No Final Bow for East Java Folk Act

Despite origins traced to as early as the 13th century, ludruk traditional theater remains popular in cities like Surabaya and Malang. (Photo courtesy of Kumoratih Kushardjanto)

In Indonesia, wanting to be a performing artist in a centuries-old traditional theater is not the most promising career ambition. Modernization, economic growth and the warm glow of the Internet, TV and air-conditioned multiplexes make it easy to forget indigenous entertainment. But one performer of an East Javanese art form called ludruk has consistently fought to steal some of the spotlight from current pastimes while staying relevant to a changing culture.

Born in the small city of Pasuruan, East Java, in 1945, Cak Kartolo, wanted to become a ludruk performer since he was 15 years old. Cak is a Javanese word meaning “big brother.”

Kartolo was first exposed to the art form while he learned to play gamelan music in the sixth grade, providing the soundtrack for ludruk performances.

“Somehow I found myself in love with the stage,” the 64-year-old said. Unlike artists who were born into a creative family, his father worked in a factory and his mother on a farm.

Ludruk is a form of traditional theater that emerged from East Java, but its origins are less clear. The first written evidence of its existence dates back to 1822, though some historians believe it could go as far back as the 13th century. In the early 1900s, troupes would travel around East Java, telling stories of the Dutch occupation. Until modern times, all roles were performed by men. Today, actors still don traditional East Javanese costumes, as ludruk remains popular in cities like Surabaya and Malang.

Producer Kumoratih Kushardjanto said that unlike other traditional art that centered on legends and myths, ludruk has been using contemporary stories from people’s daily lives as its source of inspiration. One famous older play, “ Cak Sakera ,” tells the story of a man from the island of Madura who fights against the Dutch occupation.

“The story emerged as a reflection of the conditions that people in East Java faced at that time,” Kumoratih said, adding that the plays were often melodramatic in tone. “It offers stories just like the sinetron [soap opera] episodes we see on TV.”

Kartolo once performed those dramatic roles, until the directors he worked with told him he was a natural to play comedic characters. He decided to focus on being a ludruk comedian in 1976 when he joined a troupe called Persada Malang.

“Making people laugh suddenly became so natural for me,” he said. “I decided it was my strength so I focused on it.”

Kumoratih said that the element of laughter in ludruk was essential. “Many people always underestimate comedians,” she said. “They think that comedy is easy and not important. They’re wrong.”

Delivering an effective message also required humor, Kumoratih added. “When the story of a ludruk play is heavy and serious, sometimes people find it hard to know what the message behind it is,” she said. “It’s the job of ludruk comedians to make the audience understand using a lighter method,”

Kumoratih said she’s been a fan of Kartolo’s spontaneous and blunt style of comedy since she was a teenager.

“When he’s performing he has no boundaries,” she said, adding that the honest and easy-going attitude is typical of East Javanese culture.

“That kind of thing may be considered rude to people from other cultures,” she said. “But it’s normal in East Java.”

To make sure attendees have fun, Kartolo uses a timeworn trick: know your audience. He said that before performing he always considered who his audience was. “My jokes for university students are different from the jokes that I give to office employees,” he said.

Acknowledging that ludruk has moved off center stage because TV and other modern forms of entertainment, Kartolo said he was happy to know that the younger generation’s interest in ludruk was on the rise.

“I see that the local governments now give a lot of attention to our traditional heritage,” he said “They conduct lots of ludruk competitions for the young.”

Kumoratih said that ludruk artists need enormous sincerity. “You have to be willing to move patiently to achieve your goals, because that’s how the whole society is responding to ludruk artists.”

The Jakarta Globe, March 24, 2010