Previews: The Dramatic Spectacle of UNDER THE VOLCANO to Engulf Ciputra Artpreneur

Based on a hundred year old poem, Bumi Purna Indonesia and Ciputra Artpreneur will bring the bombastic yet poignant UNDER THE VOLCANO to Jakarta on August 27. The production will run twice, starting at 16.00 and 20.00, at the Ciputra Artpreneur Theater.

As told by Restu Kusumaningrum, the artistic director for Bumi Purna Indonesia, UNDER THE VOLCANO is adapted from "Syair Lampung Karam" ("The Drowning of Lampung Poem"), written by Muhammad Saleh back in 1883. The art community Hitam Putih from Padang Panjang observed that Saleh's words were relevant with the condition in their hometown, with the populace having to be wary of natural disasters due to the volcanoes surrounding the area. It also serves as a reminder for all Indonesians that natural disasters will always be a part of life for the archipelago is located on the ring of fire.

UNDER THE VOLCANO was first performed in Beijing, China, back in 2014 as part of the Theater Olympics. It was then performed at the TheatreWorks venue, Singapore, in 2016 and at the Borobudur Writers & Cultural Festival event in Magelang, Indonesia, in 2018. This will be the first time the show comes to the capital city of Indonesia.

Structurally, UNDER THE VOLCANO is performed in six parts with narration in Malay and Minangkabau languages. The show integrates elements of the martial arts pencak silat, dance, music, and digital visual effects. The songs and dances are based on traditional Malay forms juxtaposed with contemporary composition and choreography to portray the passage of time. UNDER THE VOLCANO will be performed by Komunitas Seni Hitam Putih and Jajang C. Noer, with musical composition by Elizar Koto, dramaturgy by Rhoda Grauer, and supported by Bakti Budaya Djarum Foundation

A press conference was held on August 18th, attended by Sapta Nirwanda, Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy 2011-2014 (Representative of Bumi Purnati Indonesia); Restu Kusumaningrum, Artistic Director of Bumi Purnati Indonesia; Rina Ciputra Sastrawinata, President Director of Ciputra Artpreneur; Billy Gamaliel, Program Manager of Bakti Budaya Djarum Foundation; and Yusril Katil, Director of Under the Volcano (Representative of Komunitas Seni Hitam Putih West Sumatera).

The tickets are available now on ticketing platforms like Loket.

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