Public theaters effectively 'killing' arts theaters<\/p>\n
By Yusuf Susilo<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ever since the downfall of the New Order
\nGovernment, public theaters have become more a fact of life.
\nStreet rallies at various strategic locations have become a
\ncommon sight.<\/p>\n
Demonstrators can easily be found at the Hotel Indonesia
\nroundabout, the premises in and around the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) and House of Representatives (DPR) buildings in
\nthe Senayan area, the Semanggi cloverleaf bridge, the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office or even the presidential palace in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Generally exciting, the plays attract the attention of the
\nmedia. The themes? They depend on who performers are though they
\nare easily identifiable. Bring Soeharto Along With His Cronies to
\nCourt is most likely staged by university students Bring Gus Dur
\nDown" and Disperse Golkar' by a group in opposition to the
\nPresident, while The Special Committee of Bulogate and Bruneigate
\nAre Illegal are by staunch supporters of the President.<\/p>\n
Of no less excitement is the public theater inside the MPR and
\nDPR buildings. House Speaker Akbar Tanjung and Speaker of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly Amien Rais are among the renowned
\nstars sending, purportedly on behalf of the people, a vote of no
\nconfidence to the President, an act prompted by a grander motive:
\na special session of the MPR designed to unseat Gus Dur and name
\nMegawati the next president.<\/p>\n
Amidst the many conflicting plays being staged at various
\nplaces, other "actors" add fuel to the flames in conflict-prone
\nareas like Aceh, Ambon, Irian Jaya and Sampit, Central
\nKalimantan. That completes the whole scene, leaving the audience
\ndumbfounded.<\/p>\n
In such a public show, "actors" and "audience" alike have a
\nfinger in every pie. When a cameraman, particularly a foreign
\none, turns up, they will suddenly act with greater zest, speak
\nwith greater eloquence and in a more fiery spirit, moving with
\ngreater plasticity of gesture.<\/p>\n
In the name of democracy, human rights and reform, they lash
\nout on practically anything with a barrage of words. The fiery
\nspirit is abruptly dampened, though, as the cameraman leaves.<\/p>\n
Theater observer Radar Panca Dahana points out in his newly
\npublished book, Homo Theatricus, that humans are theatrical
\nbeings or homo theatricus though few of us realize we are engaged
\nin plays every day of our lives. The plays - sometimes lies and
\nusually unfair - are unfortunately regarded as reality and not
\nthe other way round.<\/p>\n
The mass media now shows greater interest in politically
\nrelated matters rather than solely arts. Reporters and
\nphotographers, while juggling with their paraphernalia to make
\npolitical issues more exciting and more dazzling, are rarely
\ndrawn to real life stories and aesthetic values in plays staged
\nat arts venues like Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center (TIM).<\/p>\n
In the sidelines of a dialog recently held at TIM, theater
\nobserver Jacob Sumarjo remarked that "the situation helps pseudo-
\ntheater grow. People no longer get involved and watch plays for
\naesthetic enjoyment, rather it is now for the radical themes that
\nplays now adopt or incorporate.<\/p>\n
"That's why many theatrical groups that come out of the blue
\nsuddenly disappear again like the wind". He further added that
\npresent radical groups are funding their performances in a
\nguerrilla-like manner, and many are supported by foreign cultural
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
He noted that during the 1950's and 60's, when many
\ntranslated versions of plays were performed, the mass media
\nprovided a special room exhibiting the plays' qualities and
\naesthetic values. However, after local dramatists were able to
\nwrite their own plays, the theater then turned into a political
\nvehicle.<\/p>\n
It is clearly depicted when Domba-Domba Revolusi (Sheep of
\nThe Revolution) written by B.Sularto was banned by Lekra (it
\nliterally means the People's Cultural Association, a cultural
\norganization linked to the defunct Indonesian Communist Party,
\nPKI) before 1965, but it later became an invincible political
\nmeans during the New Order Government.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, there are a handful of mass media
\norganizations in Jakarta still willing to fill their columns with
\nnews of theatrical performances, though not as elaborate as that
\nof political theater. The news then spreads swiftly over other
\nareas. On the other hand, plays staged in urban areas are rarely
\nexposed by the city's media, leaving them only echoing at empty
\nlocal theaters.<\/p>\n
In anticipation of this phenomenon, members of Satu Merah
\nPanggung Ratna Sarumpaet have said that they fully support the
\nidea of establishing a special media for the theater community in
\nthis country enabling them to discuss various matters, inclusive
\nof criticism.<\/p>\n
The general media, therefore, can play their respective
\nroles, without having to make any review of a play. And another
\ntheater observer, from Yogyakarta's Gajah Mada University, Bakdi
\nSumanto, complained that, "nowadays, arts criticism is hard to
\ncome by in the provincial press, as journalists in big cities
\nhave already covered it."<\/p>\n
According to Jacob, The Yogyakarta Institute of Arts
\ncurrently has one theater periodical, Journal Tonil, but the
\nquarterly journal is deemed insufficient to meet the needs of the
\npublic since it only deals with research output.<\/p>\n
Public<\/p>\n
What should concerned people really do to protect and promote
\nthe arts theater? The arts theater must take a stance and fight
\nthe already powerful popular street theater. There are of course
\na number of ways to cope with these problems. The first thing for
\nthem to do is to get back on their own two feet.<\/p>\n
Afrizal Malna, a playwright, gave a different opinion and
\nlikened the Indonesian theater to a closed closet full of
\nfascinating objects which has yet to open itself up to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
Radhar further said that to make a show more significant, it
\nshould unravel taboos on the stage to present a portrait of
\nreality that is none other than a repeated play of lies.<\/p>\n
While Putu Wijaya requested that Festival Teater Jakarta,
\nformerly called Festival Teater Remaja, not become the mouthpiece
\nof Jakarta's cultural agency. In fact, the festival was doing
\npretty well for nearly thirty years and has spawned talented
\npeople like Radar, Dindon, yet it collapsed at the time it was
\nhanded over to the Jakarta Cultural Department.<\/p>\n
"To me this festival is an important document stating the
\nbirth of pure Indonesian Theater" Putu reasserted.<\/p>\n
He is certain that one day there will be someone who can
\nclearly make a comparison of the various facets of Indonesian
\nmodern theater with those of other countries like Japan, India,
\nMalaysia and even America or Europe.<\/p>\n
"Our ignorance of Western theatrical idiomatic expressions or
\nsciences will certainly be a plus and an indication as to how
\ndeeply we are attached to the tradition of Indonesian theater,"
\nPutu added.<\/p>\n
With her American background in arts management, Sari Majid
\nof Teater Koma gave different comments saying that to be
\nprofessional, theaters in Jakarta must be reorganized all the way
\nfrom the grassroots by mutual cooperation and togetherness.<\/p>\n
Senior artists could become patrons and should perform in
\nyouth centers, shopping malls, hotels and plazas in their
\nrespective areas.<\/p>\n
Teater Koma with numerous successes in their performances at
\nvarious venues like TIM, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ) as well as
\nTeater Tanah Airku who have recently been performing at malls a
\none-hour, entertaining show and have received a warm welcome from
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
Romo (Father) Muji Sutrisno said that theater must exist, even
\nthough recent national developments and public life appear to be
\nscenes from the "theater of Indonesia".<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-theaters-effectively-killing-arts-theaters-1447893297",
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