When theatrical costumes part with the human body

By Yusuf Susilo Hartono

JAKARTA (JP): Stage or theatrical costumes are "alive" and "have souls" when they are worn in a particular dramatic piece--referring to a particular figure, space and time.

However, when the curtains are down and the stage is empty and dark, the costumes are discarded as simply used clothes.

These stage costumes are now on display at the National Gallery, Jakarta in an exhibition that kicked off on June 8 and will run through to June 18, 2001. The organizing committee is a working group made up of people like Samuel Watimena, Inda C. Noerhadi, Mbah Rudjito and Hermawan Rianto, representing a motley of professions such as a designer, a stage director and an art observer.

The exhibition is of great interest as the theatrical costumes represent a variety of drama performances. There are costumes designed by Asmoro Damais and Subarkah for Teater Koma's Republik Bagong (Bagong's Republic) and Ular Putih (White Snake), by Teguh Karya, Dodot and Eddy for Teater Populer's Jaya Prana - Layonsari, and by noted designer Samuel Watimena for Teater Satu Merah Panggung's Alia, Teater Tetas's Bayi di Aliran Sungai (Baby in River Flow) and Teater Yuka's Bisu-in-Blue.

Other drama costumes on display also include those designed by Stephanus Hamy and Sebastian Gunawan for Teater Lembaga's Indonesian version of Street Car Named Desire and those used for performances by Teater Tulus Ngayah (Pembelaan Dirah/In Defense of Dirah), Teater Mandiri, Sena Didi Mime and so on.

When you get into the hall of Building A at the National Gallery, you will see these costumes inside. They are put on dummies without heads.

To give you a sense of immediacy, posters of dramatic performances between 1970s and 2001 along with photographs and property articles of these performances, for example the royal seat of Bagong, are also put on display. If you are still not satisfied, then video recordings of the performances are also available.

"We are sure this exhibition is far from perfect as we only had about two weeks for preparation," said Samuel Watimena, the curator.

This exhibition, the first in Indonesia, almost remained just a plan because of the rather poor coordination with JakArt2001. Samuel and his buddies were determined to go on, though.

Harry Dharsono, another designer who originally agreed to take part, was so upset by the poor preparation that he withdrew his participation despite the printing of his name in the program's brochure.

Harry has contributed significantly to drama costumes. In the 1980s, he worked on the costumes for Othello, one of Shakespeare's most famous plays directed by Ratna Sarumpaet's Teater Satu Merah Panggung.

Anybody who has seen these costumes worn on stage will have a different esthetic impression to a visitor who has never seen them worn in a particular performance. To the latter they are simply costumes.

However, if you have already seen these costumes used in dramatic performances in the past, you are bound to recall certain scenes in those plays.

The costumes are now independent, staring at you, the audience.

The costumes used in Teater Koma's Bagong's Republic may evoke the memory of how Butet Kartaradjasa - a semblance of Gus Dur, the President - slumped himself on the seat of power, a symbol of how President Gus Dur has been abandoned by his political partners.

While the theatrical costumes and property are simply inanimate objects, it is the interplay of our sub-consciousness and our imagination - whether we have seen the performances or otherwise - that will make them come alive.

In a situation like this, each of the visitors undergoes a process of "festivity in solitude", in which he or she mentally performs a play derived from the costumes on display.

They will freely reveal their hidden experiences and become directors of their own memories. Each will "turn on the lights" so that the old characters come alive again. They will also use "loudspeakers" to ensure that the characters' dialogs echo in their hearts.

Creative Expression

In the opinion of Teater Koma's director, Nano Riantiarno, theatrical costumes are all pieces of clothing and clothing accessories that a player puts on. The costumes worn by the actors or actresses, Nano said, are expected to support the content of the story and serve to enliven the characterization of the characters.

Costumes, so Nano believes, are also important in that they give prominence to the individuality of a particular character and also to the visual effects to facilitate the movement or acting of the players. Nano concludes that theatrical costumer are a creative expression.

Which of our fashion designers first joined the theatrical world? Harry Darsono or Samuel Watimena? Or were there some other people before the two of them?

Regardless of who the first designer was, the presence of designers in a theatrical group has significance for the entire performance.

The director of Satu Merah Panggung, Ratna Sarumpaet, who teamed up with Harry Dharsono and painter Dede Eri Supria for the setting, said that this cooperation opened up many good opportunities in artistic and economic respects.

Facts show that not all domestic fashion designers are interested in theater plays. The reasons are varied, including the fact that they have to work hard studying the script and characters as well as the making of full costumes with all their small accessories.

Unfortunately, little money is generated from these activities. Sometimes, they receive less than what they spend, so they became the sponsor of their own performances. Only designers imbued with great idealism may work hard to prepare a stage costume free of charge.

One of the people nurturing their idealism is Samuel Watimena. He is always ready to handle the costumes of certain theatrical groups, like Teater Yuka, led by Renny Djajoesman, Teater Tetas, led by AGS Arya Dipayana and Teater Satu Merah Panggung.

Samuel cannot say no to friend who asks him for a favor, even if the order is requested just a few days before display. An example of this generosity are the costumes of 9 Malin in the exhibition.

This piece was one of some 60 pieces of theatrical costumers for the performance of Bisu-in-Blue by Teater Yuka at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta between 1 and 3 June.

Samuel prepared the costumes along with his preparation of this exhibition. "I'm used to working under great pressure of time. I don't know why but the outcome is usually better than usual," he said, chuckling.

Following tips from Teguh Karya in designing theatrical costumes, Samuel always starts from what is essential and uses familiar techniques. In general his designs appear heavy and gloomy, quite the contrary to, for example, designs for Subarkah (Teater Koma) that always demonstrate bright and showy colors.

In 9 Malin, Samuel used weaving patterns from various regions in Indonesia to assert that Malin is found everywhere.

Unfortunately, Indonesia is yet to be home to a theatrical art museum. Such a museum will allow people to watch and study costumes a long time after such an exhibition ends. A museum like this will also put on display theatrical costumes of various ages: classical, traditional, modern and contemporary.

In the case of the ongoing exhibition, we can rest assured that after the exhibition is closed, all the dress items will silently be brought back to their own cupboards. These costumes will have their own memory about the time when they were worn by actors and actresses assuming certain roles and traits of character.

In such solitude, costumes will always be aware that as an important element in a drama performance, they will come alive only when they are put on by actors playing their roles on the stage.