By Aliff Ikhwan
Edited by Maizatul
‘Checkmate’ Official Poster | Credit: @juraganpentas / Instagram
GOMBAK, 14th January 2024: Juragan Pentas ended their 2023 with an amazing performance by the Checkmate team. This theatre production house was co-founded by Mustakim Mazlan, the director of ‘Checkmate’. Through years of producing plays, Juragan Pentas successfully brings up various theatrical plays that touch all senses of emotion. ‘Checkmate’ is one of the masterpieces that undoubtedly gives the audience the katharsis they deserve.
'Checkmate' dealt with the stigma that autistic individuals suffer. The narrative follows Iki, an autistic kid who is regularly a bullying victim of Zaid and is treated horribly by his own teacher, Cikgu Puteh. To make matters worse, his biological sister treats him harshly at home, which should be the safest place for him. The subjects of 'view and acceptance of one in a community' and 'family relationships and disputes' were addressed in this theatrical performance. These themes provide us with a greater perspective that may be applied to our own lives. Will they accept you if you are a little different from the others? Will your family split up if there is a disagreement?
'Checkmate' was lined up with amazing actors and actresses, which gives the audience a rollercoaster of emotions. 'Iki' was played by Khairul Dudu alongside Amirul Atar as ‘Abang’. Both thespians successfully delivered emotions of sadness and joy to the audience, as many of them rated their performance as impactful to their thoughts on autism. Even the young audience questions their parents, “Ibu, apa itu cacat?.” Other than that, the viewers rate the play 10 out of 10 for ‘Checkmate’. Many of them cry during the scene where Abang tried to comfort Iki when Iki was questioned as if being disabled is a crime. The students from Sekolah Rendah Islam Al-Amin also contributed in giving the audience the laughter and the emotional calm they needed with their cute performance of “Lompat Si Katak.”
Juragan Pentas’ comeback at the end of 2023 is really giving the students and staff an important message that people with disabilities are not unfortunate, but rather a gift from God. People with disabilities have a very pure heart that no one knows. Their existence reminds us to be kind to one another and not to discriminate against anyone. “Abang, cacat tu apa? Cacat tu jahat ke?" No, it is not. Being disabled is not bad; the ones that are evil are the people who see people with disabilities as an easy target for them to bully. In the end, as a society, we need to see everyone as equal and be kind to them no matter what.
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