Two children get separated from a tour group and become lost in a faraway land.

Despite being afraid, they continue on their adventure and find hidden treasure on a hill. Curious, they open the box and find several sacred heirlooms inside. When an udeng (Balinese head cloth) is taken out of the box, magical things suddenly start to happen.

That is the beginning of the Devdan show, a musical centered on the “treasures of the archipelago”. Devdan is being staged at the Bali Nusa Dua Theatre, located in the prestigious resort complex of BTDC in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Devdan tells the story of a boy and a girl who journey across the archipelago, through a spectacular performance. For every heirloom that is discovered, mystical things happen, and they are invited to join the fun.

Together, they traverse islands like Bali, Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua, and witness the greatness of traditional life and performances from each island. Aside from traditions, there are also great performances of modern dances. Audiences will be fascinated by the aerial dance, ballet and fire dance.

The highlight of the show is an acrobatic dance that illustrates a pair of lovers performing a beautifully choreographed ballet dance in the air, in the setting of a Kalimantan jungle. Epic visual effects take the theatre experience to a new level of entertainment satisfaction.

What makes Devdan amazing is how the performers not only intertwine dances, but also cultural treasures and characteristics from each island throughout the show. For example, they introduce woven fabrics from Sumatra through a dance involving a loom, as well as local houses, ethnic costumes and much more.

It also tells tales from folklore, while critical issues like capturing wildlife are addressed with a sense of humor. Devdan is also interactive. During the show, some of the performers approach audience members and ask them to dance.

Despite staging an epic show with elaborate costumes, remarkable lighting and vibrant performances, Devdan lacks an intriguing story to pique the audience’s curiosity. But the show is nevertheless a great starting point to learn more about Indonesian culture, especially for those who are planning to move around the country. (asw)