Merdeka Musical Streams Free on YouTube for a Week

To celebrate Malaysia’s 63^rd Independence Day, BOH Cameronian winners, Liver & Lung Productions, will release their epic musical about our country’s fight for independence on their YouTube channel this August.

Malaya Relived: Merdeka is an immersive historical musical about a formidable Indian-Malayan diplomat who begins a love affair with a British journalist at the height of the anti-colonial Malayan movement in the 1957.

In partnership with GMBB, a creative hub in Bukit Bintang, Merdeka was part of Liver & Lung’s Malaya Relived series, a musical anthology based on iconic events in Malayan history. The critically acclaimed show ran for a sold-out weekend last year.

The recording of the musical will be released at 2pm on 31^st August, providing families with a patriotic treat this Merdeka. The show will stream online until 2pm on 12^th September. Audiences can catch a preview of the performance by watching the Malaya Relived trailer on YouTube.

“The musical explores freedom, fidelity and forbidden love,” said Hannah Shields, founder of Liver & Lung and writer of the musical. “Last year, audiences travelled back in time with us to experience 1950s Malaya and relive Malaysia and Britain’s collective history. As a company with roots in both nations, exploring our shared past was something that felt authentic and necessary.”

Malaya Relived: Merdeka tells the story of Sylvia Graham, a British Foreign Correspondent, who travels to Malaya and hopes to pen the article of her career, offering a fresh account on what the country’s fight for independence will mean for the British Empire. Little does she know that she’s about to rewrite the plot of her own life when she meets Raj Veerasamy, a formidable proponent of decolonisation, active member of the Malayan Indian Congress and staunch supporter of the rising anti-colonial Malaysian movement, Merdeka.

Starring Ola Bola’s Prem Sagar, Astro VBuzz’s Shangkharee Nadarajan and Liver & Lung founder, Hannah Shields, Merdeka is brought to life with original music inspired by traditional Indian ragas and the dulcet tones of P. Ramlee in tribute to our cultural heritage and to celebrate what it means to be Malaysian.

“Malaya Relived is a love letter to my country,” said Shafeeq Shajahan, founder of Liver & Lung and director and co-composer of the musical. “Merdeka is about belonging and togetherness. It’s important we remember this in our socially distant world and remind each other that we can still unite, even though we’re apart.”

Malaya Relived marks Liver & Lung’s third digital release in their @Home series. “We’re so excited to bring theatre to your living rooms,” adds Shafeeq. “We hope the show adds a special touch to your 63^rd Merdeka!”

This month, Liver & Lung has also produced a sell-out live theatre revival of their BOH Cameronian winning show, Sepet The Musical. They encourage fans to subscribe to their YouTube channel and follow their Instagram account to keep up to date with ticket releases for their next revival later this year.

The performance of Malaya Relived: Merdeka was recorded live at GMBB on 20^th April 2019. It is being launched on Liver & Lung’s YouTube channel. The aim is to bring artists and audiences’ together post-COVID-19 and keep the arts scene alive in Malaysia, Britain and the world.