Modern 'wayang' to grace Jakartan stage

Tarko Sudiarno, Contributor, Yogyakarta

Despite the many modern stage performances on offer in Indonesia, wayang kulit (leather shadow puppet) can still find a special spot in the hearts of its fans.

Some say the traditional show is no longer popular, abandoned even by the audience of its birthplace in Yogyakarta and Surakarta. But in reality, every show, especially those that feature a renowned dalang (puppeteer), still attracts a large audience.

Jakartans are also familiar with wayang kulit. And to find out just how much affection people have for the show, PT Gelar Nusantara will stage a new creation of shadow puppets -- Wayang Ukur from Yogyakarta and Wayang Sandosa from Surakarta -- here in Jakarta.

The two-hour Wayang Ukur show, featuring the Bambang Ekalaya episode, will be staged at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta on Oct. 22 and Oct. 23. The Wayang Sandosa production of Sukrasana Sang Manusia (Sukrasana, the Human Being) will be performed at the same place on Oct. 24 and Oct. 25.

According to a staff member of the company, Yanusa Nugroho, the shows are expected to attract a new audience since it will be presented in Indonesian, allowing non-Javanese audiences to enjoy the performances.

Although the shows will still keep their original core, they will differ from the conventional version by incorporating theatrical elements in the performance.

The screen for the Wayang Ukur show resembles a home theater. The blencong (a traditional oil lamp) will be replaced by 36 colorful spotlights placed in front and behind the screen.

Unlike the original version, this show will be staged by three puppeteers instead of one. One of the puppeteers will be in front of the screen while the other two will be behind it.

Although some parts will still combine the original Surakarta and Yogyakarta style, the creator of Wayang Ukur, Ki Sukasman, has put his own special touch on the project by exaggerating the body parts of each character. For instance, the character of Semar will have large, protruding buttocks while his hands will be ballooned out.

In the Wayang Ukur show, the audience will watch in front of the screen, enjoying dynamic images created by the puppets and the puppeteers. The images will be more vivid.

In front of the screen will be a small stage, which serves as a dance area. During certain scenes, the puppet will be replaced by a real person.

Just like Wayang Ukur, Wayang Sandosa has received a mixed response, with praise and criticism given for the different ideas used in the performance.

"Our basic intention is to make the show different from the existing shadow puppet shows, and use Indonesian in the dialog," said Bambang Murtiyoso, one of its creators.

Wayang Sandosa, which was created in the 1980s by the artists at the Surakarta-based Indonesian Arts Institute, is unique since it uses a giant-sized screen -- similar to a theater screen -- and places the audience behind the screen while the puppeteers work from the other side. Watching the show will make the audience feel like they are watching a movie since they cannot see the puppeteers' activities.

The number of puppeteers in the Wayang Sandosa show matches the number of characters in the story. A spectacular battle scene can take up to ten puppeteers. And unlike the original shadow puppet show where a dalang sits while he works the puppets, in Wayang Sandosa, the puppeteers stand or run during a scene.

The dalang does not say the puppets' lines as in the traditional version. Instead, each character in the performance will have an actor to say its lines.

"That has been the most difficult part -- synchronizing the dalang and the players' voices. That's why we need three months to practice before any performance," said Bambang Murtiyoso.