In the last show of Monolog Inggit, actress Happy Salma presented consistency, a mature and moving solo performance as Inggit Garnasih, the second wife of Indonesia'€™s founding father, Sukarno.

Monolog Inggit was played for the 13th time at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Jakarta on Saturday evening.

The production '€” organized by Bakti Budaya Djarum Foundation, Titimangsa Foundation and The Jakarta Post '€” is an adaptation of the book Kuantar ke Gerbang: Kisah Cinta Ibu Inggit dengan Bung Karno (I Will Take You to the Gate: The Love Story of Inggit and Sukarno) by Ramadhan KH.

The show opened with dozens of young women in red kebaya blouses and brown batik fabric, while Inggit, at the back, sat on a bed wearing a modest brown kebaya and traditional batik skirt with her hair in a neat bun.

Inggit was about to relate the story of the love between her and Sukarno, who became the country'€™s first president.

'€œ['€¦] I accompanied him for 20 years, to wherever he went. There was no word that he could say, other than '€˜No'€™ to colonialism and imperialism.

'€œIf he was capable of saying the word, why couldn'€™t I?'€ said Inggit, referring to Sukarno, her macan podium (tiger podium).

Inggit was married to Uci when Sukarno walked into her life. Sukarno, the son-in-law of HOS Cokroaminoto, stayed with Inggit and her husband while he went to Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng (THS) in Bandung, where he majored in engineering.

Inggit was taken by Sukarno'€™s charisma from the first day they met. Sukarno divorced his first wife, Utari Cokroaminoto, before revealing his feelings for Inggit and asked her husband to leave her. Uci yielded to Sukarno and agreed to divorce Inggit.

The play featured many roles Inggit played in Sukarno'€™s life. Taken from Inggit'€™s imagined point of view, the monologue revealed that the tiger podium was nothing but a simple man who wanted to be heard, taken care of and coddled.

As a devoted wife, Inggit became the breadwinner by making and selling jamu (herbal medicine) and traditional cosmetics as well as becoming a seamstress. As a THS student and political activist, Sukarno was unable to make ends meet.

Sukarno was incarcerated several times. Inggit once smuggled books into Banceuy Penitentiary in Bandung where he was held as a political prisoner.

With the books from Inggit, he crafted his historical defense speech, called '€œIndonesia Menggugat'€ (Indonesia Rebuked), which triggered independence movements.

Later, Sukarno was exiled a few times, such as to Ende, Bengkulu and Padang while faithful Inggit always beside him.

The rift in their marriage started when the couple was living in Bengkulu. Inggit, who had not been able to conceive, heard with a heavy heart that her husband wanted his own child.

The woman that Sukarno fell in love with was Fatimah, or Fatmawati, a daughter of a respected leader in Bengkulu.

Eventually, Sukarno divorced Inggit for the young woman, who later became the first lady of Indonesia.

The show ended as Inggit said she returned home to Bandung with dignity.

Happy said that playing Inggit for the 13th time was still a challenge, although she felt closer to the character.

Despite the performance'€™s success, she said that it was time to move on from Monolog Inggit after performing it for two years.

'€œIt'€™s time to do something else,'€ said Happy.

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