An oasis of performing arts opens in Jakarta
By Sirikit Syah
JAKARTA (JP): The city has a new theater. Its name: Utan Kayu (TUK); the address, Jl. Utan Kayu 68H, East Jakarta; the opening date: Saturday, Aug. 9.
"In Javanese, tuk means a spring, water source for people," said Goenawan Mohamad, who owns the place. He said the theater, located next to Galeri Lontar has a similar mission.
He acknowledged there were already some small theaters in Jakarta, like Tuti Indra Malaon theater managed by Teguh Karya or Oncor theater managed by Ray Sahetapy and Dewi Yull. "But TUK will be different," he told the audience at the opening speech.
He said they held no grand ambitions for the theater. "We just want to provide an alternative place for art performances and gatherings. As we all know, Taman Ismail Marzuki is being renovated and is very inconvenient at the moment."
The theater, resembling a mini studio, has good acoustics and is set out like an amphitheater.
Goenawan a small theater was built because were sick of big things. "If there is a performance that needs thousands of people, let's do it in Senayan (sports hall). This is for small- scale performances. Besides, we need audiences of quality not quantity."
Exhuberance flowed at the opening ceremony with more than 200 guests, including the "guru" Umar Kayam and Linda Hoemar the dancer.
The occasion was highlighted with poetry reading by Sitok Srengenge, a dance performance choreographed by Sulistyo Tirto Kusumo, short story reading by Arswendi Nasution, and a musical performance by the New Jakarta Ensemble.
As mentioned in the invitations, due to the small capacity of the theater, the artists performed twice with a hope that all guests could see them in turn. Even so, after the first show, some guests were reluctant to give up their seats.
According to Sitok Srengenge, who also manages the theater, artists performing at TUK do receive small fees.
TUK is a non profit theater. Everyone is welcome and there is no cover charge for any performance, but the organizers don't turn down donations.
Disappointingly, there were no contributions on Saturday night, even after a mention from actress and director Jajang Pamuntjak. Perhaps people in Jakarta prefer to buy tickets than to make donations.
Goenawan said TUK would not take any donation from the government or conglomerates. "I have some friends who will help," he said convincingly. Their budget is about Rp 5 million per month.
If things do not work? "So be it. I have no burden at all. If it succeeds I am happy, if not, it is alright too."said Goenawan.
Goenawan is not theater's sole patron. He is assisted by Sitok Srengenge, Toni Prabowo, a musician, and Achmad Sahal, editor of Kalam. Over the next three months will present not only arts performances but exhibitions,literary discussions and other subjects, and the screening of quality films.
Laurie Sears, a professor from University of Washington, spoke on Theosophy, Javanese Intellectuals and the Nationalist movement. Endo Suanda from the Indonesian Society of Performing Arts discussed the calligraphy and religion yesterday. (Aug. 14).
On Aug. 22, TUK will be presenting 10 selected poets from Java and Bali. The poetry readings by those poets will be in cooperation with the committee of Festival Indonesia Winternacht Event, in the Netherlands. The committee annually invites Indonesian poets to perform in the country.
"I was invited for the last two years. I want other young Indonesian poets to get an opportunity," Sitok said.
Usually, the committee trusts the selection of poets to curators in Indonesia. But this time they have agreed to make the selection themselves by seeing young poets perform here.
Goenawan added that discussions which often take place at Galeri Lontar will be moved to TUK.