Review: The Political Epic POLARISASI Returns with Renewed Artistic Direction

Polarisasi – the original musical about Indonesian politics by Da Lopez Brothers – returned to the stage of Graha Bhakti Budaya on October 10-13, following its initial run in February. This rerun (also called Leg 2) brought new direction, new artistic design, and few new cast members, while telling mostly the same story as before.

Read our review of the first Polarisasi run here.

Polarisasi tells the story of two presidential candidates, Reska (Jovial da Lopez) and Tjokro (Andovi da Lopez) and how they try to gain footing in the Indonesian presidential race. Reska relies on an underground organization run by Alan (Nino Prabowo) which wields media manipulation as their weapon of choice. Meanwhile, Tjokro depends on the instructions and connections of his party’s chairwoman, Bestari (Ade Rianom).

As they continue their campaign in increasingly desperate and underhanded ways, we also see how this political waltz affects the unwitting populace, represented by a group of five students trying to raise money for their class project.

Grisella/Ella (Jennifer Rengka) comes up with the idea of planting trees in her home island of Flores, which is currently facing deforestation due to palm oil plantations. Raka (Gerardo Tanor), the group leader, readily agrees. Raka’s friend Bara (Alvin Lapian) volunteers as the treasurer. The other two are Teresia (Kezia Aletheia), who’s excitedly planning a vacation around the area, and Rizal (Andri Dewa Razzaqi, replacing Aulion), a pious and meek young man in charge of finding the project’s name.

With the impending election date growing closer, the different plotlines grow ever more complicated and interconnected. Tjokro pulls out of donating to the students’ project in fear of angering plantation owners who fund his campaign; Raka and Bara had to use the available funds to bail themselves out after a scuffle with people calling Raka a paid political buzzer; and Bestari pulled out a trump card of an old photo of Reska at a pride parade. The latter leads into a mass demonstration that tragically takes the life of one of the students. It paints a picture of the dangers of extreme political polarization.

This time around, the show is directed by Jovial Da Lopez with choreography and artistic design by Sandy Oey. The script updates were credited to Jovial and Florencia Angel (the latter of whom also manages the 6-person music team as Music Head of Department). Siska Napitupulu serves as the vocal director, 

Polarisasi Leg 2 presents largely the same story, with minute changes, mostly in the dialogues and jokes. The show mentions recent names and events in the Indonesian political landscape, evoking great reactions from the audience (many Indonesians are finely attuned to the mainstream political issues). On the other hand, however, it highlights just how much of the script was a product of its time. It was very timely in February of 2024, a scant 6 months ago, but the rapid developments in Indonesian politics already makes it feel starkly dated. The election had come and gone (with its own twists and turns), leaving a very different political atmosphere.

That being said, the biggest difference lies in the artistic design. The set and lighting for the show are newly designed from scratch. The main set piece is a pair of 2-level structures that mirror each other – which allows both presidential candidates (and their respective campaign team) to stand on each, underlining the two choices. Interestingly, the structure on stage-right features a retractable part used to portray the college canteen, while the opposing structure features a sheer ‘window’ instead, allowing for artistic silhouette effects.

The usually empty middle part between the two structures is filled by another big set piece (consisting of terraced rows of benches) during certain scenes, such as when Reska and his team visit Alan’s dubious office. This new, more expansive set allows for a more varied blocking, playing with different levels and parts of the stage. Unfortunately, the set design did away with the dramatically gargantuan staircase previously used to put Bestari on a literally and metaphorically higher position. She now has to contend with being – at most – on the second level of the set.

Another part of the set are pillars extending upwards from the second level. These pillars are wrapped in LED strips, allowing for an additional lighting element of various hues to further color the scene. Although overall interesting and effective, the placement of the pillars sometimes block the view of the scene from certain seats.

But the most mesmerizingly beautiful new art direction comes during Ella's solo song, Menyala. As she sings about her wish to do good for her hometown, several long strips of colorful woven fabric (evoking traditional Flores ‘tenun ikat’ textile) descend from the rafters, creating a magical landscape for Tere to physically interact with, highlighting her longing and pride. They were then followed by fairy lights and light strips to further accentuate her blazing passion. It was a visually striking and theatrically stunning moment.

There were also several changes in the cast line up. This mainly affects the supporting cast and ensemble, with one exception: Rizal. The gentle and somewhat offbeat member of the student fivesome is now played by Andri Dewa Razzaqi in his theatrical debut. Andri’s Rizal is notably different from Aulion, making him more dorky than awkward and shy. Both renditions are still enjoyable, both in terms of acting and singing. It is a promising debut for the new actor.

Another character with a vastly different interpretation is Alan, the social media mastermind. Although the role is still played by Nino Prabowo, Leg 2’s Alan is taking the realistic route instead of being a larger-than-life, almost farcical villain. This more measured, grounded character work actually works wonderfully, framing Alan as a real and powerful threat that lurks under the fragile fabric of our modern society. An insider has revealed that this renewed portrayal came to life thanks to the actor’s discussion with the creatives, particularly assistant director Palka Kojansow.

As for our two mains, Reska and Tjokro, Jovi and Andovi’s respective approach to their character remained mostly consistent. However, perhaps due to the additional familiarity and rehearsal time, they exhibit an even more solid performance. Jovi disappears into the role of Reska with great acting finesse once more, embodying the charismatic yet conflicted politician. Andovi (who has been active in the theater scene with stints in Joshua Oh Joshua and Catch Me If You Can) is more notably confident in his performance, with a more consistent energy and character when he sings (with his trademark husky voice) and dances.

The music is still largely the same, a very accessible pop-rock musical score.There were some sound problems that made some line deliveries a bit hard to catch, especially in the big riot scene towards the end. But overall, the show was easy to follow despite the many different moving parts.

Although the story remains the same, a second look at this monumental musical made both its strengths and weaknesses more apparent. Its main strength is just how acutely it captures the disturbing trend of political polarization in Indonesia, actively fueled by unscrupulous politicians and those benefiting from it. It champions a great, timely message. However, at the same time, it could’ve had more bite in some parts, particularly the characters of Reska and Tjokro themselves, who are portrayed as truly well-meaning, if misguided, without any truly personal motivation. Some developments (e.g., Raka’s rage at being called a buzzer and the revelation of Tere’s family’s past) also felt a bit too sudden.

I would say that the script could use more editing, but, truthfully, I think Polarisasi has done its job. It was a contemporary theatrical work that doubled as a snapshot of the Indonesian political landscape in early 2024. Ironically, it has become a period piece, just eight months after its premiere.

We’re now in a whole new era of Indonesian politics, with new people, new ministries, and – soon enough – new regulations and taxes. But the same struggle remains. The struggle for justice, fairness, and power to the people. The struggle to unify the people of Indonesia against the powerful forces that are trying to polarize us.

In this regard, I have confidence that Da Polez brothers and their collaborators have what it takes to keep creating works relevant to the Indonesian people in the future. They’ve proven themselves to be willing to use their platform for good. And Polarisasi, even with its blemishes, is an astounding debut work. Often, mainstream content creators and pop culture works are afraid to get political, to ruffle feathers and disturb the ruling class. But as Polarisasi so succinctly shows, theater is a uniquely suitable form for political stories, as the audience can see and feel the physical actions unfolding in front of them. It makes political machinations and the tragedies that they bring so uncomfortably close and real, hopefully rousing the audience’s interest in real politics more than simply reading headlines on social media. 

So, as we collectively embark upon a new presidency, let us not remember: hati-hati polarisasi – be wary of polarization.
 

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