N. Riantiarno's script-book punctuated with humor

Opera Sembelit -- Mimpi Jadi Nyeri (Opera Constipation -- From Dream to Pain); By N. Riantiarno; Balai Pustaka, Jakarta, October 1998; xii + 122pp

When man and ill health cross paths, it is more interesting than when man meets good health. The same thing goes for other matters in different realities. Man, problem, chaos, tyranny and suffering from loss will certainly rest on human existence. Besides, here, man will recognize the real meaning of the most perfect creature on earth as well as the weakest to God.

Just name one ill health: constipation, which is a common ailment for humans. It can happen to any person of any age and any social class. It is the result of a metabolic change regarding a less-than-regular defecation frequency, and the sufferer experiences an acute stomachache.

At this point, the person starts to think about the importance of the defecation process. A thing that adheres to the true meaning of human kind. And the presence of feces that usually defiles filth becomes significant.

Social and psychological constipation are what Nano Riantiarno, 49, presents in his five-scene opera. In this opera script-book Nano talks about the relativity of human nature, complete with a profound contemplation on men confused by the complexity of faith in a community component of a nation.

In this book, Nano tells a story chronologically. All the characters move from cause to result, with the leading character (Warda Rugat) as the central problem. Therefore, all that happens to Warda in the story can be used as a focus for one's attention.

The story begins with an ailment befalling Warda. His feces are as black and round as goat droppings, occurring with a frequency that passes over normal people. This initial process is deliberately led by Nano to return human nature to a kind of omnivorous primate.

A moment later, chaos overwhelms his respectable family. His wife (Siti Rugata) suggests that he consult the most famous doctor (Prof. Dr. Salim). However, because of the complexity of the examination, in the next case Warda cannot defecate at all. The sluggishness of the examination process is deliberately expressed in a long humorous dialog full of deep contemplation.

"... My husband's feces are no longer like goat droppings. It was over, a month ago. What happens now is that Warda can no longer defecate. His works are clogged up. He's constipated ..." (page 56).

Therefore, constipation plays the next part. And, of course, it isn't just Warda who gets constipated, but everyone. To be exact, constipation becomes a national epidemic. In this way, it is natural for Nano to include any roles and characters, such as a commander, his staff, a TV announcer, spokesman and merchants.

The state of being constipated is an evident symbol of the sociopolitical situation of this nation today. As in other Nano scripts, it is implied that being negligent is like keeping a primed time bomb.

It is clear that Warda's monolog "to count what?" is Nano's rhetoric explosion in depicting the all-confusing condition; "to count what?" is an antieuphemism of the weariness of increasing prices of food staples and the ever decreasing rupiah exchange rate.

The climax of the problems is depicted in a very complex way, yet not complicated. The presentation of the problems as the important part is arranged in symbolic roles and dialog. This way, the intensity and the focus of the story are well maintained.

Problem collisions are placed in a clear sequence. After the epidemic, everybody feels sick and needs help from the saving doctor. At the same time, a fatality occurs on the doctor's side. All of them collide in hypersensitive succession. An uncommon conspiracy gives enough reflection of the devastation process of a community called human kind.

Then the rotten life condition brings more destruction to human life itself. Unfortunately, the issue of a fake feces manufacturing scheme to deceive the patients is not perfectly managed. Verbalization and space management are only shifting in a simple way, where as the sequential chaos is better in random arrangement. Thus, the insipidity before the closing of chapter five decelerates the core process of contemplation.

This drama is special not only for its severe social criticism but also for its sense of humor, that becomes the core communication of a highly entertaining show. An addition of clone characters from Warda 1 to Warda 9 is also significant. Besides having a special message, this will also flaw the script. Warda 1 to Warda 9 give almost similar meanings, and just by reading the script, the meanings are hard to comprehend.

Warda 1 to Warda 9 symbolize the concept of modern man uniformity in which expression and soliloquy are suppressed.

In the end, the presence of a crazy man (Lakuna), gives enough approach to the plot. A long monolog is quite inspiring and informative. Sometimes being so smart, it is understandable that the crazy Lakuna is the narrator himself. Nano used this narrative style in his previous drama scripts Opera Primadona, 1988 (Opera Primadona, 1988) and Bom Waktu, 1992 (Time Bomb, 1992).

Nano Riantiarnom, who has received the 1998 work of literature award from the Language Development Center for his script-book Semar Gugat (Yayasan Bentang, 1995), has found his solid form. The form of his drama in opera theater is unquestionable.

This book also presents 14 song lyrics that signify a complete story. The solid lyrics and easily modified melodies give enough improvisation. And someday, this book will be useful material in Indonesian literature because it expresses a lot about human life, abusive politics, economic difficulties and confused people.

Opera Sembelit is a refreshing script-book documentation in Indonesia. Sumur Tanpa Dasar (Bottomless Well) by Arifin C. Noer, 1989, Square Moon, Iwan Simatupang, 1997, and Dar, Der, Dor, Putu Wijaya, 1993, are just a few of the scripts that have been put into book form but are still unknown Indonesian book treasures.