'Rubiah' a medium to teach cultural values, morality
05 Jul 2025 02:01pm
Noorkhiriah (right) as Mak Alang and Didi Astillah as Rubiah perform their respective roles during the staging of the classic musical theatre Rubiah at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Auditorium, Section 14, Shah Alam. - Bernama photo
SHAH ALAM - The staging of the classic musical theatre production 'Rubiah' serves as an important medium to educate the younger generation about Malay-Islamic cultural and moral values, which are increasingly eroding in the wave of modernisation.
Its director Associate Prof Dr Aminah Abd Rhapor, a lecturer at the College of Creative Arts Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), said the decision to revive the legendary folklore of Selangor was timely and in line with the current need to strengthen cultural identity and instill noble values in society. Noorkhiriah (right) as Mak Alang and Didi Astillah as Rubiah perform their respective roles during the staging of the classic musical theatre Rubiah at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Auditorium, Section 14, Shah Alam. - Bernama photo
"'Rubiah' carries an important message about the boundaries of interaction between men and women according to Islamic teachings, and it highlights love that exalts the glory of God, which is something highly relevant to today's society.
"This story doesn't just showcase folklore; it also serves to introduce and cultivate an understanding of Malay culture among the younger generation, many of whom are unfamiliar with or disconnected from their cultural roots," she said when met by Bernama after the musical theatre's opening performance recent.
The three-night musical is being staged at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) auditorium at 8.30 pm by Persona Mentera Theatre Association and the National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN), Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture; in collaboration with UiTM's Faculty of Theatre, Film and Animation and MBSA.
In addition to UiTM students, school pupils and JKKN dancers, the production also features actress Didi Astillah as Rubiah and Noorkhiriah as Mak Alang.
The play was previously staged at Istana Budaya in 2005 under the direction of Datuk Ahmad Tarmimi Siregar and featured actress Fauziah Latif among others.
It relates the story of Rubiah, a young religious woman who faces a dilemma in choosing between romantic love and a higher love - one that not only brings happiness in this world but also brings divine blessings.
"The love in 'Rubiah' is a love that glorifies God. It teaches morality, social boundaries and purity... values that are increasingly forgotten today,' the director said.
Aminah admitted facing significant challenges in restaging 'Rubiah', which had been staged twice before but expressed her gratitude that the fresh perspective and approach taken this time received positive feedback from the audience.
"My approach was a little different and I had never seen the previous versions myself, which allowed me to build a fresher interpretation without being constrained by past portrayals.
"We didn't change much… we just adapted it through our own lens. If a piece is already good, there's no need to alter it drastically,' she said.
She also said guiding the lead cast was quite challenging too as most of them were young students with no experience in acting.
"These students underwent 14 weeks of intensive training. We also paired them with professional artistes and dancers from JKKN so they could gain hands-on experience and improve the quality of their performance,' she said. - BERNAMA
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