Local, foreign artists show wares in Performance Arts Market
Local, foreign artists show wares in Performance Arts Market
By Yenni Kwok
JAKARTA (JP): A single day or just one performance would
probably not do justice to Teater Koma's colorful 20-year
history.
"We are a bit selfish," said Ratna Riantiarno, the lead
actress and wife of the group's director Nano Riantiarno.
As a fitting anniversary tribute, Ratna and her fellow Teater
Koma members are organizing the month-long cultural event,
Pastojak (Jakarta Performing Arts Market), at their group's
birthplace, Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center on Jl. Cikini Raya,
Central Jakarta. It will be held throughout this month.
Who could resist such self-indulgence? After all, 24 groups
from different parts of Indonesia and the world, both traditional
and modern, are taking part in the jubilant celebration. Plenty
to keep the cultural calendar in Jakarta busy.
Pastojak is short for Pasar Tontonan
Jakarta, and Teater Koma members said the concept of the market
(pasar) is inspired by their particular characteristics. Teater
Koma is a cultural hodgepodge of Western theater, opera, cartoon
films, East Javanese ludruk theater, Jakartan lenong, the
Srimulat comedy troupe and others.
The hubbub of the market scene, merry, spontaneous and none
too formal, describes the workings of the group, as does tontonan
as a kind of performing art. They are also inviting other
performing artists for theater, music, dance and literature
reading during the festival.
"Pastojak reminds me of Art Summit 1995," said musician Tony
Prabowo, who will participate with his New Jakarta Ensemble.
Ratna acknowledged similarities between Pastojak and the Art
Summit.
"But we depart from the Art Summit idea. The difference is the
Art Summit was more international. Our Pastojak includes many
Indonesian traditional performances."
Diverse and unique are two salient characteristics of
Pastojak, which set back its organizer at least Rp 500 million.
Four foreign countries are represented -- Le Cirque Baroque
from France, Bharata Natyam dance from India, The Theater
Practice from Singapore and Ensemble for Intuitive Music Weimar
from Germany.
Le Cirque Baroque is street theater which combines elements of
acrobatics and music into its act. This will be its first visit
in Indonesia since 1989. It is scheduled for Aug. 16 and 24.
Bharata Natyam is a two-part dance, based on India's treasured
Mahabharata epic. The first part depicts the humiliation of the
Pandava family after their eldest son, Yudhistira, loses a dice
game to the Kauravas.
His wife, Panchali (known to most Indonesians as Drupadi), is
publicly humiliated. She vows that she will only tie her hair
again after she has washed it with the blood of her tormentors.
The second act is derived from the Bhagavad Gita, the most
acclaimed part of the Mahabharata epic. Arjuna, the second son of
Pandava, is uncertain as he prepares to fight his cousins, the
evil Kauravas. Lord Khrisna, who acts as his charioteer, explains
that it is his duty to join the forces of good. Bharata Natyam is
scheduled for Aug. 16.
Singapore is represented by a modern theater group, The
Theater Practice, on Aug. 24 in a performance which may well be
described as minimalist, with a cast of just one.
The Eagle and the Cat is about a deeply frustrated foreigner
lost in a surrealist Singapore and transformed into a cat. My
Mother's Chest tells of a woman who relives sad and happy
memories as she picks through bizarre items from her deceased
stepmother's wooden chest.
Ensemble for Intuitive Music Weimar will close the festival on
Sept. 1 with its spontaneous act; music is composed at the moment
of performance. Composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, with whom the
ensemble frequently collaborates, initiated this "intuitive
music" about 30 years ago.
Traditional
Pastojak showcases many local talents, from traditional
artists to those who break the conventional mode.
Several of the traditional performances are also unusual.
"There are a lot of traditional performances in Jakarta. Why
don't we try the ones we hardly ever hear about?" said Ratna.
Pastojak may be the pioneer in introducing Jakartans to the
Kamoro tribal dance from Irian Jaya, Pacul Goang comedy theater
from Banyuwangi and Sike music from Jambi.
In keeping with its espoused claims to roots in traditional
theater, Teater Koma has invited Lenong Subur Jaya from Jakarta
to perform on Aug. 8, West Java's Ronggeng Gunung traditional
theater on Aug. 23, and Malang traditional mask theater on Aug.
14.
Teater RSPD Tegal, another group with ties to traditional
theater, shows its critical satire, Langit Berkarat 2: Sang
Koruptor (The Corrosive Sky 2: The Corruptor) on Aug. 10.
Tony Prabowo, who mostly performs overseas, has finally found
a local venue. He will use the chance to introduce his newly
established percussion ensemble, New Jakarta Ensemble. They are
scheduled to perform on Aug. 26 and 27.
Pastojak is also a chance to catch up on missed performances.
Composer Djaduk Ferianto and artist Butet Kertaredjasa held
their first collaborative effort in music and short story reading
in Yogyakarta last month. As with their debut, Butet will read
Umar Kayam's short stories, Drs. Citraksa dan Citraksi (Drs.
Citraksa and Citraksi).
After a successful performance in June, choreographer Retno
Maruti's version of the tale of the tragic priest warrior,
Dewabrata, will take the stage on Aug. 7.
A discussion on Indonesian theater featuring Asrul Sani,
Nirwan Dewanto, Goenawan Mohamad, Putu Wijaya, Afrizal Malna and
Norca M. Massardi, will be held Aug. 9. Anto Lupus and Arswendo
Atmowiloto will discuss theater and youth on Aug. 16, while
Sujiwo Tejo and Endo Suanda will discuss theater and tradition on
Aug. 23.
Hasan Alwi, a man of literature, is scheduled to give a
lecture on the role of language center in the development of
literature on Aug. 27.
Teater Koma itself isn't missing a chance to capitalize on
past success. Its perennially popular parody of a Chinese love
tragedy, Sampek-Engtay, will play for the second time this year
from Aug. 19 to 22.