Review: Young Thespians Showcase Their Talent in SOUND OF MIRACLE III's MELANGKAH and KANDITA

As part of its performing arts education program, HI JAKARTA PRODUCTION produced their biennial show SOUND OF MIRACLE on April 1 and 2, 2023. This third iteration was performed in Ciputra Art Gallery as opposed to the usual Ciputra Artpreneur Theater, as the production seeks to provide a more immersive experience.

SOUND OF MIRACLE III consists of five one-act shows, led by six young artists as the directors and writers: UNTOLD (by Axella Avianca, 17), FLIPPED (by Nadine Abigail, 16), INTERTWINED (by Shelby Amanda, 16), KANDITA (by Agnes Devita, 18), and MELANGKAH (by Elvira Gwynn, 16 & Aurell Nathania, 17). Before each show, there was a short performance by another partner community.

Our regional contributor had the opportunity to watch and review MELANGKAH and KANDITA on April 5.

MELANGKAH tells a teenage love story about a girl named Bella, who seeks to earn a spot at the illustrious University of the Artista by winning a dance competition at her performing arts school. Along the way, she also has to contend with the school's braggart Kelvin, who seems intent on pestering her.

As a teen-led musical, MELANGKAH serves as a charming insight into contemporary concerns through a teenage melodrama. Social dynamics, teenage love, and youthful dreams all come into play in this musical. The show has a straightforward story, but delivered with invigorating energy and earnestness from its budding talents.

MELANGKAH makes good use of Indonesian pop music to accentuate its story. As it's set around student-dancers at a performing arts school, it can include both diegetic dance numbers the characters perform as part of their audition, and imagined numbers that express the character's changing feelings and relationships.

With a relatively big ensemble cast and popular songs familiar to most of the audience, the show is easy to like and keeps a bright, cheery mood throughout. Though some of the characters and plot developments might feel a bit stale, they don't impede the overall enjoyment.

While it might not be ambitious, MELANGKAH doesn't need to be. It's a dramatized version of the daily lives of these young creatives, capturing a snapshot of what it's like to be a student in this day and age. It's a fun romp with a lighthearted story and some interesting choreography that's sure to delight audience members, especially of the same age as its creatives and cast members.

Meanwhile, KANDITA has a more lofty aspiration: to tell a story of a political power struggle through intrigue and more than a few murders, in the ilk of Indonesian legends or historical epics. And do it within an hour of runtime.

Kandita (Reska Pramudita, in her first leading role) is a young woman hailing from a family of ruling nobles living in the idyllic Widura Village. The peace doesn't last long, as certain usurpers from the village collude with the colonizing Western kingdom to take down the nobility and conquer the lands from themselves.

With his father killed, Kandita manages to escape the village, looking to rendezvous with a pocket of rebels hiding in the mountains. Together, they muster forces to defeat the traitor and reclaim their nation.

Creating such a grand story in a limited time was a brave undertaking by the KANDITA team, but it works out better than one might expect. The narrative has its twist and turns and it's a pretty complete journey from beginning to end. However, it left some aspects of the story and characters under-explored. Particularly, the scheming villains, who deserve a more thorough examination.

Even without a physical set, the show manages to evoke a feeling of space and time, using projections, lavish costuming, and a generous number of ensemble members. This production design certainly helps with the immersion.

KANDITA isn't afraid of creating intense moments, with homicide, pillaging, and general mayhem and violence unfolding on stage, as virtual fire burns ablaze in the background. This surprisingly gutsy direction makes KANDITA a memorable experience, though perhaps unsuitable for a younger audience.

Interestingly, KANDITA opts to use original songs, written by Nabila Hananti and Amanda Haryono. The songs take cues from musical theater and serve to highlight and elevate the emotional weight of pivotal scenes. While the lyrics can be improved to be more memorable and impactful, it's a nice start for these young creatives.

In just around an hour, KANDITA manages to rouse curiosity and emotion, even if a longer duration would have served its story better. Still, this youthful moxie alongside the dedication to their craft paints a bright picture for the team's future endeavors.

Unfortunately, due to some production constraints, SOUND OF MELODY III couldn't fully realize their immersive concept yet. The original plan was to have a projection design that engulfs the whole space, transforming the mostly white and sterile gallery area to various settings pertaining to the musical. Additionally, the gallery was not designed to be theatrical in its acoustics, meaning some words and music got muddled and lost.

Nevertheless, this initiative, just like the two shows reviewed above, is a highly applaudable effort by HI JAKARTA PRODUCTION and CIPUTRA ARTPRENEUR to provide a platform for teenage theater-makers to experiment, work, and grow. As time goes by, this investment in the industry's youth is sure to pay off in dividends.

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