PETALING JAYA, April 28 — The musical adaptation of Yasmin Ahmad’s beloved film Sepet will be available to stream for free on YouTube from May 1 to May 9.

Liver and Lung Productions co-founder and Sepet: The Musical choreographer Hannah Shields said the company hopes they can bring audiences and performers closer together during the movement control order by sharing digital theatre content online.

“The show sold out almost immediately, so we’re happy that we get to share it with you now,” Shields said in a press release.

Sepet: The Musical is based on the 2005 film that follows the blossoming romance between Jason, a Chinese DVD seller with a knack for poetry, and Orked, a Malay schoolgirl who loves Takeshi Kaneshiro and John Woo films.

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As outside forces threaten their relationship, Jason and Orked are forced to confront the racial tensions and class divides plaguing Malaysian society in order to keep their love alive.

The musical was held in partnership with GM Bukit Bintang Mall and ran for three sold-out weekends last September.

After 15 years, the story of Orked and Jason continues to strike an emotional chord with a contemporary audience. — Picture courtesy of Liver and Lung Productions
After 15 years, the story of Orked and Jason continues to strike an emotional chord with a contemporary audience. — Picture courtesy of Liver and Lung Productions

Liver and Lung Productions co-founder and Sepet: The Musical director Shafeeq Shajahan said it’s telling how the themes in Yasmin’s film continue to resonate with audiences 15 years on.

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He hopes that the musical can pay homage to Yasmin’s work and revive it for a new generation of audiences to appreciate.

“We saw people from all walks of life come and watch the show and they all took something away from it.

“Tapping into the magic that Yasmin Ahmad created was incredibly humbling. People were in tears every night. We had something incredible in our hands.

“The vision for Sepet: The Musical was to stay authentic to its source material and reignite the film’s narrative for a new generation of Malaysians,” said Shafeeq in a press release.

Starring Joshua Gui and Badrika Bahadur, Sepet: The Musical will be released at 9pm on May 1 on Liver and Lung Productions’ YouTube channel. 

The recording will be available online until May 9 and there will be a live talkback session on May 2, 9pm with the creative team behind the musical.