REVIEW: The Remarkable Worldbuilding of BROKEN CHORD THE MUSICAL

Review by Zahira, editing by Rakaputra Paputungan.

On July 22–23, Kalavana Production brought Broken Chord THE MUSICAL to the stage of Gedung Kesenian Jakarta. Produced by Mikhael Yulius Cobis and directed by Nadiandra Khashi Putri, this production centers on two girls from vastly different worlds who are forced to team up to achieve a shared goal. The team from BroadwayWorld Indonesia came to watch the show on 23 July, and here’s our review!

Right off the bat, the opening scene hits you with a burst of rock music that sets a triumphant mood. It’s a bit of a shame that the muffled sound issues buried the first few lines of dialogue, but visually, I was hooked. The lighting and character designs are genuinely impressive, contrasting a futuristic cyberpunk look for one faction with an earthy, grounded cottage aesthetic for the other.

Epsilon Unit-17/Ely (Marvellyne Vriela Zavient) is an advanced robot from the futuristic city of Aithel; and Rena (Hannaya Isai Watulingas) is a very warmhearted, “golden-retriever” human. Ely is driven by an intellectual obsession to decipher the mystery of “human error,” while Rena is desperately seeking advanced technology to cure Tamara (Audrey Desevina Santoso), the beloved leader of Zanari, an earthy land where humans live. A land tTheir agreement to help each other leads Ely into Zanari—a hidden human village she never knew existed—setting up a fascinating contrast between robotic logic and human emotion.

This whole production is an absolute candy for the eyes. The sets (Gloria Benedict Lengkey), work in tandem with the lighting to create different shading in layers. The wardrobe department (Marchello Bintang Setiawan) also elevated so much of the set through their boho-inspired costume for the Zanarians that feels rich and harmonious, very different from Aithel's costumes which are designed to be futuristic. The ensembles bring incredible energy to every scene, supporting the narrative, though the musical numbers are periodically undercut by persistent audio issues that obscure both lyrics and dialogue.

The dramatic tension shifts after the duo travels to Aithel to secure Tamara's cure. When a decade-cyclical earthquake threatens to destroy Aithel’s fragile foundation, Ely proposes evacuating the Aithelites to Zanari’s stable grounds. This sparks a bitter argument with Rena, who fears for her home's safety. Matters worsen when Roman (Naufal Hanif Musthafa), Rena’s partner, meddles in their relationship because of his suspicion. Roman’s performance feels noticeably stiff and awkwardly delivered in these crucial moments, though the sheer aura and high-energy support of the ensemble manage to keep his solo number afloat despite some pitch and diction issues.

The narrative reaches its emotional peak during the fallout between Ely and Rena. When Rena attempts to defend Ely by claiming she is “different” due to a human-like glitch, Ely delivers the show's most impactful line, calling out Rena's hypocrisy: Rena doesn't love her as a whole, but only loves her broken, humanized parts: making her just as cold as the machines she despises. The dialogue writing between these two girls isso good. Their arguments are cold, each one is rooted by their standpoint entirely valid by their own beliefs and internal pressures. I loved how their relationship bloomed and withered throughout. 

This philosophical rift, combined with the intervention of Dr. K.R.E.Y. (Pia Krisnaya Dermawan), escalates into a catastrophic war between Aithel and Zanari. In a desperate attempt to stop Roman from stabbing Ely during the clash, Rena steps into the crossfire and takes the damage of Roman’s fatal blow, leaving her to die.

Beyond the main plot, the worldbuilding is where the story really shines. The contrast between Aithel and Zanari clicks instantly—you can see it in everything from the set design and boho costumes to the way the characters interact and move. The friction between the two factions brings in a subtle political layer that feels surprisingly relatable, making the misunderstandings hit close to home. Striking that balance between thoughtful social commentary and a genuinely cute, charm-filled story makes it a joy to watch unfold. 

The choreography also differs in distinguishing the two cultures. The Aithelites move with a distinct robotic stiffness, yet their group routines are impressively synchronized and clean (not awkward or clunky, but rather controlled and limited). In stark contrast, the Zanarians move in an energetic passionate triumph through fluid, natural movements that feel completely free of rigidity. The two styles don't blend very well at the beginning, almost like they are too different, but this line between them is what keeps the two divided stages looking tidy and visually different throughout each music number.

The friendship between the two girls is just adorable, it’s definitely a classic one to see. The warm enthusiastic human colliding with a very logical robot creates this dynamic where they slowly balance each other out by learning how the other operates. That’s what makes the breaking-up arc hit really hard for me. They broke up on bad terms and Rena’s ultimate death felt like absolute peak. I had a really fun time expecting this major plot point, but I still enjoyed the storyline as a fun casual watch.

Despite the recurring audio muffling that hid much of the scoring's lyricism, the production stands as a visually stunning, emotionally charged exploration of prejudice, connection, and what it truly means to possess a heart. With everything that’s going on, what anchored the experience for me was how intuitive the worldbuilding felt. You immediately understand the rift between Aithel and Zanari because it’s woven directly into the visual aesthetic, costumes, and everyday mannerisms of the ensemble. The ideological clashes and misunderstandings between the two worlds give the plot a subtle political resonance to our real world, that is very easy to connect within a well-constructed sci-fi.

Broken Chord is genuinely a rare refreshing story I don’t see often, and I can only hope to see more shows like this on stage.

Broadwayworld Indonesia was a media partner of Broken Chord.