Asmara Songsang

Figures as much for the sadly maligned gay community here. No sooner have we recovered somewhat from another vilely homophobic brickbat from gay guidelines to homo rehabilitation camps, we have yet another shameful slur coming our way.

And this one from the entertainment industry instead. Et tu, Brute? Would have thought the one exemplary industry where flamboyant homosexuals actually form the obvious majority would have refrained from offering us such an insulting slap in the face. Isn't musical theatre almost synonymous with fabulously loud-voiced. limp-wristed queens?

Seriously what would musical theatre be like without a flaming queen or three!

But as usual there's always a hint of political intimidation, even in the least likely places. Which is probably why our presumed bastion of fine arts and culture - the apparently misnamed Palace of Culture - has decided to stage a controversial play called Asmara Songsang. 

Dipentaskan secara percuma pada 1 dan 2 Mac 2013, Asmara Songsang berkisar tiga sahabat, Latip, Karimah dan Nasir yang terpengaaruh dengan dunia Gay dan Lesbian. Pendek kata, maksiat sudah menjadi sebahagian daripada hidup mereka. Malah mereka cuba mempengaruhi anak-anak muda dan gadis-gadis ke kancah maksiat. Namun kegiatan mereka tidak berpanjang kerana mereka akhirnya ditimpa musibah, disambar petir dan membuatkan mereka bertiga insaf.

Basically the Unorthodox Affair - a pathetic attempt by the Malaysian musical theatre to showcase how the homosexual plague has started to propagate to the gullible masses, especially the vulnerable young, influencing them into a wicked demonic lifestyle. Pretty sure out of the three main protagonists, one dies a horrific death, one gets struck by lightning (??) and one tearfully repents by the end. 

The story of our lives presumably. And if I recall, the only possible endings allowed for gay characters by the national censorship board. Death or Denial.

Though the directors unconvincingly reiterate that there's no clandestine political agenda to their scripted tale, the play remains open to the public - for free. Surely someone has to pay the actors so it makes me wonder exactly who's behind the scenes footing the bill for the entire production. From the unflattering preview pictures of the staged play, it's grown quite obvious that the fabulous gay boys have all wrung their hands in abject surrender since the staging looks decidedly awful, as do the wildly garish costumes. Quite a far cry from the stereotypical fashionable gay man about town. 

Dare I hope it's all an amusing satire?