Text by Benito Lopulalan, Photos courtesy of Teater Keliling
Some performers sing and dance gracefully, before moving and jumping rhythmically. The females wear batik cloth wrapped around their torsos, reminiscent of the traditional kemben of Javanese tradition. The stage is majestic, and the hall is filled with spectators.
The play is titled “Mega-mega” (The Clouds), written by the late Arifin C. Noer, an Indonesian poet, theatre activist, and film director who won multiple awards. His work blends romanticism, dark comedy, and social commentary.
The performers are members of a group known as Teater Keliling, who celebrated their 50th anniversary in February 2024. Rudolf Puspa is among the founders of the group.
“This year is special for us,” said Rudolf Puspa, who directed the performance. “We are full of energy in preparing for this performance.” Indeed, Puspa has been preparing for this for fifty years.
On 13 February 1974, Rudolf Puspa, along with three friends, Dery Syma, Buyung Zasdar and Paul Pangemanan, founded ‘Teater Keliling’.
In June 1974, Rudolf Puspa directed the same play, Mega-meg, for the first time. The difference is the format. Fifty years ago, this drama was presented in its original form; in 2024, it was transformed into a musical drama.
Some prominent figures in the Indonesian performing arts scene, including actors and playwrights, attended the performance and partook in this cross-generational celebration. Whether old or young, teenagers or half-centenarians, juniors and seniors, they all deemed the celebration as a tribute to the Indonesian theatre community and the generations of artists who had worked to perpetuate the group for decades. Teater Keliling is one of the very few theatre groups that has been able to successfully pass the baton of leadership and management to the next generation.
Over the past fifty years of their journey, the group has made significant contributions to the performing arts scene of the country. Teater Keliling has conducted over 1600 performances across most of Indonesia’s 38 provinces and has even reached international audiences with shows in 11 countries. If you do the maths, that’s about one performance every two weeks for 50 years.
It’s an unimaginable display of energy and consistency.
Unsurprisingly, they have received several prestigious awards. They are recognised as the theatre group with the highest number of performances (2010).
In 2016, Rudolf Puspa was honoured with the Abdi Abadi Award from the Federasi Teater Indonesia (FTI) for his significant contributions to the field of performing arts and culture. Additionally, the group received the Bentara Budaya Award (2017), acknowledging their significant contributions to culture and the arts. They truly deserve it.
The Wanderers
Teater Keliling was initially nameless, but during their first performance in Jember on 1 June 1974, they chose the name Keliling, translating to wandering or roaming, referring to a repetitive journey or tour during which itinerant performers travel from place to place, performing before different crowds and cultures. They are the real life troubadours, jongleurs, or gypsy performers, often romanticised in stories.
Indonesian ethnic performances also recognise the traditions of wandering performers. All over Java, there were traditional puppet – wayang or ketoprak – performance troupes that wandered to perform on temporary stages. But nowadays, such traditional performances are becoming increasingly rare.
The founders of Teater Keliling, however, do not belong to a traditional performance background; they belong to the modern educated art scene that has shaped the growing urban tradition. They belong to an era when the Indonesian arts scene made efforts to embrace the best of both worlds: modern and traditional influences.
Remembering 1974
What were the conditions of the Indonesian art scene when this avant-garde arts group was born? Prior to the 1970s, the performing arts scene in Indonesia was characterised by a stark division between two main factions: the modern, western-educated performers and the traditionalists.
On the traditional side, a diverse array of artists performed traditional forms from across Indonesia, such as Wayang and Ludruk from Java, Lenong from Betawi, and Arja from Bali. On the modern side, there were those influenced by Western education, who often viewed Indonesian arts through a Western lens and performed works by Western artists to ‘educate’ the locals.
Traditionally, the former were considered backwards and tied to the past, while the latter were seen as progressive, rational, and shaping the future. During this era, Jakarta was predominantly influenced by the modern perspective. Lenong, a form of ethnic Jakartan traditional performance, was left behind.
The shift began in 1968 when the Jakarta government established Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), which was inaugurated on November 10, 1968, by then-Governor Ali Sadikin. TIM was envisioned and constructed as a major arts centre, with multiple theatres, performance and rehearsal areas, providing a platform for Jakarta’s artists to create and showcase their work.
Beyond its role as an arts centre, TIM became a community hub where artists from various backgrounds—traditional and modern—came together to showcase their works. Painters, musicians, comedians, writers, performers, and artists of all creative backgrounds met, debated, discussed, conflicted, and collaborated. Day and night, the place never slept, there were always people doing something.
This environment fostered encounters between modern and traditional factions, leading the Indonesian art community to realise that their traditions could enrich their modern expressions, and vice versa. This understanding breathed new life into creativity, demonstrating that art knows no boundaries.
This borderless perspective gave rise to various new forms of creativity. In 1974, the kind of works such as “Dongeng dari Dirah” by Sardono Kusumo, a modern-educated Javanese artist who was inspired by Balinese culture. This piece was one among many that pushed artistic boundaries. They blended modernity into tradition, and they helped to revitalise various forms of previously marginalised art. This creative atmosphere shaped almost the whole decade of the 1970s Indonesia art-scene.
The founders of Teater Keliling, still young artists at the time, were immersed in this vibrant ‘art revolution’. It is the revolution that has created big names and shaped Indonesian art to today: Riantiarno, Kussudiarjo, Teguh Karya, Arifin C. Noer.
They are proponents of a generation that believes Indonesia’s true identity can be achieved through art. They believe that love for the homeland must be nurtured through creative connections. Art is their way of expression, their movement, and they believe that commitment to fostering national pride and cultural unity should be using artistic expression.
Learning by Performing
For Teater Keliling, performance is beyond entertainment, it is a form of education. First of all, they are educating themselves to deal with ideas, build scripts, form working teams or deal with operational and financial needs.
From 1974 to 1980, they performed the same performance, Mega-mega, 176 times. Teater Keliling has learnt a lot from this play, and moreover, they have interpreted and reinterpreted the play, they have reincarnated Arifin C. Noer many times through this work.
“Mega-mega” was a play created in 1968. Arifin C. Noer was known for his ability to blend different genres and themes in performances and movies. He resonated with audiences for his depth, complexity, and thought-provoking narratives. Through his plays, he not only entertained audiences but also provided insights into the Indonesian psyche, societal norms, and cultural values.
The philosophy contained in Mega Mega has been the life force of the Teater Keliling to this day. One of the strongest aspects is the succinct and impactful phrase “anything is possible if you’re willing.” This philosophy has enabled the Teater Keliling to continue its journey for half a century.
Key to the theatre’s own survival has been their proactive approach to educating the youth, visiting schools and holding theatre workshops. Through this, they have bolstered the future of the country’s performing arts traditions and, in turn, their own future.
Theatre is itself a medium of education. Many educational institutions recognise the power of theatre as a tool for learning, engagement, and transformation in educational settings, going beyond mere entertainment to impact knowledge and attitudes. It is the power of art manifest.
Enjoy one of their upcoming performances by checking out their website or Instagram here: teaterkeliling.com.
