10th February 2019
By H.M
Death and the King’s Horseman has to be one of the most exciting event that has taken place in PTEM up to date. Put together by the students and teachers of English Literature, the play happens only once every two years. So to be part of it, even just to watch, is truly a wonderful experience. Co-director Miss Zuliana stated that this tradition has been around for six years now and that Death and the King’s Horseman is the third production the English literature department has proudly produced by far.
Based on a play they studied as part of their course, Death and the King’s Horseman tells a tale of a man named Elesin who failed to keep his oath thanks to personal and external obstacles, coming in the form of love, reluctance and interference, facing the consequences of his actions. After two months of blood, sweat and tears preparing to ensure a smooth running production, their hard work finally paid off with the fantastic performance.
“I have no father, eater of leftovers.” ~ Olunde, looking down upon his dishonoured father, Elesin Oba.
A huge number of students from Sekolah Menengah Sayidina Ali, Maktab Duli and Pusat Tingkatan Enam Sengkurong attended the play that was held in the school’s lecture hall, with many complimenting on how exceptional the production & actors were, with one example coming from Darwisyah, a student from Sekolah Menengah Rimba II who had this to say:
“The play was really well-practised, the casts and crew gave all their best and it was really worth watching! My favorite moments lay in Scene 4’s ball dance and the ending because i love the sequencing that lead to the death of the main character! I am absolutely in awe at the well-spoken dialogue within the play as well!”
Another literature enthusiast, taking ‘A’ Levels in Maktab Duli, who wished only to be known as “The Shakespearean” for the sake of anonymity, gave their thoughts on the play:
“Honestly, the play was phenomenal, especially the actors. You could feel the amount of sacrifice made for the production to be as good as it was. Bob and Amusa are top contenders for ‘favourite character’ as I’m a sucker for comic relief characters, & their facial expressions, movement as well as delivery of lines were far better than what I think most people expected (no offense). Additionally, the little detail of drums playing in the background was a good touch as well. Although, for me the character that stood out was the main protagonist, Elesin. The acting was beyond passionate. From movement, to delivery of lines, expressions & an audible acting voice, he without a doubt ticked the criteria of a good theatre actor. It’s not to say that the other actors didn’t meet this criteria as well, as most of them delivered superbly and brought out the best in the play in their own breathtaking way.
The ending was the one event that I still remember rather vividly, the protagonist killing himself with the prison chains. That one scene really left a mark on me. As a fellow literature student, I saw foreshadowing of the main protagonist’s death coming as the play naturally followed the guideline of a tragedy, yet his suicide still burns brightly in my mind as if it had only just occurred. It was just a stunning spectacle. So kudos to him, the other actors and staff for a surprisingly delightful production. Y’all better get or demand money for this as all of you deserve it.”
With the success of this year’s play, it doesn’t seem like they’re planning on slowing down anytime soon. We look forward to the next one that is sure to be bigger and better!
The Equinox 