Dan Tinggal Tiga Baju Raya (2008), Review

…Dan Tinggal Tiga Baju Raya is not particularly ambitious but enjoyable for what it is. It tells the story of three men reminiscing about growing up in the 80s, without grand statements or deep psychology. Mohd Zulfadli Mohd Rashid (big)'s script does veer into mawkish territory in places but, on the whole, it is a charming narrative steeped in nostalgia and Malay cultural practices and traditions and it is brought colourfully to life by director Helmi Fita who has a particularly good eye for the use of space. The strongest feature of the production though is the ensemble cast of Mish'aal Syed Nasar, Ebi Shankara and Ahmad Zakuan, all of whom are relative newcomers to the stage but are extremely likeable and perform with palpable commitment and heart. Their enthusiasm and chemistry with each other bring a particular joy to their scenes as children where they first become friends. Having said that, the play felt unbalanced because it spent so much more time on these childhood scenes while the recreation of the men's lives as they grew older was presented only in fragments and flashes. This may have been intended as a reflection of how we tend to bask in golden memories and try to skip over the darker ones but, if so, this needed to have been more confidently articulated.