First Timer

Hi guys! Last night was my first time watching a theatrical performance. I've always wanted to, because I enjoy those sort of things, or I thought so. Because it turns out that theatre is not really my thing. Well, I've realized that I'm into things; like reading, and sharing stories, and watching performance arts, etc; but they always went to some extent where one is my forte while others aren't, despite it was in the same context. And this one's the same. The thought of it excites me, but watching them? (As it turns out) not so much.

But hey, before I digress, let's just continue to what I'm suppose to share here. My most humble and honest things I wanted to point out from watching Baju Baru Sang Raja. Oh, I suppose you shouldn't read this first if you haven't seen the play.

(Please note that it's my first time watching these kinds of things)

First. It's boring. Why? The conversations were dragged too long and most of the long conversations have no relation what so ever with the plot. And also, I can't help but notice a lot of little fragment in a scene have no relation with the plot.

I have a lot of reasons in mind of why did that happen: it was suppose to strengthen its characters. It was suppose to emphasize that there are more complex ideas (the immorality of the ministers, what most people have in mind about politics, or something) inside the play other than the actual plot. And it was suppose to (verbally) remind people of bad things that actually happening in real life, of how ironic it was to find it funny on stage. The last thing, it's probably what theatre is all about: A lot of words, and a lot of details. Well, highly likely; knowing Shakespeare's works.

I have a lot of subjective reasons why that bores me: I'm a visual person. I can't read too much words, and I don't hear too much either (Explained how bad of a person I am). If you use words, use it as little as possible. If you don't, use something else to make us understand, because I prefer speculating what I'm seeing from what you did rather than hearing something that I already know from what you're doing. Using words for something like that makes me feel like I've been lectured. I hate that feeling WHEN I'm watching. In my opinion, something good should make me learn something AFTER I've watched it. Something that lets me think and enjoy the show and makes me baffled after it ends with realizations. With a lot of words, that couldn't happen to me.

In conclusion: because I've never watched any play before this one (except for school play! And boy that was fast and simple) I can't tell whether it's boring because of the script or because theatre is boring for me in general.

Second. It has an inside joke where you won't understand unless you're a part of FIB UI's big family. And how did I get the joke? How did I know that it was an inside joke? I read the booklet of course. If you open the book every time another person enters the stage to know who is s/he suppose to be and who s/he actually is, like I did for fun, you will. I don't know whether it's a bad thing or not, but I think people who actually have no time to read the booklet because they're so into the play wouldn't get that, and... if a pointless conversation isn't there for a gag, then it stays as a pointless conversation. Right?

Third. I like the costumes. It was colorful and.. colorful. And the lighting. The background are nice too. But my favorite was the costumes.

Fourth. There's this part where it has an overly-long gag. A gag that goes repeatedly to the point of boredom until it's not funny anymore. Maybe the actual gag is the length of the gag itself, I don't know, but it's not just my taste of a gag. But that's what they say, comedy is subjective.

Fifth. Maybe it's just me too stupid to understand but I don't get it. You see, if you had watched it, the (sort-of) first act was a bunch of activist planning something and mentioning how they will get into the part of the contest. But until the end of the play, I don't get WHERE the hell it supposes to take part. Where is their involvement in the contest? I only saw them as an activist who asked some money to one of the minister, ignite a demo, etc. The one who make a fool out of the king was the designer. From America. Now, now; I know that this suppose to mean something about how vulnerable and stupid this kingdom is to be fooled by them, but well. Isn't it weird? Isn't that mean that the evil minister and the activist was lucky enough that the king making a fool of himself at the time? They only wanted to point out how much money the king spent for it right? But they get a full package; they embarrass the king and the money spent for nothing. Please enlighten me. Is there anything more in Safiudin besides how cunning the prime minister using one of his colleague to do things for their sake? Is there anything more in the designer other than he's from America or is he involved with the plan along with the activist/defence minister?

Sixth. There's a lot of things I suppose to get from watching this. But political matters are never in my line of interest so I don't really pay attention. I was there for a friend. And, to crush my curiosity of how would it feels like to watch a real play. Hahaha. Please pardon my ignorance.

All in all, I'm not reviewing this play. I'm just pointing out things I got (or didn't get) from the play. Because; I don't know how a play suppose to be like, what kind of things that suppose to be achieved, or what kind of things that was suppose to be there, or which one is a good acting and which one isn't. So this is pretty much about ME. Not about the play. So feel free to correct any ignorant and inappropriate thoughts I've written. Some explanations are very much loved and welcomed!

Cheers