What Indonesia - Bali is all about ?

The principal characters are so original, and reinforced by such strange assistants, that one falls under the spell of the powerful magic which its performance is felt to invoke. The excitement of the terrible ending no doubt sheds a feeling of tension over the whole play; it seems to possess some peculiar and moving quality which is not quite to be accounted for by any analyzable elements.
I will give a brief description of a performance in which all the elements were fairly evenly mixed, dwelling especially on the points in which it differed from an ordinary Ardja performance. Both Tirta and Tigaron, as well as Sokasti and her servant, were played by girls.
The play opened as usual with a long scene between Sokasti and her Inia. During the first phrase of their winding progress round the stage, wheeling about each other, the Inia dilated in a wailing voice on the beauty of her mistress; during the second it became clear that she was the dearest child of her father; during the third they gazed into each other's eyes, and touched hands in tender but fleeting contact, while Sokasti told of her love for Tirta and wept in the traditional way, bending forwards with drooping arm.

Her knee was held by the Inia, who bowed before her, mingling her tears and lamentations. After parading about a good deal, hand in hand in semi-dance, they retired to the gamelan. The next scene was presumably in Basoer's house, for Basoer himself entered through the curtain, in a wide check kain above striped trousers, a very broad, impressive figure, his face- framed in a thick black beard. His hair was long, like an Agra in Gamboeh, and bound by a wide gold fillet; green leaves hung down from the red. Hibiscus flowers behind his ears. He had a solemn rich-toned voice, and danced in the bombastic style of the Poenta whose place he was taking, progressing slowly about with occasional spurts of quick, darting movement, while he recited his fame and dire reputation. A very distinctive flute melody accompanied him. A bold but womanish voice answered him from behind the curtain, and soon the Widjil appeared, comically and musically danced by a boy, whose head was tied up tightly and jauntily in a check handkerchief.

He complained that he felt lonely and would give an Ardja performance by himself, and danced an excellent parody of a heroic part, with its winding movements and rather lachrymose cadences. Another servant entered carrying a curious stick, with a short, blade-like handle. This witch-doctor's staff is Basoer's characteristic weapon, and never left him till it was replaced by a more powerful magic symbol, the white cloth of Rangda. Basoer goes out to ask for Sokasti's hand.
Tirta's father, whose entry was preluded by a throbbing of drums, like Basoer sang his own praises, in a violent voice accompanied by slow, stately gestures,. He expresses annoyance at his servant's late arrival. We already see the widely spread knees of the servant, and his dancing feet below the curtain. He enters, and dialogues with the father, without music, but with an occasional quick dance step.

Please access this web site for more Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and all Indonesia Hotels bali lombok yogyakarta jakartahotels- and Indonesian Holidays Information, hotels and travel reservation indonesia hotels travel holidays