I

nspired by the deadly pyroclastic clouds spewed by Mount Merapi during last year’s eruptions, a group of Indonesian and Australian artists is to put on a collaborative theater performance in a number of cities in Indonesia.

Named after the local name for pyroclastic flows, Wedhus Gembel, the performance will be a mixture of visual artwork and theater performance.

The first performance will be held during the Jogja International Performing Arts at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta’s concert hall this Saturday.

“We plan to have six performances of Wedhus Gembel,” the performance’s production manager Galuh Asti Wulandari said after the rehearsal at Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardjo in Bantul, Yogyakarta, on Thursday.

The following performances will take place during the Jogja International Street Performance on Monday: at Asia Tri Festival in Hargobinangun, Sleman, on Wednesday; at Taman Bacaan Dongeng Suket, Slawi, Tegal, Central Java, on Oct. 3; at the Midhang Sore forum at the Sanggar Mulya Bhakti, Indramayu, West Java, on Oct. 6; and in Kampung Melayu, Jakarta, on Oct. 9.

“The performance basically tells us about the cycle of life, the dualism of life, in which chaos is always followed by beauty,” Galuh said.

The performance, she said, was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian International Cultural Council and
the Australia-Indonesia Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Fourteen artists from different fields of arts are involved in the collaborative performance. They comprise dancers, artists, puppeteers, theater performers and musicians. The collaboration ranges from costume, music arrangement and choreography.

Among the Australian artists participating in the performance are Andy Freer and Stephane Hisler of the Melbourne-based Snuff Puppets.

Andy Freer said that they once performed Wedhus Gembel in 2009 during the Jagongan Wagen forum at the Padepokan Bagong Kussudiardjo.

“We are trying to present a complete and professional show this time,” said Andy, referring to the involvement of more artists and performers.

The pyroclastic flows spewed by Mt. Merapi will be impersonated by a monstrous doll.

Then comes Semar, a wise character from the Mahabharata epic of the Javanese version, asking Wedhus Gembel to bring back to life all of the dead victims, and then life returns to normal and beauty reemerges.

“We also place it within the context of Indonesia, which is badly marred by corruption. Wedhus Gembel eating a living organism is like someone committing corruption. If what they corrupt is brought back again then that life will return to normal,” she said.