Ratna continues her enduring love of acting

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

So, this is what the backstage of a theater production is like.

As Teater Koma was about to go on stage during their 10-day sold-out performance Republik Togog (Togog Republic) at Gedung Kesenian, Central Jakarta, cast and crew milled backstage.

Some already had their makeup on, while members of the production crew set up the stage. Other people took their meals from a long dining table; in the other room, some actors were heard chanting and shouting in time to prepare.

And there she was walking inside the room, my favorite actress, Ratna Riantiarno. Known for her graceful gestures and for being a bit coy in the diverse roles she plays on stage and screen, she is like that in person, too, but also a bit motherly.

A four-year veteran of the theater group said Ratna was a mother figure to all.

"She's very affectionate and motherly, as well as strict. She will scold us when we're doing something wrong, but she's very attentive to everyone, even an intern," she said.

"Some of the theater members don't have a job outside the theater. When we have no gig and income, Bu Ratna will give her own money to help them."

Ratna's husband, director/scriptwriter/actor and Teater Koma founder N. Riantiarno, called her a perfect human being.

"She's my ally, my supporter, my wife and lover. She is optimal in her roles. I don't know what I would do or where I would be without her," said Nano.

Even when she gets angry at him as the theater's manager, he said it forced him to be more creative.

Ratna played down the compliments, saying that she knew what she was doing because of years of experience juggling different roles, as the theater group's manager, actress, account executive as well as handling public relations.

"I've been used to multitasking ever since the theater was founded 27 years ago. Although I admit it's pretty stressful, acting while still thinking about funds and everything, especially now that I'm growing older," said Ratna, 52.

She said nobody else wanted to do it, as managing a theater production was not a great source of income.

Although she has delegated some of the tasks to her staff, many clients and colleagues prefer to communicate with her and her husband directly.

"Journalists also prefer to meet us. When people run out of tickets, they turn to us. However, those people have been very loyal to us in the past 27 years, they're like family. It doesn't feel right to say no," said Ratna.

Despite all the work, she does not want to be left out on stage. In the 103rd production of Teater Koma, she once again brought her exquisite acting to stage, playing the role of Kunti, the mother of five Pandawa knights in the Mahabharata epic.

"I'm an actress, always will be. I do other things just because nobody wants to do them."

Born Ratna Madjid, she has been involved in the arts as long as she can remember. Ratna was a dancer, and joined Teater Ketjil, a theater production led by the late director Arifin C. Noer.

In 1969, on the grounds of Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center (TIM), she met Nano, a member of rival Teater Populer.

Their relationship apparently brought the two competing theater groups closer. They married in 1978 and had three sons.

A year before they wed, the couple had founded Teater Koma, with only 12 people to begin with and practically penniless.

Their first play, Rumah Kertas (Paper House), had 1,000 people in the audience.

"I had to do something, otherwise my household wouldn't run well. So, I opted to take care of everything," said Ratna, who admires Liv Ullman for her detailed gestures and exquisite acting.

Also working as a secretary in a securities company at the time, she reached people who had never watched a theater production before.

She went door to door to unreached areas like banks and offices. She gave out complimentary tickets to colleagues and others to watch performances.

"We don't want to 'masturbate', doing a production and nobody seeing it except for fellow artists. Like it or not, at least people came. It turned out that about 60 percent of them came back," said Ratna.

Her strategy worked, as Teater Koma established itself as a theater production group with a loyal following and sold-out performances. The composition of the theater audience also shifted from shabby, tortured artists to neat young executives.

A challenge occurred because the theme of their plays, which often criticized the authoritarian government of Soeharto, did not sit well with the regime.

A play was banned from being staged, which led to financial losses.

"But the ban turned out to spark a backlash. It was like free PR for us, as we were the cover story everywhere, even in foreign media. We became more popular because of the case, and people sympathized with us," Ratna said.

With Soeharto now long gone, the group no longer faces restrictions, and they are still popular, with tickets always sold out.

However, that does not translate into hefty paychecks, and it's a struggle to finance each new production.

"An audience of 6,000, what does it mean as Jakarta itself has a population of 12 million? That's why my husband and I realize that we cannot make money if we depend on theater, and it's why we make productions for TV as well," said Ratna, who has also acted in TV drama and feature films.

Sales of tickets, ranging in price from Rp 30,000 to Rp 75,000, hardly cover production costs, as it takes at least three months rehearsal. That is not to mention costumes, the stage set and salaries.

"We don't want to sell tickets at high prices, or hold gala nights like people advise us to. Because we don't want only rich people to come and see us. We can make money, but our wish to popularize theater in society won't work," she said.

Holding the play at bigger venues such as the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) is also not an option, because the rental is high and it would have to be modified for a play.

For now, Ratna said, she and Nano just take it easy, although they really wish for a more fitting arts center.

For the past five years, to reach a wider audience and for the sake of regeneration, Teater Koma has cooperated with schools to make a program for teenagers. They also traveled by bus, performing for audiences of all backgrounds.

She will do anything to improve the lot of theater, but would never give up acting.

Ratna said the prima donna syndrome never occurred to her as she knew she could not be the lead all the time due to age.

But acting, in whatever role, is a must.

"I always tell Mas Nano, don't force me to quit acting for the sake of improving this group. I will act until I can no longer do it."