Teater Koma - Sie Jin Kwie

To celebrate our 3rd anniversary, I asked daddy for dating out.

Yes, watched a Live Drama was my first choice to celebrate it.

This shall be the first exposure for Daddy for get familiar with Live Drama.

Not a comfort zone for him cause it's played till midnight which was daddy sleeping time.

Our friend help us to booked the ticket from last February, and I intentionally plan to borrow the middle seat ticket - a good position to enjoyed the play.

As I mention in the title - we watched "Sie Jin Kwie (Chinese: Xue Ren Gui - click here) in the Land of Magic" performed by Teater Koma.

Teater Koma it self was established in Jakarta 1 March 1977. Untill 2012, has produced 125 productions. A non profit arts group that is consistent and productive. Known to have many loyal audiences and it's shows are often performed for more than two weeks. (Taken from: Teater Koma Booklet).

Why Teater Koma?

Never came in my mind to watch any live drama, until one of my college friend buy a ticket for me. It was on 2001 - "Republic Bagong". Yes, that 11 years ago, my first and last till yesterday.

Although the duration was 3.5 hours, I totally enjoyed it, that what I called love at the first sight.

Apparently,  I'm not their true lover, cause took 11 years for me to watched again their performance. But Hey, this was my thought: you shall try at least once in your life time whenever it comes to a good and positive thing and live drama was one of them. You will never know whether you like it or not if you don't give a try.

Therefore, I choose something that I think daddy can learn to enjoy it also.

So here we were yesterday, watching a 4.5 hours duration live drama in Taman Ismail Marzuki - The Jakarta Art Center. 

We watched with a friend who was agree to came for replacing my sister who could not came with us. She bring her friend along too.

The real duration must be around 7-8 hours and after lot of editing, it's became 4-4.5 hours. Therefore it's was combined with traditional puppet - "Wayang".  

The performance combined of "Wayang TAVIP, Wayang Kulit Cina-Jawa, Wayang Gendong, Wayang Potehi, Wayang Beber, Wayang Wong and Opera Cina. A Drama decorated batik design in the costume set properties, also presenting a White tiger and three dragons" - Teater Koma Booklet.

From my view, Most of the story was about The legend of Xue Dingshan (the son of Sie Jin Kwie) and Fan Lihua. 

I love how the story was played. Mixed of culture was shown on the costume. A modernized one and accommodating our age to watch it. I felt if the story was played in pure Chinese opera, I must be sleepy. An article about this play was written on Kompas last Sunday, but I couldn't find the link to share with.

Daddy give a credit to the play, but he admit that the play was too long for him, which made daddy fall asleep at 11pm. The played ended on 00.30am which start at 7.30pm with one-15 minutes-break. A long performance, and my tips was - Just enjoy it *smile*.

At the end of the play, you can took picture with the player. Many audience up in the stage for it, but daddy were too tired for let me have the picture *poor daddy - feel sleepy*.

Beside we enjoyed the play, I want to share something that I saw during the performance.

Related to the accessibility of Digital Camera, I notice quite lot of camera taken picture during the play. Most of play prohibited camera used during the show. My thought, The first reason is the flash light. Whenever you could took a picture without flash, may be that not distract the show.

I know some people want to practice their capability on taking the picture including during the live drama performance, by bringing a huge lenses and etc. 

Yup, I also want to take one or two pictures to keep it with me with rules: No flash and not produce sound.

Therefore, I didn't mind with people taking a picture, as long as the activity did not distract the show and disturb other audience. But, when the flash light adding new light to the performance and when the shutter sound got heard every time during the play, even on the most soundless scene, I think that photo taker has an ethical problem here. Do search the photography product which suitable to the condition before.

Yesterday, on the balcony, I saw most all of the seat full with student. Must feeling glad to saw a lot of young people try to appreciate something from their age. But then that became a nightmare  for people who sit surround them as they are so noisy, talkative along the show. One of our friend who sat on the balcony felt worse with it. 

Again, we knew People came with different purpose, but yet we shall appreciate one another, right?!.

At the end, I'm sharing this not because I'm a perfect audience nor a guard, I just want we learn to appreciate each other. Cheers ^^

Last scene of the play.

Ok what to wait now. The play still performed till 31 March 2012, Everyday at 7.30pm except monday - Get the ticket and Enjoy!

Ticket information:

Bintaro 021 7350 460 - 021 7359 540

Setiabudi 021 525 1066 - 021 522 4058

Taman Ismail Marzuki 021 3193 7325 - 021 3193 7357 ext. 355/235 atau Agie Ratu 9735 9735 atau Hemma Rose 0857 1935 1935


P.S. So where was Josh?
Josh was with my mommy, and he such a nice boy for letting us date out :).