Jakarta Globe, Tasa
Nugraza Barley, November 29, 2011
 |
For nearly four decades, the annual Festival Teater Jakarta has
had a critical influence on the capital’s performing arts. As it returns
for its 39th incarnation, the festival has prepared a variety of top-notch
performances and activities for theater fans. |
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For nearly
four decades, the annual Festival Teater Jakarta has had a critical influence on
the capital’s performing arts. As it returns for its 39th incarnation, the
festival has prepared a variety of top-notch performances and activities for
theater fans.
Festival
Teater Jakarta was the first conceived in 1973 by movie director Wahyu
Sihombing, well-known for his television series Losmen in the 1980s, after he
won support for the festival from then-Governor Ali Sadikin and the Jakarta
Arts Council.
With performances
from 14 theater groups, this year’s festival promises to satisfy almost any
theater fan’s tastes, according to Dewi Noviami, the chairman of the Council.
The selected groups beat 42 others in the elimination stage, held during July
and August.
To
accommodate as big an audience as possible, the Council has decided to stage
the performances at several venues.
“This year,
the festival will not only be conducted at our headquarters at Taman Ismail
Marzuki,” Dewi said of the event that runs until Dec 14. “We will also hold
performances at venues in the five municipalities of Jakarta.”
The other
venues include Salihara, Gedung Kesenian Miss Tjitjih, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta,
South Jakarta Gelanggang Remaja and West Jakarta Gelanggang Jakarta.
This year,
the council chose the theme “Membaca Aku, Membaca Laku” (“Reading Myself,
Reading My Inner Self”) to highlight the process of self-realization and
understanding one’s outlook in life.
“When you
have a good attitude and understand yourself, you will ultimately perform
better on stage,” event organizers said in a press release.
Both aku
(I) and laku (one’s inner self) should be perceived from beyond a theatrical
perspective, event organizers said. These elements are central to everyone’s
daily lives, making the theme applicable to any person, not only performers.
Theater will survive as a form of entertainment for all of society, they said.
Stage
Corner Community, a Jakarta-based theater club established in 2006, will
perform at the first major event tonight. This year Stage Corner won the an
arts grant from Kelola, organization, which promotes arts and culture. In the
festival, the group will perform their play “Techno Ken Dedes,” directed by
Dadang Badoet.
Set in the
era of traditional Javanese kingdoms, the play tells the story of a beautiful
princess, Ken Dedes. The play, however, will also explore issues that more
directly related to modern life.
On
Thursday, Teater Sketsa will perform “Malam Jahanam” (“The Evil Night”),
written by Motinggo Boesje and Ujang G.B., at Gedung Kesenian Miss Tjitjih in
Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta.
Then on
Saturday, Teater Anam will present a play, “Roman,” which was written and
directed by Herman A. Rasyid, at Teater Luwes at the Jakarta Art
Institute.
Malhamang
Zamzam, the festival chairman, said that this year’s festival would feature
five original scripts, each written by a different theater community.
This, he
hopes, will encourage more artists to try their hand at producing original
scripts themselves.
In addition
to stage performances, the festival will feature drama script seminars, movie
documentary screenings and discussions on literature and other topics, making
this year’s celebration more multifaceted than that of previous years.
Some
well-known figures including movie director Riri Reza and writer and journalist
Goenawan Mohammad will also take part in the festival, Malhamang said.
Two books
will be launched at the event: Fandy Hutari’s “Hiburan Masa Lalu dan Tradisi
Lokal” (“Entertainment of the Past and Local Traditions”) and Nano Riantiarno’s
“Kita Teater” (“Theater Holy Book”).
“This
year’s Festival Teater Jakarta is not only a competition, but also a real
festival with a lot of unique programs,” Malhamang said. “These programs are
not only targeted toward theater enthusiasts, but also toward people who want
to know more about theater and Jakarta’s art venues.”
For more
information, visit dkj.or.id or telephone 021 3193 7639
