Bonda Bedah, Mak Temah and The Chamber of Polongs

*I had intended to post this review only after the official review is out on Berita Harian but due to mistiming, the review will not be published on the newspaper.

 

Bonda Bedah and Mak Temah are two characters that have gained immense popularity through their videos posted on YouTube. Their shows candidly explore social issues through parodies. For the first time ever, their comedic acts are brought from YouTube screens to stage by Kreativ Outbox. The show 'Bonda Bedah, Mak Temah and The Chamber of Polongs' which ran from 30th Apr to 3rd May was initially scheduled for three shows but due to the overwhelming ticket sales, two shows were later added. All shows were sold out.

I first heard mentions of ‘Bonda Bedah’ and ‘Mak Temah’ through family gatherings from my nephews and even my mother. As honest as I can be, I have never watched any one of their videos and had just assumed that they were just two males who create slapstick comedy and everything will seem funny due to their crossdressing. My curiosity about them was aroused when I discovered that a play was actually being staged with them as the central characters. Even more so when I heard that all shows were sold out. They must be really good to garner that kind of response.

Rated 'Advisory due to coarse language' by MDA, the show is lighthearted and highly entertaining with colourful characters. Temah had accidentally released all her Polongs to Bedah. Bedah, not knowing the fact that the Polongs are attached to her now, continues with her daily routine. The audience is brought to a journey of how Temah and Bedah resolve their differences on the Polong issues through bantering and disagreements. Bonda Bedah is played by Hafidz Rahman and Mak Temah is played by Zuhairi Idris. Supported by five colourful characters consisting of Orb, Ziana, Azizul, Zain and Awab played by Nur Afiqa, Sunita Chiu, Junaidi, Sultan and Luqmanul Hakim, the show is fun-paced and there is never a moment of boredom when watching.

I was surprised when Izad shared that the supporting characters were mostly newbies and selected from auditions where more than 100 hopefuls turned up. The most outstanding newbie was Nur Afiqah who played the character 'Orb'. She was like a seasoned actress as she pranced around the stage with great confidence and stage presence. Her fluid movements and strong voice character definitely had my attention. I would love to watch more plays with her around.

Afiqa as Oracle

The highlight of the show is when the characters periodically break into song-and dance movements with catchy tunes and lyrics. The play uses popular tunes from songs like ‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor and lyrics are customized to suit the show. One of the songs, ‘Bonda Bedah Best’, is still an earworm until today. I especially like the fact that there are no major distracting fanciful set changes. The set is simple using platforms of varying heights that optimizes space. I personally love the cocoon-like structures where the ‘polongs’ are kept. 

Orb and Polongs

Much laughter was heard throughout the play and the best thing is that audience need not be theatre-trained to understand and enjoy the show. This is in line with Kreativ Outbox's objective of encouraging family to watch theatre as a family activity. Playwright and producer, Izad Omar had shared that they would like to invite families to exit their comfort zone of watching programmes on television from their couch and to immerse themselves in theatre works as an alternative form of entertainment. Kreativ Outbox also aims to dispel the myth that watching plays are only for the elite and not for the common folks.

The aftermath of watching this show had me realizing that Hafidz Rahman (Bonda Bedah) and Zuhairi Idris (Mak Temah) are not simply slapstick comedians but two hardworking individuals who continuously seek to hone their craft. They have an intimate working relationship due to their strong friendship ties and therefore they are able to understand each other well. This translates to their ability to seek relevant materials on social issues together. For them to develop parodies and send their message out as simply and crudely as they could, they carefully dissect current social issues and present them in their ‘makcik’ (aunty) characters so that audience can relate to them more easily. Their candid and spontaneous nature has won the hearts of their fans. I hope for them to carry on concocting laughing potions while perhaps downplaying their coarse language so that their shows will be more family-friendly.

Crowning Glory

I have been experiencing hair loss post-pregnancy since the birth of my firstborn. I was too lazy to search for hair loss solutions and simply chopped off my long hair to a pixie haircut then. After the birth of my secondborn last year in 2014, I didn't want to chop off my long hair again but have yet to find an appropriate solution to my hair loss problem. I tried a herbal tonic suggested by my hair stylist but that didn't seem to work. My mum then recommended me a herbal shampoo that she bought in Malaysia but after a few months, I am still experiencing hair loss.

I was invited to be one of the guests for the show Mahkota 101 Season 2 by Screenbox Production on 8th Apr. The talkshow allows the guests and viewers to learn on maintaining healthy hair through light-hearted games and tips from the Beijing 101 consultant. I learnt that insufficient sleep, stress, unhealthy diet and other factors can lead to a low immune system for the scalp. The trick to healthy hair is to maintain a healthy scalp. We were also taught on how to make herbal tea that is good for blood circulation. While waiting for the new season to air, you can watch the 1st season of Mahkota 101 here.

Anyway, I have been meaning to go to a hair salon for a hair treatment. It has never occurred to me to go to a hair care centre like Beijing 101 or Yun Nam Hair Care. To me, I would only need to go there when I am much older and after having serious hair problems. After being involved in Mahkota 101 however, I felt that it would actually be better to have my hair treated at a hair care centre than at a hair salon as instead of chemicals, herbs will be used. I booked for an appointment at Beijing 101 North Point branch on 21st Apr. It is conveniently located near my place. Bonus point!

I was won over from the moment I stepped foot into the branch. I received a warm welcome at the reception and was led to a consultation room where a scalp analysis was done. My hair follicles were partially covered in dead cells and my scalp was reddish. I believe this could be due to the hair tonic that I sprayed directly into my scalp earlier before my appointment. A healthy scalp should have open pores and around 3-4 strands on each follicle. The consultant informed me that just by looking with the naked eye, one will not be able to assess a person's hair problem. The person might seem to have normal hair but only upon closer inspection on the scalp using the scanner, then an objective assessment can be made. The strands of hairs are just like plants. My new hair growth was weaker with hairs that had weak roots as compared to my hair that were thick and strong.

After the consultation, I was ushered to start my hair treatment.  The thoughtful consultant, Sisi assigned a private cubicle at the end as she noted that I was in hijab and would want my modesty protected. Hot tea was served and after a hair wash, a cold hair herbal hair mask was applied on my hair. The mask was left on for 20 mins before it was washed off and a relaxing head massage followed. Hair tonic was then applied and I was given a super-shiok head, neck and shoulder acupuncture massage. I was having stiff neck and shoulders so the massage was indeed relieving. This part was definitely the highlight of the treatment! The objective of the massage was to improve blood circulation for better hair follicle development. I was brought into the consultation room again for another scalp analysis to see the difference. I didn't snap a photo after my first session but here's a photo after my 2nd session. Can you see that the pores are open and the scalp is clean without dead cells clouding the hair follicles?

I was more than happy to sign up for a package and booked for my 2nd appointment the following week. I brought along a friend, Mira, who was having slight dandruff problems to have a trial session. Her hair issue was different from my hair loss problem and the scalp analysis certainly reflected it. I shall not disgust you with more photos of anyone's scalp. For Mira's case, she usually has late nights and insufficient sleep. The consultant shared with us that our scalp regenerates around 11pm to 2am and it would be good for us to sleep by 11pm so that our scalp's immune system would be optimal. Mira is still a student so she is still considering on taking up the package. She agreed with me that there was no hard selling and that she will definitely sign up if she had the means.

Mira and little Azeen

Consultation

The Little VIP