Friends!
The Seremban performance of Radhe! Radhe! last night, on 2 May, 2026 was a culmination of decades of Sutra’s ‘investment’ on Dance in this beautiful city. It paid off in a burst of positive energy. That the performance became the gateway of ‘moksha’, was palpable! It was a kind of liberation from the ‘silliness-es’ that’s happening presently all around us, domestic as well as international.
It was not at all a ‘distraction’ but a reminder that life is to be celebrated and balanced with the good things in life. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Audience, especially young dancers and aficionados, came early to take the opportunity to see the screening of docu/film ‘Radha Unbound’ by young Bangladeshi director, Rabby Deyan.
The elegant foyer of the newly renovated JKKN theatre was replete with photography display from Radhe! Radhe! by Malaysia’s own dance photographer, S Magendran.
Actually, when I came back from Australia, Seremban was the first city (1983) that I performed outside Kuala Lumpur. It was in the Seremban Town Hall.
My tech team had to bring everything: the lights and sound system, the wings, even the wood to hang the lights from the ceiling etc.
Actor Pearly Chua, I remember, was one of the organisers and the late actor Mustafa Nor, a charmer par excellence, was my ‘anchor. I made him memorise the script and wear a dhoti. It didn’t matter that the organising committee was mainly Chinese
– as long as I got to perform.
Over the decades, I made sure that I perform in Seremban, and truly, it has always been a privilege to perform in this ‘sleepy’ but charming city. The last was ‘Meniti Cakerawala’. For the last two and half years, the JKKN theatre was under renovation.
However, we managed to find an alternative venue, and staged Meniti at the Soka Gakkai International School. It turned out to be splendid, too!
And now, the newly renovated JKKN theatre is ready and swishingly smart and we were happy to be the first to
‘inaugurate’ it with Radhe! Radhe!
All these positive ‘turn-of-events’ collude to give everyone an epiphany last night that contributed towards the highest aesthetic experience. It left the full house audience smiling and feeling good when they left the theatre.
This is a not distraction, not mere entertainment, but a ‘release’ from the so-muchness of Life.
Thank god for Arts & Culture to remind us that Life is also to be celebrated and revelled!
Sutra is grateful to Padma Nrithyalaya Arts team, especially the two proactive husband-wife team Smt Vinosree and Shri Uma Shangkar, together with their daughter Varshini & husband Ganesh for looking after us, so well.
The Guests of Honour, YAM Tunku Zain, YB
Nicole Tan, En Mohd Amran & Pn Mazidah bt Mustapha (JKKN), Ms Rajee Alagendra & Anne Rajasaikaran from Budimas, came in full force to lend their support.
The dancers performed superbly, Sivarajah’s light and KRSS tech team, emcee Sutra’s senior dancer Revathi Kathik, all rose to the occasion.
This successful performance in Seremban augur well for the coming tour for rest of the other cities (Klang/Melaka/Kulim/Johor) where Radhe! Radhe! will be staged over the next weeks.
Sutra