COMMON PEOPLE THEATRE AND YOGYAKARTA ART FESTIVAL (FKY)

The initial idea of this theater was Waria on Stage performance in the Yogyakarta Art Festival XIX (FKY XIX). The performance, at that time, was very shindig, thousand of audiences were just like flock of ants in front of the stage, and then by tens transvestites sat down, waiting to perform, in a row at the stage side, looked like cereal boxes in supermarket. We were amazed by the ability of those transvestites to “act” naturally. They just like clay which were ready to be processed, all that they need was a director with broad minded and know the risks to work with those “amateur”.

We realize work with “amateur” is having big risk. One of the risks is artistic failure as an impact of the conceptual success. For that reason, the choosing of director becomes an important issue. Then we choose Joned Suryatmoko – out of his fussiness which is commonly as a typical of artist – he, with his experiences in work with variety of raw theater materials, is a figure who is appropriate for the theater concept in order of FKY XX. Our hope is that he is the one who will make the artistic side of this theater keeps on its track. At least, so that this theater is not fall into a “puddle” of awakening theater which has “correct concept” but weak on its artistic.

This theater is not pretense to become an awakening theater. To us, those transvestites are professional actors; they act every night and probably their acting succeeds to “cheat “many people or at least those chilled lady-killers. When you work with amateur artists who are professional, it can be expected that there will born a performance that able to make Nyoto rise from his grave and cry because of touched by great artistic idea and correct concept, then finally the dream comes true although it is postponed for 40 years later.

Common People Theater is the concept which is used for this performance. Because of that reason, this performance takes those transvestites whose professions in their daily life are commercial sex workers, NGO activists, or beauty salon owners who become the actors. Mostly those transvestites, in the audition session, said that they never act professionally before. To fulfill those needs, then the director prepared for a series of special requirements, started with the vocal exercise until the “fascist and humanist” discipline application. It just likes in monastery, only that the people still able to laugh and smoke. Beside of that, this theater raise up memory – a memory of men’s anatomy that becomes a history for those transvestites – transvestites became the red thread which connected to the main theme of Yogyakarta Art Festival XX, The Past is New: Masa Lalu Selalu Baru.

FKY XX this time is different from the previous FKY. One of the differences is located on its approaching method in the creating of its artworks. So far FKY always filled with artists: from the artists, by artists, and for the artists. In FKY XX used the approaching of art festival for common people. So, almost all programs involved the non-artists society as the main doers. By changing this paradigm is one of the ways how to make a festival, which similar with FKY, able to get its reverberation back. After being trapped in project routines, it is the time for FKY to be refreshed by using different ways. One of the ways is asking the society to be involved as the main doers in an art festival, and transvestites are also part of those societies.

As a closing of this brief introduction, allow me to represent the committee of FKY XX to extend gratitude for the remarkable cooperation that already shown by our transvestite fellows. Their perseverance in rehearsal as such a pro, it proves that they are amazing people, who should get appreciation. We also like to gratitude for the vocal trainer, script critics, and also the script writer who makes the committee’s dreams realized. To all crews who works hundreds of hours with a lower- standard for fee, and also for the audiences, who already vacate their time to see this common people theater. And also for the venue and festival stake holder who broaden their heart for our big ideas which sometimes are not reasonable.

Only Lord God who will pay in returns all of those kindnesses.

Agung Kurniawan
Artistic Director of FKY XX 2008

(This writing is an Introduction for “Deleilah, tak Ingin Pulang dari Pesta” Catalogue, one of Yogyakarta Art Festival (FKY) programs, made by Artistic Director of FKY XX 2008)

JONED SURYATMOKO (Director)

He started in theater since in Seminary High school Mertoyudan, Magelang, Central Java. He was born in Solo, March 21, 1976. He moved to Yogyakarta in 1995 when he got college. He joined with Yogyakarta Folk Theater Institute / Institut Teater Rakyat Yogyakarta (ITRY) in 1995 – 1999, Teater Garasi / Garasi Theater in 1996 – 1998. Then he founded the Gardanalla Theater (used to be Trotjoh Group) together with some friends, where he became the Artistic Production Manager until now.

This alumnus of International Relationship Program, Gajah Mada University, used to be a reporter and Public Relation lecturer. Since 2003, he worked as a consultant for some international organization, such as GTZ – Technical Cooperation between German and Indonesia, Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) German, and International Relief and Development (IRD).

He made the directing together with the fiction and popular book writing, also walking around with Brenda von Anna Bella (2.5 years old) and Elantra von Paris (7 months old), his two beloved golden retrievers. He also involved in some international forum such as British Council Performing Arts Management Seminar in London, England in 2004, Kelola – Asialink International Residency in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia in 2004 – 2005, and Monsoon Research Platform: the meeting of 11 artists from cross-discipline Asia – Europe in Seoul, South Korea in 2006.