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Entertainment-Koma-Teater
JP/18/KOMA
'Republik Togog'
Bambang Asrini Widjanarko
Contributor/Jakarta
Teater Koma is ready to weave its magic again. Its 103rd
production, called Republik Togog, is coming to town and is
expected to entertain and politically "enlighten" audiences --
particularly appropriate at this time as we look forward to a new
government after the second round of the presidential election.
The play, which is being specially staged to mark the group's
27th anniversary, is a marriage of western and eastern ideas,
director N. Riantiarno says.
In the play he tries to marry Molliere's Tartuffe and the
Sadewa Tumbal (an episode from the Mahabharata) to bring out
cultural interaction.
Teater Koma has already proved that adapted stories like
Sampek Eng Tay, Opera Ular Putih (White Snake Opera), and the
troupe's latest, Opera Kecoa (Cockroach Opera), are appreciated
by the audience, the members of which are aware of the richness
of the country's culture as well as how foreign cultures also
play significant roles in cultural and social development here.
"Perhaps I can say that all of the plays that we have
performed offer a reflection on what we experience, feel and
think as human beings in defining the humanity around us, like
traditional plays that were born out of honesty, such as ketoprak
(Javanese traditional drama), and jula-juli ( traditional drama
in East Java) -- both of which are examples of the folk arts," he
asserted.
"Opera Kecoa, for example, which was once banned here but
after the fall of the repressive regime, we managed to stage it
in 2000 and the response was great."
In Republik Togog, Togog, who is destined by the Gods to play
the dark role of a devil in the Javanese wayang (shadow puppet
plays), represents the evil characteristics of human beings.
He has intentionally provoked a giant kingdom to interfere in
the world of humans, in which Semar, a mighty God, once used to
live, but has disappeared from the scene for a while.
The conflict in the tale is highlighted when good-natured
Samiaji, a human king from Amarta, turns into a greedy,
tyrannical, autocratic and despotic leader.
We can imagine how chaotic things become when a kingdom, or
republic (as it is styled in this play), becomes the subject of
rampant abuses of power by the rulers.
Cliche, as usual a noble figure (the defender of truth) saves
the day and manages to put things right, restore the kingdom to
glory and put the King back on the path of righteousness.
The cast includes both senior and junior performers from the
troupe. However, a play is not only about the script and the
cast, but also about stage art -- something that is often
overlooked by critics and the public at large.
"It's better if a play is seen as a whole work. That's what we
promise the public," said Riantiarno, who is familiarly called
Nano.
Nano explained that Teater Koma had also been pioneering art
appreciation efforts. With a mission of bringing theater closer
to the public, with children being the main targets, the troupe
has organized workshops and invited theater maestros to
participate.
Twenty-seven years have passed and Teater Koma has done
invaluable work for the country's art scene, and notched up many
outstanding achievements.
So, like Nano wrote in his 2003 book, Menyentuh Teater
(Touching Theater), "If theater loses its appeal and is abandoned
by its audience, the first to blame will be the people behind the
theater themselves, not the audience, because its interest arises
from the profiles and concrete actions of the theater artists
themselves. All the audience can do is just watch, then absorb
the spectacle with their eyes, senses and hearts, and after that,
it's their own decision whether to deprecate it, or appreciate it
and share it."
Republik Togog, the 103rd production of Teater Koma,
Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ) in Central Jakarta, July 28 until
Aug. 6, 2004, at 8 p.m. For further information, contact Teater
Koma at (021) 525 1066, (021) 735 0460 or GKJ (021) 380 8283