TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
When rock meets the 'Mahabharata'
Rockinâ the stage: Andra and the Backbone guitarist Stevie Item plays the main character, Ekalaya, who is so determined to become Durnaâs student that he makes a statue of him
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
R
span class="caption" style="width: 498px;">Rockin' the stage: Andra and the Backbone guitarist Stevie Item plays the main character, Ekalaya, who is so determined to become Durna's student that he makes a statue of him.
The guitar gods came together last weekend to perform a fascinating twist on an ancient epic.
Around 70 musicians performed in the Wayang Orang Rock Ekalaya musical over the weekend and showed they could also act. Although their first time performing in a musical, they interacted with each other and the audience with ease.
The artists threw in one-liners and funny remarks, improvising while making fun of each other.
'I didn't expect them to pull it off. They weren't this relaxed in rehearsals. I'm just as shocked as you. They became different people on stage,' director and scriptwriter Arie Apriludy, better known as Arie Dagienkz, said after the play, which lasted two and half hours.
'Thirty percent of the dialogue was off script,' he said, explaining why a longer period than planned was required to wrap up the show.
Arie, who was raised on rock music and Mahabharata stories, came up with the idea two years ago to give traditional Javanese theater a modern touch, similar to Batman creator Grant Morrison's video-comic 18 Days.
The Ekalaya musical is state-of-the-art entertainment. The show used holograms to bring the stage backdrop to life and, instead of using bows and arrows for weapons, the characters used guitars.
'We're celebrating 60 years of rock 'n' roll this year, from the release of Elvis Presley's first single. Rock is closely associated with guitar distortion. That's why we use the guitar as our primary prop,' Arie said.
Presley's 'That's All Right [Mama]' was released in July 1954 and according to Rolling Stone magazine was the first rock 'n' roll record made.
The story of Ekalaya revolves around King Ekalaya, who doesn't belong to either the Pandawa or Kurawa clan. He seeks a chance to become the pupil of Guru Durna as he is eager to learn the guitar skills of the gods, not knowing that the master has taken an oath not to take pupils outside the Hastinapura Kingdom.
Plunge into acting: /rif guitarist Jikun (right) plays Guru Durna in Wayang Orang Rock Ekalaya musical while Koil vocalist Otong plays Arjuna.
Brokenhearted Ekalaya returns to his wife Anggraeni, but is already possessed by his ambition to master the skill. He makes a statue of Durna and continues practicing with the statue as his teacher. What follows is a tale of broken vows and death.
The story is an important part of eastern mythology as it changed the course of the Bharatayuda epic battle. The cast has spoken volumes of its significance.
Guitarist Jikun from /rif plays Durna, who lights the stage with his improvisation skills.
Main character Ekalaya is played by Stevie Item from Andra and the Backbone, but his guitar skills are more convincing than his acting. His most difficult task while on stage was to sing live Bon Jovi's 'Thank You for Loving Me' for Sophia Latjuba Mueller, who plays Anggraeni.
Sophia's brief appearances lingered the longest. An actress and singer, she nailed Dream Theater's 'Spirit Carries On' near the end of the play which, as some in the audience said, brought goose bumps and tears.
Koil vocalist Otong plays Arjuna, the arrogant but witty Pandawa warrior.
Many artists and bands are also involved in the play, such as /rif, Netral, Seringai, Koil, Roxx and The Brandals, both as extras and as performers of the play's theme song.
WOR Head Band was stunning in the opening act, playing Led Zeppelin's 'Rock 'N Roll' alongside a gamelan orchestra, followed by rock singer Candil. When the lights went back for the first scene, Jopie Item and his son Stevie had a jam session, playing 'Stairway to Heaven'.
Remembering Elvis, Leonardo and His Impeccable Six performed a brass-heavy version of 'Heartbreak Hotel', while rapper Iwa K came forward with his own song 'Malam Ini Indah' (Beautiful Night) to give the audience a break from the distortion.
The show was stolen by blues guitarist Adrian Adioetomo with a stunt that mimicked Jimi Hendrix, literally stirring the flames on the fret board.
Produced by actress and filmmaker Happy Salma together with the Djarum Foundation, the play brings rock 'n' roll back to center stage.
The cast is eager for a tour, although a plan for more performances has yet to materialize.
'If this is our only performance, at least we have made a little bit of history,' Arie said.
' Photos by Jerry Adiguna
