Natrah Bte Maarof

Natrah bte Maarof / Huberdina Maria Hertogh

(1937-2009)

When I was given this character, I was dumbfounded. I wasn’t really sure of my capabilities. Can I do this? I asked myself again and again. I’m a law student and acting is not my area of expertise. So it’s not easy for me. Really. Tambahan pulak watak Natrah ni sangat sukar untuk dibawa. Because Natrah is a character filled with emotions, and vulnerabilities. A child torn between the love of two mothers, two religions and a soul so pure, so genuine, so innocent. I instantly fell in love with this character. 

When I did my own research on Natrah, I can’t help but to cry. Her story is so sad that I could not hold back my tears. And a little by a little, I started to feel her pain. I went to the library and read her case. And again, I cried. I watched a documentary of her life made by Datin Fatini Yaacob. Sumpah kesian hidup Natrah ni. Starting from the day perebutan tu berlaku, sampai ke akhir hayat dia, hidup dia miserable. 

So to bring her story on stage, and to portray myself as Natrah, what more to make people feel what she felt, made me feel so small. Rasa tak mampu dan tak layak. Lagi pun, Teater Natrah ni dah pernah dipentaskan kat Istana Budaya, twice. Also under arahan Puan Erma Fatima. Kalau nak tengok yang IB punya ni,  SILA LIHAT DI SINI . Watak Natrah was played by Maya Karin, Mak Aminah was played by Umie Aida, and Mansur Adabi was played by Remy Ishak. So lagi lah rasa kerdil if anyone were to compare mereka yang sangat professional ni dengan kita orang ni. Maya Karin did a really good job menjadi Natrah. So yeah, I was scared.

And at first, I was really shocked when Puan Erma Fatima picked me to become Natrah. I was like.. Me? Really? Tapi, apabila dibimbing oleh Puan Erma, Encik Rashid (especially), Kakak Zam I started to have more confidence in myself. Latihan agak banyak. And I have to balance my studies dengan latihan. Quite difficult tapi I managed to do it somehow. And teater ni bukan sahaja ada lakonan, but ada tarian jugak. So there you go. I need to act and dance perfectly. Kakak Oggy was the choreographer. Susah tu memang lah susah because I’m a bit slow in dancing. LOL. But then, bila dah practice hari hari, bak kata Puan Erma, boleh laaaaa daripada tak ada. Haha. Walaupon time show tu ada lah nampak jugak kekayuan time menari tu. Haha. 

Show ada dua hari. 6 dan 7 Disember. And on both days, ada kekurangan dan kesilapan yang berlaku. But if you ask me, I think the first day was better. Nervous tu sangat membantu untuk perform dengan baik. Nak kena jaga emotions and expression, nak kena make sure suara kuat, and paling penting, I have to make the audience believe that I am Natrah. It's difficult. But I love it. When the spotlight hit me, and I was blinded by it, there's nothing that I could think of, other than just doing it. The feeling was surreal. HAHA. I sound so jakun. LOL. Yelah. This is my first time acting on ET's stage. Rasa overwhelmed. And then, bila dengar review and comments from those who came, ramai yang kata best, I feel happy. Very happy actually. 

My two darlings, Emma and Husna datang on both days! HAHA. I feel loved sangat sangat! Famili Halusinasi pon ramai gila yang datang. Aloi siap turun from Sarawak! And my Team Gatdem also ramai yang datang. *hugs* Cuma my Random Babies, Kakak Hani sorang je yang datang. But never mind.  Tu pon dah mencukupi. And most importantly, my bestie Zaza came to see me perform! Terharu! Hehe. Izzat also came. Thank you, awk. And you know what? Tiket habis dijual on both days! Full house I’m telling you! Second day tu lagi dasyat lah sebab sampai ada yang duduk atas lantai. Sebab kerusi dah full. HOHO. I’m waiting for the video to come out. Harap technical team ada lah yang rakam. =.=’ And harap, I don't sound weird in the video because I have always hated how I sound in any videos. 

Overall, I have learned a lot from this production. I learned more about myself actually. Dan macam-macam lah. To Sir Murali, Puan Erma, Encik Rashid, Kakak Zam, Kakak Oggy, thank you so much for guiding me. Seronok sangat bekerja under korang! To Abang Mansur Adabi, you're the best partner ever. Thank you sebab banyak ajar saya, made me laugh, and I will surely miss you picking on me and all of your lame jokes. To Mak Aminah, I just love you. Mak adalah seorang pelakon yang sangat bagus! Puteh harap mak akan sentiasa berjaya! kepada Norhan Fahmie kerana make up saya supaya jadi cantik (haha), kepada semua pelakon yang lain yang banyak memberi sokongan, adik-adik asasi yang menari dengan hebat sangat, crew yang membantu dalam semua aspek (costume, backstage, lighting, audio, dan lain-lain), and everyone yang terlibat in this production. I can never thank you enough. Natrah Theater Production has a very special place in my heart. And I love all of you very dearly. Semoga dapat berkerjasama lagi di masa akan datang.  Hopefully.  Amin. 

