Teater Koma's 20th anniversary

Teater Koma's 20th anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): Teater Koma will celebrate its 20th anniversary
this year by holding a 10-day performance of a play, titled
Sampek-Engtay, in Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki
starting Sunday.

Screenwriter-director N. Riantiarno has adapted Sampek-Engtay,
originally a classical Chinese love tragedy, into a local
setting, around Banten and Batavia (Jakarta's former name).

The play will be produced by Teater Koma jointly with Pusat
Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Arts Center), and will rely solely on
ticket sales to cover production costs.

This will be Teater Koma's fifth production of Sampek-Engtay.
The first production under the same title was banned in Medan in
1989.

Riantiarno said private companies were reluctant to sponsor
his productions because they were afraid of the revocation of
performing licenses.

Teater Koma's other productions, including Semar Gugat (Semar
Sues, 1995) and Cinta Yang Serakah (Greedy Love, 1996), also
could not get commercial sponsors.

In August, Teater Koma will also hold a one-month arts
festival, called Jakarta Performing Arts Market, where artists
from around the world will participate in the theater company's
celebration. (Yenni Kwok)