Theatrical Performances Sakata Padangpanjang:

Valuable Lessons from the "Lessons"

By Nasrul Azwar

In an article Eugenio Barba and his colleagues entitled Anatomie de L 'Acteur (1985) translated into Indonesian Yudiaryani mentioned: the word "text" before showing the text written or oral, printed or handwritten, it means that knitted together. In this sense, there is no present without a knitted play together without the "text". That is, what is associated with the "text" (knitted) can be interpreted as' dramaturgi'-which means-a drama-eregon work, the appearance of the workings of a behavior in the performance plot. It is difficult to distinguish the approach of dramaturgy, staging is considered to be "directing" a director and what is referred to as "writing" an author. The difference is clearly visible only through the cultivation of theater, through the interpretation of a written text.

From it all, consider a claim results theaters, which produce theatrical performances, viewers will be faced with what is called a behavior. Behaviour at the center of attention in the dramaturgy. Attention is given not only what didialogkan actor, but also the voices, the transformation properties, the dimensions of space and time, light, music, character, emotion, tempo game, and sold as a "text".

Eugenio Barba written quotation above, for me it is necessary to explain what happened in the events that took place in staging theatrical works of Eugene Ionesco Lessons, directed by Tia Setiawati from Sakata Padangpanjang Space Theatre Studies, on June 26, 2004 at the Cultural Park Theatre Closed West Sumatra.

The approach I'm trying to attach it dramaturgy is merely useful for the reading ability of a manuscript written text interpretation is not composed by director, actor kamampuan also absorb the meaning of written text itself, as well as see "results" on stage. In addition, the cruising range is also correlated with the incidence of imagination referensif me on a stage that lasted less than 60 minutes. That is, try to measure the "cruising range" of my imagination.

For me the work of Ionesco's lesson is not merely criticism and criticism directed toward the hegemony of science that are upsetting the natural way of human thinking, not only to the extent that science is everything, nor how authoritarian a teacher to pupil, but fundamental problems and concerns human essential: that life is a lesson itself. Indeed up to this limit, in general, and performances are not perfect lesson about the fundamental and essential to disassemble it.

Lost Spirit Ionesco

Why do I say yet? Here's why. First, technically, dramaturgy, staging almost close to perfect. Behaviour-actor who played Professor Depra Yoza, Ichi Desi as a disciple, and Surya Sahminaldi as Marie-composition capable of providing a space in a flexible game, tempo is maintained, the intensity plot/plots that are not oversized, the power of music, lights, etc.-make lessons of successful theatrical spectacle. However, this is a risk that a claim must be accepted if the theater with a script that has the burden of cultural background, political and social problems that are different in the context of its time. Context of emerging Eugene Ionesco's script, obviously very different from current conditions. Thus, he will be seen as a theatrical performance of "ordinary" anyway, if events theater built on stilts were not accompanied by in-depth review of the manuscript historistik, the conditions of his time, and the mainstream flow of thought and art that developed at that time. Apparently, this is what I feel when watching lesson that night.

Education and science represents the emergence of modernism is one side which eventually brings humans mechanistic, antihumanistis, systematic, and dry. Science becomes "engine" murderer. Science with kedispilinan, regularity, and strict sistematisasinya had usurped the human creative minds of the most primitive and ancient. Professor in Science Lessons owned-and then be poured out to His student-is a symbol of human imagination god  knowledge as "truth" is essential. Formulas of science is the truth which is above everything. The disciples as objects of experiments by Professor cruelly killed for reasons out of the frame of science and "truth". In fact, the essence of man, since from the womb until birth supplied by the Creator with high intelligence, with reference to the results of the study-level sampling error was 0% (zero percent). If in the end people do not "reveal" his intelligence, dry taste, ignorant, cruel, and sadistic due to factors outside himself. The factors that are beyond the human self is the real lesson from the script wants it suggests. And this is what sebanarnya less flown in "text" stage, so the presence Lessons are not only limited to presenting the reality of substance.

Second, the symbol of poverty and exploration properties. This second reason is related to the reasons above. However, all the shows I enjoy, poor exploration as a symbol and the third game helped by the actor. Maintaining a balance due over 50 minutes a game show and capain desired climax, dilakoni well and succeed. Power of actors to contribute enough to save the poor a theatrical symbols and exploration properties. Apparently, on this side, directed more to give special attention to the game actors, while the other side does not receive the same emphasis. Thus, another element that became very important to give "energy" of the overall performance, such as loss of function.

Impoverishment of symbols and exploration of the study proved Professor and Students built on stilts that are not able to uncover and mengatantarkan-sorry my imagination, perhaps because of limitations of my readings in the stage-to admit that the room belonged to a prominent professor at a city. There's no such symbol or marker present substantive me to believe that it is indeed the lecture halls, classrooms, and other space-related science, as well as the slaughter room.

Behavior of the characters, properties, symbol of body language, dialogue pressure of 3 characters, dimensions of time and space, and achievement presented in the "write text" to "text the stage" to be a strange world within each behavior. Played a sharp knife by Marie repeatedly with an irregular way to slice vegetables as an illustration of his irritation at the Professor, was successfully illustrated that the work space where the Professor is not merely to educate, but as a realm of life disappearances students who can not afford him learners. 40 people have been killed at the hands of the student's professor.

Expected achievement in lessons is that the Professor's sadistic behavior on each pupil is not going on the most conscious level of an educator, a human. If this is desired, the action fell to the slaughter professor of criminal acts. Meanwhile, the script-and Ionesco lesson also applies to all of his work-in essence actions that are not present in the normative framework of human consciousness that it is consciously committed a crime. In another sense, what had happened and made Professor of the 40 pupils it must be understood within the frame of a human unconscious, the subconscious perspective and absurd life.

From it all, because such achievements are not successfully implemented Tia Setiawati on stage, then what the professor to his students, leading to pure and well-planned crime. And this, on the side of the most important substances and on the works of Ionesco, became neglected. On the other hand, Tia is still present theatrical performances with the "language" of others. Short, the Space Theatre Studies Sakata Padangpanjang bit overwhelmed to catch the "spirit" Ionesco.

Fragmentation stage and the spotlight too bright light that dominates the stage not bersimultan with "text" which should willed meruaknya antoropologis possibilities and identification of "behavior" in it. Placement of the stairs as the "throne" Professor, two chairs and a table filled with statues, one trap level, and the black cloth was hung like curtains Kerta filled with strips of paper sheets, such as "accessories" which lost fungsionalisasinya in the show. Most of the property was transformed into inanimate objects that dried up on the stage. Students occupied the chair only to receive the outpouring of knowledge from the professor who bit flown and multifunctional. Unfortunately, the exploration focus only on one thing only, and not opening balance for the other. Presence another prop on stage as ineffective.

However, throughout the show, some of what has been achieved Setiawati dimaui Tia. Eugene Ionesco's famous script with the level of philosophical complexity and absurdity tendency, indeed a good performance, clear and easy to digest for anyone. In the hands of Tia Setiawati, very communicative lesson script, familiar, and crisp. Quoting from the leaflet indicated on the show, "Many of the icons are built not tried within the framework of" incriminating "text to be more visible Ionesco" exclusive ", but rather facilitate communication about (one) communication deadlock." Indeed, this is for Tia successful. But on third penyutradraan in this Sakata Space Theatre Studies, Tia lost substance, may also be Ionesco. May the "lesson" to be a valuable lesson .*