Sunday, December 23, 2007

LUDRUK, ART AS MEDIA

Ludruk is a traditional stage play from East Java. The plots of the play circle around common people which differ it from other form of traditional stage play in Java which most of them take Mahabrata and Ramayana story as its basic source. Its earliest form was developed among common people, but in the course of time, it was enjoyed by a lot of number of admirers ranging from the common to the elite. In this respect, Ludruk is greatly contrasted to the Central Javanese Ketoprak, a theater of the same genre in as much as that the latter has been born amidst the ruling class environment of the past. Ludruk could reach more audiences rather than Ketoprak since most of its story deals with everyday issues.

Ludruk has spread fast from Surabaya (now capital of the Province of East Java) to its contiguous towns, such as Jombang, Mojokerto and even as far as Ngadas in Tengger since Ngadas is a village located upcountry about 20 kilometers south of the volcanic Bromo. However, with Government transmigration campaign to various areas in Indonesia, Ludruk does not only exist in Java but also in the areas where the settlement established. Later, Ludruk develop to a new form where the early Ludruk use East Java language in its dialog, the recent form takes Indonesia language in its dialog.
In its traditional form, various components have worked together to bring forth Ludruk in its present setting. The first is "Pencak Silat", a traditional form of self-defense, combining physical agility and semi dance like movements performed to the monotonous beats of kendang or kendangs (Kendang is an oval, relatively small drum struck by a seated player). Occasionally, this art is also accompanied by more elaborate orchestra in which bamboo flutes and gongs have a share.
Secondly, there is the "Bandan". This magic imbued play demonstrates the performer's physical invincibility. The man's body, tightly roped, is beaten with a piece of hard metal, a cudgel, or a sharp-edged whip. To thrill the audience more, the man would lick a glowing piece of metal, swallow burning charcoal or crack his head against hard stones. A "Bandan" performance is normally confined to tradisional ceremonies for the purposes of expelling crop-devasting insects, pleading the deities for soil fertility or as an expression of thanksgiving when crops have been bounteous. Ludruk, however, cannot be reckoned as standard unless "parikan" makes its unique contribution.
According to traditions popular among the elderly people of East Java, "parikan" has over the years seen many modification before emerging in its present "lerok" form. "Lerok" is a humorous theatrical art based on verse dialog played by males only. Thus, "lerok" has an added attraction, being "teledek lanang", meaning theater by men only. Its main themes are taken from life's day to day problems: the hardships of job seeking, broken love affairs, ridiculous domestic quarrels between husband and wife, the age old generation gap between parents and children, etc.
"Lerok" entertains audiences on festive occasions such as wedding ("pengantenan"), circumcisions ("khitanan" or "tetakan"), and thanksgiving ("kaulan"). As far as accompaniment goes, "lerok" is primitive. The music consist of only one kendang, one set of "pekings" (small "gongs" set on strings) and a big bamboo called "gong bambu" blown at the upper part. The actor who portrays a woman character dresses in a red blouse and "batik sarong", with a "sampur" on the right shoulder. He must be exquisitely made-up so as to give a strong impression of feminity and beauty. Graceful gait and coquettish "ogling" at the audience are always supposed to be defining characteristic of "lerok". It is from this frequent ogling or "lerak-lerok" in the dialect of East Java that this art got its name. For a male character, a red fez, red coat and red trousers are donned by the actor while his left ankle bears a "gong seng" or a set of small bells.
A more sophisticated branch of "lerok" is without doubt the younger "besut" or "besutan". Originally, "besutan" means 'coating' or 'elaboration'. This is in keeping with the popular belief that anything wrong or scandalous, involving important community leaders and magnates should not be revealed publicly. Fault-finding with higher authorities is discouraged, or, if considered really necessary, criticism should be subtle. This new art of "besutan" is believed to have proven it self to be an effective means of ridiculing the personae non gratae of the community, yet leaving no room for either formal or informal indictment against the actors. In this veiled atmosphere, the performers are untouchable.
Spontaneity is so indispensable as element in "besutan" that should there be a disreputable character among the audience, the "besut" would unfalteringly and skillfully put the man in a laughing stock position. Meanwhile, the audience would fully enjoy the mocking while the mocked can do nothing but frown in displeasure.
During the Dutch colonial period, "besutan" developed fast and posed as the major means of recreation in East Java, especially in the neighborhood of Surabaya. The performance can take place anywhere outdoors as long as the weather permits. The main reason for this open-air preference is very simple because
everybody likes it. People of all classes, old and young, enjoy this theater. A concealed hartred of cruelty and an oppressed longing for vengeance find their outlets through this cathartic play. In the days of the Dutch, it was the local native rulers who were most resented, because of their willingness to collaborate with the foreign, arrogant administrators, for their priggish attitude towards their own kinsfolk, and disgustingly servile behaviors towards the alien superiors.
The overture is presented by the appearance of the "Besut" on the gloomy stage. He sings melodic verses depicting the wretched social and economic conditions of the time. Simple dance movements break the monotony of the overture. Personal misery is also frequently narrated, but this should be viewed as a facet of a general portrait of people's life. The overture is succeeded by a quite unexpected change of atmosphere. The "Besut" runs hastily and excitedly to spots where bamboo torches are set. He sets the torches in flames, symbolizing an ardent desire to create a bright future, after which the life of the people would be free from oppression, both feudal and colonial.
In later years, the "Besut" was given a new status. He became a fixed figure playing the most important role. Two or more actors are added to the play. The two extra actors are "Paman Jamino" (uncle Jamino), and "Asmunah", borrowed from a popular tradition of "Jombang", or "Rusmini", according to the version of Surabaya. "Asmunah" or "Rusmini" is "Besut's" fiancee, personalized by a male actor. She is described as beautiful and intelligent, balanced by "Paman Jamino" who is wise and considerate of his kinsfolk's suffering. "Besut" him self, represents all positive qualities like bravery, heroism, idealism, perseverance and loyalty. His only trifling flaws are his youth and immaturity, especially when faced with grave danger. On the stage, his bold, and often careless words are corrected by "Man Jamino" and "Asmunah". In the general context, these three personages complement each other so well that the performance is one smooth, vivid portrait of reality, always with human suffering as its main focus.
Up till now, "besutan" has managed to maintain its original plot and setting: There are bamboo torches set alight by "Besut" plus songs full of insinuation accompanied by improvised dialogs to enliven the mood. A new element is, however, in the form of a very simple narrative. This development is often said to have been the result of the nationalistic movement in the 30's which exploited besutan as a means of education of morality and nationalistic awareness. During that period, a piece of white unhemmed cloth was worn, fastened around the waist with a red ash. Again, these colours bore a symbolic function, standing for purity of mind and valor, which were at the same time, the color of the nationalist-proposed banner, solemnly avowed in a Congress of Indonesian Youth in 1928. In the course of time, the white cloth was replaced by a shirt, whereas the black trousers were overlapped with a "sarong". "Paman Jamino" wore ordinary villager's clothes. "Asmunah" wore a red blouse with glaring make-up. More musical instruments were introduced in this later stage, the "gambang" (wooden xylophone), "sarons" (metal xylophones), metal "gong" and zither.
In nowadays, it is possible to use Ludruk to inform its audiences about various developments in their community. Since the characterization in Ludruk is relatively loose, it means that it is easy to introduce a new character that could explain such developments. Even by using the existed character, development could be inform in Ludruk as a daily issue.



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Sunday, December 16, 2007

STUMBLED...
TRAMPLED...
and
BROKEN....

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