Rendra's play postponed

JAKARTA (JP): The Bengkel Teater group of legendary poet Rendra will stage performances of Suku Naga (Dragon Tribe) at Taman Ismail Marzuki art center, Central Jakarta, on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30 instead of on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23 as originally scheduled.

The scheduling change was due to a last minute cancellation by Egyptian theater group El-Warsha to perform in Jakarta's Art Summit 1998.

The summit, considered the most prestigious art festival here, is hosting 15 performance groups from eight countries. Each group performs for two consecutive days at the art center or Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.

The one-month event opened on Saturday night with a performance by Gusmiati Suid's Gumarang Sakti dance company at Taman Ismail Marzuki. Alvin Lucier from the United States will stage concerts at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta beginning Tuesday night.

Summit organizers are not planning to hold any performances on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24 due to El-Warsha's cancellation.

Saini K.M., chairman of the summit's organizing committee, told The Jakarta Post that it was impossible to find a replacement for the foreign group on such short notice.

Rendra's 1975 play focuses on the mining industry's practice of destroying villages and ethnic cultures in order to build homes and recreational centers for their employees. (ylt)