Pantomime pioneer dies at 45

JAKARTA (JP): A pioneer of pantomime in Indonesia, Sena A. Utoyo, died on Saturday aged 45. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Sena was buried at the Jeruk Purut cemetery in South Jakarta. The Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily reported on Sunday that he was rushed to the Pertamina hospital by fellow pantomime and theater actor Didi Petet after complaining of chest pains.

He died at the hospital at about 4 p.m., reportedly of a heart attack.

Didi and Sena had earlier planned to shoot some scenes for the TV comedy drama Keluarga Miring. Both actors have also played in numerous films and TV dramas.

They set up the Sena-Didi mime group 16 years ago when still studying at the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ). The group has performed in various countries including Germany, where Sena once studied.

His death was described "a great loss" to the world of pantomime, theater and TV drama by Joseph Gintings, a fellow lecturer at IKJ. The daily reported Sena's last words to Didi as being, "I think I'm going to die, please take care of my children." (anr)