Indonesia Theater Reviews
BWW Review: JOURNEY THROUGH TIME 4 REWIND's Hopeful and Bittersweet Message
by Rakaputra Paputungan - October 03, 2020
Musical community Jaksicala??s annual birthday concert is back - this time in virtual space, due to the ongoing pandemic. JOURNEY THROUGH TIME 4 REWIND showcases showtunes from Jaksicala??s previous three concerts, sung by both returning and new performers....
BWW Review: #MusikalDiRumahAja Finished Strong with LUTUNG KASARUNG's Radiant Energy
by Rakaputra Paputungan - September 02, 2020
The sixth and final offering from #MusikalDiRumahAja closes the 6-episode web series on a high note. The Sundanese folktale of Lutung Kasarung was a joy to watch from start to finish, owing to the immaculate cinematography and fun theatricality....
BWW Review: BAWANG MERAH BAWANG PUTIH at INDONESIA KAYA
by Rakaputra Paputungan - August 27, 2020
The penultimate episode of #MusikalDiRumahAja, Bawang Merah Bawang Putih, has been broadcast. With a quirky and distinctive art director, the episode is visually interesting and has an intriguing narrative take, although it might not appeal to everyone....
BWW Review: #MusikalDiRumahAja's SANGKURIANG at INDONESIA KAYA
by Rakaputra Paputungan - August 26, 2020
Sangkuriang, the fourth episode of web musical series #MusikalDiRumahAja had arrived. The Tanta Ginting-led episode had exemplary cinematography and vocal prowess, yet the storytelling did not flow as beautifully and effortlessly as the leadsa?? vocals....
BWW Review: #MusikalDiRumah RARA J's Hip Story and Visuals Updates the Folktale for the Younger Generation
by Rakaputra Paputungan - August 10, 2020
#MusikalDiRumahAjaa??s third and latest entry, Rara J, is the first to transplant the source folktale into a current-day setting. However, the adaptation is not merely skin-deep, as the episodea??s presentation is as snazzy as its internet-savvy characters, resulting in a fun and accessible watch....
BWW Review: #MusikalDiRumahAja Dystopian Rendition TIMUN MAS is an Enchanting Chaos
by Rakaputra Paputungan - August 08, 2020
The second episode of #MusikalDiRumahAja web musical series, Timun Mas, brought the childrena??s tale into a new, surreal realm. It puts its meticulously stylistic presentation up and front, at the cost of muddling its substance behind a veneer of colors and light....
BWW Review: #MusikalDiRumahAja Debuts with MALIN KUNDANG
by Rakaputra Paputungan - July 30, 2020
The first of #MusikalDiRumahAja series is here. Malin Kundang, the West Sumatran folktale, is available to watch until Thursday (7/30) evening on Indonesia Kaya's YouTube channel and stars Nino Prabowo, Dea Panendra, Desmonda Cathabel, and Naura....
BWW Review: The Imaginative Flight of MUSIC OF PAPER's Story and Form
by Rakaputra Paputungan - July 25, 2020
As part of Bandung Philharmonic Orchestra's Children Concert Series, the cross-opera MUSIC OF PAPER is available to watch on YouTube for two days this weekend (July 25-26)....
BWW Review: MUSIKAL BELAKANG PANGGUNG Shines with Both Activism and Theatrical Merit
by Rakaputra Paputungan - May 12, 2020
A new and original musical tackling on the subject of sexual abuse, Musikal Belakang Panggung, had completed its 4-show run on March 8th at the Institut Français d'Indonésie. The show was created in collaboration with Lentera Sintas Indonesia, an NGO with the mission to empower sexual abuse survivor...
BWW Review: LSPR Class 23-3SP's Original Play NYCTOPHOBIA's Darkly Intrigue
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 29, 2020
As part of London School of Public Relations' 24th Theatre Festival and 13th Performing Arts Co mmunication Festival, class 23-3SP presented a play titled NYCTOPHOBIA on February 4th at the Amani Palladium Theater. NYCTOPHOBIA - the word meaning the irrational fear of darkness or the night - is a...
BWW Review: PANEMBAHAN RESO Revives A Classic
by Rakaputra Paputungan - February 04, 2020
With excellent performances from a cross-generational cast, PANEMBAHAN RESO is a delightful watch. WS Rendra's biting political commentary is as relevant as ever, though the text does show its age....
BWW Review: PLANET SEBUAH LAMENT is an Achievement and Celebration of Melanesian Art
by Rakaputra Paputungan - January 23, 2020
GARIN WORKSHOP's celebration of Melanesian art astonishes. The collaborative artistry expresses a deep love of Mother Nature through soul-wrenching laments and dances....
BWW Review: JPAC's COMPANY is Robust with Life and Meaning
by Rakaputra Paputungan - December 28, 2019
Stephen Sondheim's cerebral, minimalist COMPANY might not be an obvious choice for a community theater here in Indonesia where musicals are still often seen as jazz-hands and kicklines, but director Fonnyta Amran and JPAC (Jakarta Performing Arts Community) made it work. The production of COMPANY wa...
BWW Review: TEMAN's HAIRSPRAY is Big, Blustery, and Beautiful
by Rakaputra Paputungan - December 21, 2019
After the artful, intimate INTO THE WOODS last year, TEMAN (Teater Musikal Nusantara) is back with the bombastic and bodacious HAIRSPRAY. Directed by Broadway's Brandon Bieber, the glam production was worthy of Broadway barring noticeable technical issues....
BWW Review: LSPR Teatro's THE KING AND I Brought Classic Golden-Era Charm
by Rakaputra Paputungan - December 11, 2019
As the inaugural show at the newly opened Amani Palladium Theater, LSPR Teatro's THE KING AND I was satisfyingly entertaining, though with some obvious room for improvement. The production ran for four days from 21 through 24 November 2019 and was directed by Bartolomeus K. Putra....
