Rachel Pang - RiBut 雷雨 by Caoyu

 

On 28 June 2025, RiBut, an adaptation of Cao Yu’s classic Chinese play Lei Yu 《雷雨》, was performed by Group 1 of  ASWARA’s Diploma in Theatre students at Panggung Eksperimen, ASWARA. The show was part of their final year assessment (PeTA) presentation. Directed by Aish Mirza and Gloria Mujan, this performance focused on emotional tension, character conflict and moral breakdowns within a traditionalist family.

 

The story revolves around past secrets, forbidden relationships and tragic consequences, all unfolding within a single stormy night. The actor’s emotional delivery and natural performance helped to show the depth of each character’s struggle. This critique focuses on how the acting and directing shaped the emotional weight of the performance.

 

The actor playing Fanyi showed deep emotional layers. Her facial expressions and body language reflected frustration, jealousy and quiet heartbreak. Although she had feelings for Zhou Ping, she knew he had moved on. When it was revealed that Zhou Ping was already complicated with Sifeng, Fanyi’s lines turned sharp. She spoke to Sifeng with quiet jealousy beneath her words. Her son Zhou Chong liked Sifeng as well. This left Fanyi feeling unwanted, both as a wife and as a mother. She had mentioned that she was not actually sick but was still forced by Zhou Puyuan to take bitter medicine. This symbolised her lack of power in the household. Her emotional breakdown in the final scenes was built on years of repression. 

 

Zhou Ping was shown as emotionally distant. His quiet acting style reflected guilt and inner struggle. His goal was to run away with Sifeng. When everything was exposed, his final moment with the gun was deep. Lu Shiping’s emotional change during the photo album scene was supported by the change in lighting. Her voice became softer, her hands shook and the stage turned blue. Even without clear dialogue, her feelings of shock and recognition were understood.

 

Sifeng stood at the emotional centre. She was a maid, Zhou Chong’s crush, Zhou Ping’s lover and Shiping’s daughter. Her fragile presence and soft energy made her final collapse more painful. She was never strong or powerful but carried quiet sadness. Zhou Chong was portrayed as naive. His drean of supporting Sifeng’s education showed how little he understood reality. After being rejected and scolded by his father, Zhou Chong followed Sifeng into death. His emotions seemed entirely centred on her. When Sifeng died, he felt totally abandoned. He believed no one else cared for him and that his only reason to live was gone. He chose to follow her into the river. His performance reflected emotional confusion and desperation rather than heroism.

 

The directing helped shape each emotional moment. The two-sided stage created tension and forced clean blocking. During conflict scenes, characters were placed apart to show distance. The early scenes moved slowly, building pressure, while the later parts accelerated towards tragedy.

 

Some moments in the show stood out emotionally. When Shiping recognised her past in the house, the silence, the lighting and her frozen posture created a feeling of fate and sorrow. The ending became even heavier. The deaths of Sifeng and Zhou Chong, followed by Zhou Ping’s suicide, showed the total collapse of a broken family. The final blackout and the return of the song “Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin” （月亮代表我的心）added to the helpless feeling. The song reminded the audience that Zhou Ping and Sifeng truly loved each other, but their relationship was hopeless.

 

The show was under two hours. As a student production, this was already impressive. With tickets at only RM10 for both students and guests, the performance gave great value to theatre lovers. It deserved more than the price suggested. Certain parts of the show faced small technical concerns. The ushers at the front-of-house seemed unaware of the seating situation. Some audience members had trouble finding their way in the dark. There were also moments where two scenes overlapped. When actors from both sides spoke at the same time, the focus became confusing. Shiping’s voice was also slightly unclear at times, possibly due to character demands, but this made it hard to hear for those sitting behind. In conclusion, the performance was emotionally strong, well-directed and left a lasting impression.