From left: Sabera and her cast, Amalina, Sarah, Israr and Malik (All photos: Low Yen Yeing/ The Edge)
“Who am I?” young Esca Brooke Daykin asked when he discovered his true parentage. Sadly, he never got the recognition — that his father was Charles Brooke, the second “White Rajah” of Sarawak — he sought, and this quest for identity consumed him until his death at age 85 in 1953.
Theatre director Sabera Shaik, whose solo works are mostly about historical figures, first heard about the eldest son of Charles and Dayang Mastiah, a Sarawakian of Malay nobility, when she came across Dave Carley’s Canadian Rajah in 2021. “Esca’s name was not in history books. This intrigued me. Why?”
Canadian playwright Carley spent almost 20 years researching the saga of this forgotten Brooke before publishing his script in 2022. He had help from Esca’s many descendants in Canada, particularly two granddaughters.
Sabera is ready to tell the true story of the six-year-old sent away to England by Charles’ second wife, Ranee Margaret, whom he married for her dowry. Esca was raised by Reverend William Daykin and his wife Mary, who then moved to Ontario, Canada. He prospered working with David Dunlap, a close school chum who discovered silver, and was garlanded as a horticulturist — his garden was filled with plants brought from all over.
But what eluded him was being recognised as a Brooke, which could perhaps explain the wistful gaze he always had about him when alone, which those around him noticed.
Canadian Rajah, presented by Masakini Theatre Company, opens at Damansara Performing Arts Centre on Oct 24. A pivotal scene is an imagined meeting in London between Esca (played by Malik Taufiq) and Ranee Margaret (Sarah Shahrum) — who had packed him off decades ago in hopes her own son would become Rajah one day — where he confronts her about his heritage.
20240926_peo_the_canadian_rajah_2_lyy.jpg
Sarah has been talking to Sarawakians about Ranee and the Brookes and finds their different views about the family interesting. Some see Margaret as a vengeful woman shaped by power and colonial politics, a product of her times.
“I think she was pretty brave and kind of cool. She married Charles at 19, then left England for Sarawak. All she knew about it was jungle and headhunters. I often think of my mother, who also left England at 24 to join my father here. All she knew about Malaya then was tin and rubber.
“Ranee learnt to speak Malay and to negotiate with the tribal people. They would come to see the Rajah Brooke and demand a fee. When he wasn’t there, she would keep them at bay and manage the situation. So, I give her a lot of credit.”
Charles succeeded his uncle James and ruled Sarawak from 1868 until his death in 1917. “He was not an easy man and, in those days, a woman could not work,” Sarah continues. “Ranee’s only way to freedom was to marry, and all he wanted was her money. What do you know at 19? It was kind of tragic and she went through a lot. I want to try and present her side of the argument.”
Malik is not sure if people will want to hear the story of Esca — born Isaka, the Malay equivalent of Isaac — which fascinates him. “He was one of those ‘strange’ people they sent off because of his mixed parentage.” Fitting in would have not been easy for the lad in Canada, who looked different from his peers, a fact that reminds the actor of being taunted by college mates who spoke Malay while he conversed only in English.
As for the confrontation between the leading characters, “I won’t say it is vicious; it’s more shady. There are elements of aggression but a lot of it is funny. This is actually a serious play that has smarts and wit. It’s quite enjoyable.”
Records on Ranee, who was instrumental in educating women and children, are available. She composed the national anthem of the Raj of Sarawak. “But we don’t know much about Esca, except through some documents Carley picked up and his research. So there’s a lot of room for me to play him, of course within what’s written. It is nice finding out what he was like and putting a little bit of myself into the play.”
20240926_peo_the_canadian_rajah_5_lyy.jpg
Act one of Canadian Rajah introduces young Esca, innocent and carefree, and ignorant about his origins. Israr Khalid, who plays him from age 17 to 19, thinks he realised “I don’t belong here” before going to college. Something changed after the “revelation” and he begins searching for his identity.
Israr says he was born and raised on the stage. Watching his father, the late actor and poet Khalid Salleh, perform, he got involved and “felt I belong”. But work got in the way of theatre and over the last 11 years, he has done TV documentaries, hosted football and variety shows, and handled editorial services for a local news channel, among other things.
Canadian Rajah takes him back to the stage and he believes he has something to offer. “Acting is in my blood and I think I belong here. I want to use this gift … maybe this is my purpose.”
Given the scant information on Esca, he and Malik have had to agree on how best to portray him, the way he moves, talks and his mannerisms. “I think the best characters are those with ambiguity because the real drama is inside the person. The conflict within us and among people are what makes [a show] interesting to watch.”
Rising TV star Amalina Arham plays Esca’s daughter Grace, who is said to look very much like him and felt like she belonged elsewhere because of that. She asked many questions but got no answers, particularly why her father had that look. To find out for herself and dig into his roots, Grace visited Sarawak in 1981.
Veteran theatre maker Normah Nordin helms the lighting for Canadian Rajah, with Sivarajah Natarajan behind the scenography. Award-winning designer Melinda Looi checked out drawings in the Brooke Museum before creating Ranee’s lavish headscarf, which reflects her status and influence.
There is no costume change, only “body change”, says Sabera, who demonstrated this through vivid facets of Lady Swettenham last October, and portraying multiple parts.
Malik and Sarah take on different roles too. “It was a very interesting part of our training, how Sabera uses physicality to get more out of us. We can really feel the change when we change ourselves physically,” says Malik. “I have fun on stage because Sarah gives me a lot of energy. We feed off each other.”
His co-lead has more to say about their director. “She works in a very different way from what I’m used to. The way I was taught and trained was very much head acting. This has been a new learning journey for me, the way she pulled out little things, not just from me as an actor, but also about Ranee.”
'Canadian Rajah' will run from Oct 24 to 26, 8pm, and on Oct 27, 3pm, at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are priced at RM80 and RM105. Buy here.
This article first appeared on Oct 21, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
