Revisiting Pencak Silat OSAKA
(Paper to be presented at The Humanities Conference in Hawaii, January 2014)
Seni Pencak Silat: Utilizing The Malay Warrior Arts As A Method In Actor Training
Abstract
The Malay warrior arts seni pencak silat (sps) is an important source of traditional theatre acting technique. During the colonial period and post-colonial modernization, Western models of theatre replaced traditional performance and the physical technique of theatre was largely modeled on Western acting: the importance of the text ascended and realistic representation of life predominated. This resulted in neglect of the martial arts tradition as a significant resource for actor training. Understanding the Malay art helps clarify the underpinnings of Malay traditional performance; though I will look at pencak silat as a whole, in my conclusion I will point out what the use of this art implied for acting and this will help illuminate why in my own work I feel it is necessary to return to it as a base if Malaysia is to have her own acting method of training actors.
Experiments in revitalization undertaken by the author since the l970s, used in directing theatre, and the development of the art as an acting method will be discussed. The rational for revival of sps as actor training is presented based on its vital position in the productions of Bangsawan, Purbawara and the experimental plays of Nordin Hassan (National Laurette) and Syed Alwi (National Artist).
I was a former Associate Professor of drama and theatre at the School of Arts, at Universiti Sains Malaysia, in Penang (1979 –2005). For more than twenty years, I had been teaching acting, besides other theatre courses. I had the experience of conducting a Bangsawan workshop with Pak Alias and Mak Minah (two of the most renowned names in Bangsawan) in Kuching in 1980’s. I have directed the realistic plays of Mustapha KamilYassin and UsmanAwang, experimenting them by using sps. I did two Randai plays which uses a lot of silek (PutiNilam Sari and
Seni Pencak Silat: Utilizing The Malay Warrior Arts As A Method In Actor Training
Abstract
The Malay warrior arts seni pencak silat (sps) is an important source of traditional theatre acting technique. During the colonial period and post-colonial modernization, Western models of theatre replaced traditional performance and the physical technique of theatre was largely modeled on Western acting: the importance of the text ascended and realistic representation of life predominated. This resulted in neglect of the martial arts tradition as a significant resource for actor training. Understanding the Malay art helps clarify the underpinnings of Malay traditional performance; though I will look at pencak silat as a whole, in my conclusion I will point out what the use of this art implied for acting and this will help illuminate why in my own work I feel it is necessary to return to it as a base if Malaysia is to have her own acting method of training actors.
Experiments in revitalization undertaken by the author since the l970s, used in directing theatre, and the development of the art as an acting method will be discussed. The rational for revival of sps as actor training is presented based on its vital position in the productions of Bangsawan, Purbawara and the experimental plays of Nordin Hassan (National Laurette) and Syed Alwi (National Artist).
I was a former Associate Professor of drama and theatre at the School of Arts, at Universiti Sains Malaysia, in Penang (1979 –2005). For more than twenty years, I had been teaching acting, besides other theatre courses. I had the experience of conducting a Bangsawan workshop with Pak Alias and Mak Minah (two of the most renowned names in Bangsawan) in Kuching in 1980’s. I have directed the realistic plays of Mustapha KamilYassin and UsmanAwang, experimenting them by using sps. I did two Randai plays which uses a lot of silek (PutiNilam Sari and
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