Review: MIRAH: A Vibrant Celebration of Betawi Culture Through Musical Theater

The musical Mirah was staged on 22-23 February 2025, at Teater Besar Taman Ismail Marzuki in Jakarta. The production house presented four performances, featuring two different pairs of main leads, with each duo performing twice. This show was produced by Ir. Dery Syrna, directed by Rudolf Puspa and Dolfry Inda Suri. The team from Broadway World Indonesia was given the opportunity to watch their last show on February 23rd, and here’s our review.

As someone who grew up in Jakarta, I’m familiar with a lot of Betawi traditions in my surroundings, such as lenong, pencak silat, and ondel-ondel. This familiarity made me especially excited to watch Teater Keliling’s Mirah.   

Mirah focuses on the eponymous character Mirah (played by Ayasha Davierra). She is a jawara (a Betawi martial artist/warrior) from Marunda who grew up living with just her father. Just when she is of age, Mirah’s father, Bang Bodong (played by Helmi Taher) pleads for her hand in marriage, but she insists on only wanting to marry a man who can defeat her in a duel.

Shortly after, a house in Marunda is robbed. Mirah investigates the robbery, and a piece of evidence leads her to accusing one of the champions from Naga Emas, Asni (played by Dharma Dewanto). Asni is enraged by the accusation. He then comes to Marunda, leading to a duel between the two. In this duel, Mirah loses to Asni. Given the circumstances, Bang Bodong observes the strong chemistry between the pair and arranges for the young man to marry Mirah. 

Those who grew up in a Betawi environment would enjoy watching Mirah. The moment act one begins, the stage is alive with the loud cultural elements, such as pantun (short, rhyming poems) exchanged between characters and flashy ensemble members. From the first 30 minutes, I can feel that Mirah embraces Betawi culture in an energetic and colourful light, creating a vibrant atmosphere that feels both traditional and nostalgic.

Act one introduces the families and their conflicts, highlighting the initial robbery. I appreciate the use of ensemble performances to present each family to the audience. I also appreciate the background characters’ blocking, as there were fighters practicing in the background. These crowded Betawi-esque moments are where the production truly shines the most, utilizing the inherently ‘crowded’ nature of Betawi culture to create visually fun ensemble sequences. This act was when I enjoyed Mirah the most. The costumes were vibrant, with most performers wearing colourful kebaya encim that suited them like a glove. The choreography was also neat and well-timed. The noisiness of Betawi vibe incorporated into fun, exciting ensemble numbers.

Act two, on the other hand, was less interesting. Particularly among scenes between Mirah and Asni, or Mirah and Bang Bodong. While the loud and crowded scene was full of triumph and excitement, the smaller scenes sometimes came across as awkward and underwhelming. The background characters that once made the scenes lively, were gone for the most of this act, which made the stage look empty. The chemistry between Mirah and Asni was passable, but perhaps the writing didn't convince me that Mirah ever reciprocate Asni’s feelings, even though we, as the audience are aware that they will eventually marry. Their story seemed like an extra filler sub-plot, rather than a significant, emotional arc. On top of that, there was a quite uncomfortable age gap between the actors of Mirah and Asni, which made their romantic dynamic feel somewhat unconvincing.

Because it is a folk tale, Mirah heavily incorporates old tropes and archetypes I’ve seen in the media (for example: the cold-hearted girl and the friendly guy, will they or won’t they? Of course they will). It also includes usual Betawi stereotypes of being loud, expressive, and straightforward, but in a way that feels appreciative rather than offensive. The humor in Mirah is effective, and many of the comedic beats land well, as they embed a lot of modern and recent brain rot gags, making the show a fun watch even when the storyline itself feels predictable. Yes, it is a bunch of obvious cliches, but still an engaging and enjoyable watch nonetheless. In a way, Mirah’s structure is reminiscent of traditional theater, where the audience can almost anticipate how the story will unfold, yet still enjoy the journey because of the charm and cultural familiarity. 

For what it's worth, Mirah is ultimately an enjoyable experience. They did an amazing job of showcasing Betawi culture through this production. I had a lot of fun and shared many laughs because of this. Even with a predictable plot, the charm and enthusiasm of the characters, combined with the show’s cultural richness, makes it a performance worth watching.