And ouh! Here are some of the photos during the show. Enjoy!

*CREDITS TO SHAHID FOR THE PHOTOS*

Si Kenit

Hello people!

I am happy to inform all of you that my sister-in-law has just delivered a beautiful baby boy! *pompoms* *fireworks* *balloons fly fly*

I am ecstatic beyond words! Biasalah, cucu pertama in the family. This little angel tak diberi nama lagi. But I call him, Si Kenit hence the entry title. :)

Si Kenit, this one's for you.

Petang 23 hb 7, dalam pukul 3 macam tu, tiba-tiba Abang Ujai aka Jojumbo called me. His voice sounded urgent asking for Ummi. And so I handed over my phone to Ummi and then after a few seconds on the phone she shouted:

 "Dah pecah?! Allah!".

I was lazing around in front of the televion, sprang on my feet once I heard those words. I was dumbfounded! I knew something has happened to my sister in law. Aku punya cuak macam aku yang nak terberanak dah. 

My brother is a houseman dekat Hospital Taiping So, he and my sister in law tinggal dekat sini,. Upon hearing the shocking news from my brother, ummi dah kelam kabut (bising sudah tentu) suruh my kakak and I kemas barang nak pergi Taiping time tu jugak. So we did. 

The thing is, barang baby satu benda pon tak ada lagi. Baju, basket, bekung, breast pump (ni untuk ibu), and semua barang keperluan seorang baby tak ada lagi! Sebab nya, si kenit ni patutnya keluar bulan 11, sama macam Hala Yana dia nie, but since he cannot wait to see the world, dia nak keluar bulan 8 jugak. So yeah, the baby is premature. Baru 7 bulan lebih-lebih sikit. So, petang tu jugak, Si Kenit's tak sabar aunts ni pergi cari barang untuk si kenit ni. We bought him cute tiny shirts (I wish I can post them up here so cute ai ken dai), tiny blankets, tiny towels, tiny wrapping cloth, tiny pampers, all the necessary things. Semua tiny and super adorable. Rasa nak gigit gigit je. Grrrr.

So lepas beli barang tu semua, we headed to Taiping. Dengan perasaan tak sabar, we terus pergi hospital dengan harapan Kakak Tini aka my sister in law akan deliver petang or malam tu. 

But you know, si kenit ni nak main-main dengan his aunts. He tak nak keluar petang, malam esok nya, esok esok nya pon tak nak keluar lagi. Kita dah tunggu dia punya lama, he still nak nyorok dalam tummy. Naughty little kenit. And finally, pukul 3.35 pagi 26 haribulan 8 baru dia nak keluar. Alhamdullilah, my sister in law and baby both selamat and sehat. Si kenit ni despite being kenit, he's a fighter. Cuma sebab he's too small, he kena masuk tubes to support his breathing because he was breathing too fast for a little guy. And tadi, he kena duduk dengan lampu dalam his incubator sebab my brother said that he kuning-kuning sikit. :( Be strong, kenit.

And you know, the look on my brother's face is indescribable. Dia yang sambut Si Kenit (one of the perks of marrying a Doctor. Nak kahwin dengan Dr jugak lah macam ni kahkah), azan kan, bagi semangat dekat my sister in law suruh push, semua lah. How lucky! *rants on marrying a Dr*

So itu lah cerita nak dapat kan Si Kenit ni. I tell you, the feeling of getting a nephew/niece is like.. Tak boleh nak cakap! You're happy, tak sabar macam kau yang nak beranak, dah plan nak beli macam macam contohnya benda ni:

Bukan nak beli baby ni, tapi this cute moustache pacifier. And also, I've been thinking of the ways and strategies to become Si Kenit's favourite aunt in the whole universe. Yeah. Aku fikir sampai situ. I think I've been infected by the crazy aunt syndrome. HAHA.

To my little Kenit, I hope that you'll be free from the incubator, no more tubes dangling on you, and boleh balik rumah. Eventhough I won't be there when you're out of the hospital, but I promise you I'll go back home to see you every time I have the chance. 

I love you sangat sangat sangat Si Kenit! Promise!