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".