Public theaters effectively 'killing' arts theaters

Public theaters effectively 'killing' arts theaters

By Yusuf Susilo

JAKARTA (JP): Ever since the downfall of the New Order
Government, public theaters have become more a fact of life.
Street rallies at various strategic locations have become a
common sight.

Demonstrators can easily be found at the Hotel Indonesia
roundabout, the premises in and around the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) and House of Representatives (DPR) buildings in
the Senayan area, the Semanggi cloverleaf bridge, the Attorney
General's Office or even the presidential palace in Central
Jakarta.

Generally exciting, the plays attract the attention of the
media. The themes? They depend on who performers are though they
are easily identifiable. Bring Soeharto Along With His Cronies to
Court is most likely staged by university students Bring Gus Dur
Down" and Disperse Golkar' by a group in opposition to the
President, while The Special Committee of Bulogate and Bruneigate
Are Illegal are by staunch supporters of the President.

Of no less excitement is the public theater inside the MPR and
DPR buildings. House Speaker Akbar Tanjung and Speaker of the
People's Consultative Assembly Amien Rais are among the renowned
stars sending, purportedly on behalf of the people, a vote of no
confidence to the President, an act prompted by a grander motive:
a special session of the MPR designed to unseat Gus Dur and name
Megawati the next president.

Amidst the many conflicting plays being staged at various
places, other "actors" add fuel to the flames in conflict-prone
areas like Aceh, Ambon, Irian Jaya and Sampit, Central
Kalimantan. That completes the whole scene, leaving the audience
dumbfounded.

In such a public show, "actors" and "audience" alike have a
finger in every pie. When a cameraman, particularly a foreign
one, turns up, they will suddenly act with greater zest, speak
with greater eloquence and in a more fiery spirit, moving with
greater plasticity of gesture.

In the name of democracy, human rights and reform, they lash
out on practically anything with a barrage of words. The fiery
spirit is abruptly dampened, though, as the cameraman leaves.

Theater observer Radar Panca Dahana points out in his newly
published book, Homo Theatricus, that humans are theatrical
beings or homo theatricus though few of us realize we are engaged
in plays every day of our lives. The plays - sometimes lies and
usually unfair - are unfortunately regarded as reality and not
the other way round.

The mass media now shows greater interest in politically
related matters rather than solely arts. Reporters and
photographers, while juggling with their paraphernalia to make
political issues more exciting and more dazzling, are rarely
drawn to real life stories and aesthetic values in plays staged
at arts venues like Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center (TIM).

In the sidelines of a dialog recently held at TIM, theater
observer Jacob Sumarjo remarked that "the situation helps pseudo-
theater grow. People no longer get involved and watch plays for
aesthetic enjoyment, rather it is now for the radical themes that
plays now adopt or incorporate.

"That's why many theatrical groups that come out of the blue
suddenly disappear again like the wind". He further added that
present radical groups are funding their performances in a
guerrilla-like manner, and many are supported by foreign cultural
centers.

He noted that during the 1950's and 60's, when many
translated versions of plays were performed, the mass media
provided a special room exhibiting the plays' qualities and
aesthetic values. However, after local dramatists were able to
write their own plays, the theater then turned into a political
vehicle.

It is clearly depicted when Domba-Domba Revolusi (Sheep of
The Revolution) written by B.Sularto was banned by Lekra (it
literally means the People's Cultural Association, a cultural
organization linked to the defunct Indonesian Communist Party,
PKI) before 1965, but it later became an invincible political
means during the New Order Government.

Generally speaking, there are a handful of mass media
organizations in Jakarta still willing to fill their columns with
news of theatrical performances, though not as elaborate as that
of political theater. The news then spreads swiftly over other
areas. On the other hand, plays staged in urban areas are rarely
exposed by the city's media, leaving them only echoing at empty
local theaters.

In anticipation of this phenomenon, members of Satu Merah
Panggung Ratna Sarumpaet have said that they fully support the
idea of establishing a special media for the theater community in
this country enabling them to discuss various matters, inclusive
of criticism.

The general media, therefore, can play their respective
roles, without having to make any review of a play. And another
theater observer, from Yogyakarta's Gajah Mada University, Bakdi
Sumanto, complained that, "nowadays, arts criticism is hard to
come by in the provincial press, as journalists in big cities
have already covered it."

According to Jacob, The Yogyakarta Institute of Arts
currently has one theater periodical, Journal Tonil, but the
quarterly journal is deemed insufficient to meet the needs of the
public since it only deals with research output.

Public

What should concerned people really do to protect and promote
the arts theater? The arts theater must take a stance and fight
the already powerful popular street theater. There are of course
a number of ways to cope with these problems. The first thing for
them to do is to get back on their own two feet.

Afrizal Malna, a playwright, gave a different opinion and
likened the Indonesian theater to a closed closet full of
fascinating objects which has yet to open itself up to the
public.

Radhar further said that to make a show more significant, it
should unravel taboos on the stage to present a portrait of
reality that is none other than a repeated play of lies.

While Putu Wijaya requested that Festival Teater Jakarta,
formerly called Festival Teater Remaja, not become the mouthpiece
of Jakarta's cultural agency. In fact, the festival was doing
pretty well for nearly thirty years and has spawned talented
people like Radar, Dindon, yet it collapsed at the time it was
handed over to the Jakarta Cultural Department.

"To me this festival is an important document stating the
birth of pure Indonesian Theater" Putu reasserted.

He is certain that one day there will be someone who can
clearly make a comparison of the various facets of Indonesian
modern theater with those of other countries like Japan, India,
Malaysia and even America or Europe.

"Our ignorance of Western theatrical idiomatic expressions or
sciences will certainly be a plus and an indication as to how
deeply we are attached to the tradition of Indonesian theater,"
Putu added.

With her American background in arts management, Sari Majid
of Teater Koma gave different comments saying that to be
professional, theaters in Jakarta must be reorganized all the way
from the grassroots by mutual cooperation and togetherness.

Senior artists could become patrons and should perform in
youth centers, shopping malls, hotels and plazas in their
respective areas.

Teater Koma with numerous successes in their performances at
various venues like TIM, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ) as well as
Teater Tanah Airku who have recently been performing at malls a
one-hour, entertaining show and have received a warm welcome from
the public.

Romo (Father) Muji Sutrisno said that theater must exist, even
though recent national developments and public life appear to be
scenes from the "theater of Indonesia".