The long-running theatrical musical in Malacca City beckons
Just 2 hours drive away from Kuala Lumpur, the historic state of Malaysia needs no introduction when it comes to its long-list of worthy travel attractions, cultural sites, and foods. Malacca as a UNESCO World Heritage site is often regarded to be an introductory stop to learn about Malaysia.
Rasa Melaka The Musical staged such a show; focusing on the country’s multicultural society, the musical ensemble sang, danced and acted through 50 years of change from Tanah Melayu to present-day Malaysia.
Directed by Beijing-based Malaysian Director, Dr. Deric Gan spared no expense in building the right kind of stage sets, good soundscapes and fitting costumes change for every era as he cleverly interlaces new original music in retelling the story of Malacca with surprising notes of local children rhymes.
The comedic storytelling and flashback is an absolute treat given Dr. Deric Gan’s incorporation of Chinese custom dragon dance, the indigenous martial arts of Silat, and Joget, Malacca origin Malay traditional dance as preludes to Malaysia’s arts and cultural scene.
“RASA Melaka The Musical” is the first production from the RASA-CITY Series for tourists to learn more about Malaysia’s culture. Hailing from all over the country, the 12-member talented acting cast portrayed an unforgettable tale of Malacca’s multiracial community through times of happiness and difficulty.
Malay girl Melia, Hokkien boy Lak and Chetty girl Kashvi first appeared as school children in the historical city in the 60s, witnessing the independence of Malaysia, and over time, grew up before having their own families while seeing Malacca transformed into prominence.
As the story unfolds between the three friends, audiences are entertained in an effortless mix of English, Malay and Chinese language dialogues–fitting the portrayal of a rojak Malaysian language. For universal enjoyment, timely subtitles in English and Mandarin ran along with the cast’s dialogues and catchy songs.
Rasa Melaka – The Musical
Show Period: Now until 31 October 2020
Show Time: Tuesday till Sunday (
Duration: 60 minutes
Ticket price: Starts at RM48*
Venue: Panggung Bangsawan, 20, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Malacca, Malaysia
For more information and ticket purchases, visit the show’s official website at www.rasamelaka.com
text and photos by Jessy Wong
