Wayang comes to the CSIS

JAKARTA (JP): The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) will stage a shadow puppet play this evening from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The play, entitled Bagaswati and Narasoma, is from the Mahabharata epic and will be presented in English by puppeteer Suhartoyo, a former Indonesian ambassador to London.

This is the story of Pujawati, the only child of priest Bagaspati of the Hargobelah monastery. In her dream, she meets Narasoma and falls in love with him. She asks her father to find him and arrange for their marriage.

Meanwhile, Narasoma is looking for the woman of his life. He meets Bagaspati, who asks him to marry his daughter. Narasoma refuses and is exiled to Hargobelah. There, he falls in love with Pujawati and marries her.

But that is not the end of the story, because Bagaspati develops doubts in Narasoma. The real drama starts after Narasoma kills Bagaspati.

This three-act show will take place at CSIS building, Jl. Tanah Abang III/23-27, Central Jakarta. For information, call 380-9637(-40). (lem)