NIDA exhibits accomplishments in dramatic arts

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): The accomplishments of Australia in the dramatic arts is presently being introduced to Indonesia through a stimulating albeit simple exhibition about and organized by the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), Sydney, currently showing at Taman Ismail Marzuki's Galeri Cipta.

Primarily consisting of student projects along with some faculty portfolios, the show is clearly meant to promote the institute. Although many of the creations on display might seem rather foreign to the prospective students or students for whom they are intended, the verve of the presentations will hopefully disseminate some enthusiasm within their ranks.

The NIDA exhibition has completely transformed Galeri Cipta -- usually a static gallery exhibiting the fine arts -- into a dynamic labyrinth filled with a variety of highly visual objects and imagery.

Photographs of NIDA's productions are displayed on the peripheral walls of the gallery, while two-dimensional studies and presentations of the designs are arranged to form the meandering exhibition spaces. Carefully placed three-dimensional costume designs accentuate the other works.

The visitor is immediately directed towards a pair of intricate costumes designed by Dale Ferguson for Bertolt Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle, directed by Dieter Braun. Later, these artifacts are placed into context through a still photograph of the performance.

Other photographs show the variety of productions associated with NIDA, ranging from Veneer 2, Tales from the Decameron, The Ghost Sonata and Moliere's Impromptu at Versailles, to Shakespeare's As You Like It.

Some of the photographs were complemented by pieces associated with the production piece. For instance, Peter Cooke's designs of aboriginal headdress and belts are shown in front of a photographic representation of Dead Hearts.

The professionally produced presentations are interspersed among a host of promising student works. Under the guidance of Peter Cooke, three students present their designs for A Day in the Life of the Author, each in their own distinctive styles.

Liance Wilcher uses magazine cutouts and tracing paper in a two-dimensional work, while Penelope Wilson wrinkles and folds the magazine scraps to add some depth to her piece. John King attempts to portray his costume designs for the characters posing on stage, working with colored pencil and watercolors on dark washed or spray-painted backgrounds.

Tutor Vicki Feitscher seems to emphasize a psychological approach toward costume design. Her student Genevieve Blanchett's costume designs for Sophocles's Oedipus Rex are studies of the relationship between their characterizations and their appearances, rather than as representations of their imagined likeness.

Completely distorted and elongated, Jocasta's body is composed of a collage of body parts, while her long neck is structured using cutouts of gold rings or bracelets. The surreal semblance of the two characters on display are effectively set against a lucid background of thick, sweeping paint.

Progress

The two sets of Gavin Berbey's renditions for the characters of Moliere's An Imaginary Invalid could have shown the progress of an NIDA student's design skills.

In an initial stage of the costume designs, Berbey -- working under tutor Tom Lingwood -- presents study "sketches" of Diafiorus, Thomas, Ban Watch and Punchiana using vellum. Later, the characters reappear in a more refined presentation.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no attempt to show the linkage between the two presentations. Appearing as two separate entities, the sets were not juxtaposed and hence their relationship remains unclear.

Although two-dimensional representations predominate the exhibit, three-dimensional artifacts dot the gallery. Apart from a number of eighteenth century costumes displayed on mannequins, some corsets produced in Sue Oswald's costume project class are also shown.

They provide evidence of the importance of process over product in theatrical costume design. The dramatic effect which a wardrobe can contribute towards the communicative aspects of a theatrical production is emphasized. The meticulous quality of the fabrication of theatrical costumes would never be as closely examined as in fashion design.

When examined closely, Lyndell Darch's corset seems to be a chaotic collage of patchwork and scrap material. From a distance, the embroidered and quilted design reminiscent of Gustav Klimt appears elegant on the purple piece.

Similarly, the variety of headdresses in the show provide the public a realistic glimpse of how theatrical accessories look without the dramatic effects of a stage production.

The two set design maquettes presented show the diversity of atmospheres which the students need to represent. Produced under Michael Scott Mitchell's direction, Gordon Burn's set for Stephen Sondheim's Company uses a backdrop from Piet Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie, complemented with furniture and clothing from the late 60s.

This relatively clean design is contrasted with John King's complex and rustic spaces in his set for The Plough and The Stars, filled with stilted walkways, cantilevered projections and ramps. The three-dimensional quality of the sets presents a more realistic portrayal of the processes in stage production.

Despite the effort to show a complete picture of the range of activities offered at NIDA, unfortunately, many of the production pieces that are represented are foreign to the Indonesian audience.

Appreciation for theater in Indonesia is relatively limited; theater has only recently become popular through the satirical productions of Teater Koma, although many other companies have also produced good works.

The inclusion of excerpts from movies has proved to be an effective means of introducing Australian theater, as the medium is much more familiar to the general public.

The informative videos showing clips from Strictly Ballroom and Hamlet not only communicate the fact that stars of the silver screen such as Tara Morice and Mel Gibson (as well as rising movie directors such as Baz Luhrman) are products of NIDA, but they also bring theater and NIDA closer to the visitors.

It should be noted that Strictly Ballroom was based on the story of the founder of NIDA and reflects his approach to theater and the dramatic arts.

The simple exhibition at TIM's Galeri Cipta prepared by Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Arts attempts to cultivate interest in the theatrical arts in Jakarta.

Although much more can be done to bring Australian accomplishments in theater closer to the public it addresses and to attract artists to study at NIDA, perhaps the exhibition will help to sow seeds of appreciation for the theater, especially among young Indonesian students, art students and artists.

The NIDA exhibition is on show at Galeri Cipta, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jl. Cikini Raya 73, Jakarta until July 2, 1994.