PETALING JAYA, June 15 — Local theatre company Manamana is on a mission to revive the lost art of the radio play.

Through its Radio Teater Nasional (RTN) project, the company hopes to improve access to the arts for more Malaysians.

Supported by Yayasan Sime Darby, RTN plans to adapt selected Malaysian plays into episodic radio dramas, which will be available for free on the project’s website.

"Radio plays are a perfect vehicle for this (arts accessibility), as they transcend geographical, infrastructural, and financial obstacles which have kept many from the arts,” Manamana’s creative producer Rosheen Fatima Mutalip told Malay Mail.

"Due to their nature, they also keep a large focus on the text, which allows us to really play with the beauty of the language in the script.”

She added that the format also allows for those who are blind or visually impaired to enjoy theatrical plays.

The first play on RTN’s list is Dato’ Seri, a Malay-language adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which debuts tonight (June 15).

Rosheen Fatima said the play was an ideal debut piece for RTN due its language and Malaysian setting, which took into account the "cultural, political, and sociological issues, as well as the nature of our country and its people”.

Originally staged in 2016, Dato’ Seri was written by Omar Ali and his late father Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim.

The radio play version was adapted and directed by Omar, who also voices the titular Dato’ Seri DiKijang.

Set in the 1960s, the critically acclaimed play takes place in a reimagined (and never-colonised) Malaya called Pertiwi.

The plot follows Dato’ Seri DiKijang as he navigates political intrigue in his ascent to the family throne, as prophesied by three witches.

The list of voice talents includes Sheena Baharudin as Datin Seri DiKajang; Na'a Murad as Dato' D'Hul; and Nadia Aqilah, Ruzana Ibrahim and Siti Farrah Abdullah as the ‘Tiga Nasib’ witches.

The rest of the cast comprise Fatin Syazwanie, Radhi Khalid, Naque Ariffin, Faez Malek, Zul Zamir, Yusman Mokhtar, Kamini Senthilathiban, Nabil Musawir, Endee Ahmad, Amanda Ang, and Coebar Abel.

In addition to being the first piece he worked on with his father, Omar said the play was also a "love letter” to his late brother who was passionate about poetry and politics.

"Some of the words spoken in Dato' Seri (and later Kandang) were adaptations of his own poetry which he had left us,” he said.

While RTN was meant to launch in 2020, the pandemic disrupted this plan as the cast had to pivot to online rehearsals and recordings.

"We even resorted to recording a few minor parts in a car in the early hours of the morning for soundproofing!” added Rosheen Fatima.

"But we finally made it, and we're very excited to share this piece with everyone; it's a wonderfully immersive auditory experience that manages to really get inside your head as if you are right there with the characters.”

Dato' Seri begins airing today (June 15) at 8:30pm on https://www.radioteaternasional.com.my/.

New episodes of the drama will premiere every Wednesday until July 20.

* A previous version of this story contained an error which has since been corrected.