Bandung's Studiklub illustrates freedom's obstacles

By C.G. Asmara

JAKARTA (JP): After a successful run in Bandung last month, Studiklub Teater Bandung (STB) performed Don Carlos at Teater Tertutup, Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center between Sept. 2 and 4. The almost empty house (most probably due to abysmal publicity), witnessed a three-hour performance that, despite its length and heavy themes, presented a number of powerful performances by actors in Indonesia's oldest modern theater company.

Established in 1958 by Jim Adhi Limas (Jim Lim) and Suyatna Anirun when they were first year students in the fine arts department of the Bandung Institute of Technology, STB has been consistently staging productions since. Dedicated to the study of theater, the group has experimented with a number of different performance styles, relying mostly on the Stanislavsky technique of realistic acting and emotional recall. However, STB is also known for its early experimentation with staging foreign plays in Indonesian regional performance styles (mostly Sundanese) in the 1960s and 1970s.

Don Carlos, STB's most recent production, was written in 1787 by German playwright Freidrich Schiller. It was translated for this production by Sulastri and Sugiyati. It is a tragedy depicting the misfortunes of Don Carlos, the Crown Prince and son of the paranoid King Philipp II in 16th century Spain.

Because of a series of letters of mistaken origin and the insinuations of a covetous Duke Alba, Don Carlos is accused by his father of pursuing the affections of Queen Elizabeth, Don Carlos' stepmother. The Duke and Don Carlos are at odds because they are each trying to win the attention of the King. While Carlos may have been in love with the Queen to begin with, his affections have actually transformed into those that a child feels towards its mother.

In order to repay a childhood debt to his friend Don Carlos, Roderick Marquis Posa volunteers as the scapegoat for King Philipp's paranoid ravings about his son and wife. He is killed by the King. Even though King Philipp regrets killing the Marquis, because he thinks of him as a son, he is swayed by the advice of the Chief Inquisitor to also execute Don Carlos.

On a personal level, this is a story of a son desperately seeking love, affection and acceptance from his parents. On a more universal level, what director Suyatna Anirun has painted via Schiller's play is a very bleak picture of humanity and its inability to persevere in the face of absolute power, even when the seat of power occasionally shows compassion. It is an illustration of the seeming impossibility of the younger generation's ability to assume power from its elders. In the process of their struggle, the younger generation becomes aware of its own limitations, for the road to freedom is fraught with obstacles.

While Don Carlos' struggle ends in tragedy when he is killed, his spirit is strong until the last moment. It is Don Carlos' semangat (enthusiastic spirit) that Suyatna wanted impress upon the audience.

The performance differed from what many expect from STB, which has become known for presenting foreign plays in a "Sundanese style". But, according to director Suyatna, he was more interested in pursuing the human themes of the play that deal with individual rights, freedom of expression and overcoming impediments and inequalities. While the actors wore Spanish inspired period costumes, Suyatna explained that he had not directed the actors to play Spaniards in the 16th century. Rather, he asked them to act and react humanly, using their own experience.

While the costumes and sets did not strictly adhere to the period in which the play was set, they were conceptually strong. The set, an expressionistic series of painted flats, were placed in different configurations in order to invoke various locations. The costumes, suggestive of traditional Spanish dress, were colored in hues of maroon, brown and olive. With flowing capes and feathered hats, the costumes helped the actors achieve a strong dramatic presence on stage.

The music, mainly classical Spanish guitar interludes, seemed slightly out of place in the otherwise medieval atmosphere. Given the inquisition at the end of the play and the strong Catholic presence in the story and imagery of the set, liturgical music may have been more appropriate.

Suyatna Anirun and Studiklub Teater Bandung should be applauded for continuously producing high quality, professional performances for the past 37 years. While contemporary theater performances have been few and far between this year, STB has nevertheless remained active without disappointment.