Hell.
SAID does not resist, and goes willingly and heroically down
to eternal damnation.
Lights focus on upstage, NURUL, ZUBIR, RAZIAH, SAIDAH and
AZHARIA, happy together. PM and MINISTER too.
Strains of Semoga/Majulah.
***
53
ACT V SCENE 3
2065, August 9. Esplanade Theatre.
VOICE-OVER:
Semoga Bahagia, everyone! Welcome to
Singapore’s 100th Birthday Celebration! We
invite the daughter of our first Empress of
Singapore, the Yang Maha Mulia Maharani, Miss
Maria Menado Alsagoff to open the
Celebration! Let’s welcome the Prime
Minister!
PM:
Semoga Bahagia, Singaporeans. Welcome to
Singapore’s 100th Birthday Celebration! 50
years ago in 2015, my mother presented the
first ever Jiwa to Andryani Abu Bakar, who is
the grandmother of this year’s recipient! I
am pleased to call upon Singapore’s 50th
recipient of the Anugera Jiwa Singapura, Mr
Zubir bin Azhar!
PM presents the anugera to ZUBIR and goes towards wing,
where MINISTER gives her a huge red heart-shaped card which
she delightedly accepts.
During ZUBIR’s speech below, pics above of past great
Singaporeans.
NURUL, RAZIAH, SAIDAH and AZHARIA are standing in the wings,
watching proudly.
ZUBIR:
Thank you, Prime Minister. I am honoured to
be the 50th recipient on this day that
Singapore celebrates her 100th Year of
Independence. As I am speaking, I know that
my brother Said is somewhere, watching me,
and watching over me. This Jiwa really
belongs to him. He was the sole brave
Singaporean who lured the Evil Spirits to the
Bahagia Collider underground and annihilated
over 90% of the Evil Spirit population. It
cost him his life. Singapore has enjoyed
unprecedented peace and harmony ever since.
He really deserves the Jiwa, not me.
Respectful pause.
In 2015, when my grandmother won this Jiwa,
she dedicated it to Encik Zubir Said, who
gave us the Majulah Singapura and the Semoga
Bahagia. Encik Zubir left us very important
54
messages when he wrote those two songs we
sing and love so much. In the Majulah, he
told us to stand united with a spirit that is
new - “dengan semangat yang baru”. Singapore
is now celebrating 100 years of independence,
and yes, we are still forging a spirit that
is new, courageous and daring. Encik Zubir’s
other song, the Semoga Bahagia reminds us
Singaporeans, that we should always strive to
be valued in the eyes of the world … “supaya
kita ada harga di-mata dunia”. Indeed, now –
a hundred years on, we are valued in the eyes
of the multiverses and multi-dimensions we
now inhabit. His most important message
however is for us to seek and find happiness.
He wished us “Semoga Bahagia” – May you find
happiness – so that we will be valued, in the
eyes of the world, the universe and beyond.
Singapore has done well. (Pause) This Anugera
Jiwa Singapura is not mine, it belongs to us,
to all Singaporeans past, present and future.
Semoga Bahagia, Singapura!
Strains of the Majulah.
[All stand up to sing – led by Shafiqhah. Standing ovation
for cast and crew by default!]
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
55

Semoga Bahagia: For all Singaporeans past, present and future

Transcription

Similar documents

bahagia semoga

Total copy

Defending Kg Kerinchi Traders Compensation for Traders

Kadence Research... Suggests the time has come to refine what is

Tintern Girl`s Grammar School

4 - storeyapartments - Naim Holdings Berhad

Awana Upcoming Events - Faith Baptist Church

community - DailyNews Archives