The Mentarian

Mentari Theater Festival 2023 Recap

Written by Jacobus Kurnia Kaalapaking | 16 January 2024

2023 has been a year full of surprises for all us Mentarians. Closing this year with a bang was the inaugural Mentari Theater Festival or MTF, run by sour very own Batch 15 and the English teaching faculty. In accordance with the holiday spirit and Mentarian values, the festival was a charity event where all proceeds went to the charity Sanggar Anak Kita. Held on 5 December 2023, members of The Mentarian staff, including yours truly, were granted the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the first performance of the Mentari Theater Club through a series of 10-15 minute plays, each separated into two sets, Set A, which opened the night with the plays Innocence, Querencia, and The Death of a Breadwinner, and Set B, which included #FreeSelina, The Main Character, and finally Eilata 3000, closing the night as the 6th play of the festival.

Innocence

The first play of the night, directed by Alief Pangeran Prabasa and written by Jasmine Sheilla Napitupulu Kumala, “Innocence”, is a classic tragedy, depicting a courtroom drama, that deals with themes of abuse, manipulation, and the devastating impact that a parent can have on the life of a child. Most deserving of accolades is the powerful, heart-wrenching performance of Raya in her role as Lily Walker. Leaping right into the action with a brutal murder, “Innocence” opens with a bang and ends in unrelenting heartache as a proper tragedy should, effectively conveying to the audience the brutal anguish experienced by its characters, though despite the adequate quality of the script and dialogue, the performance of most of the cast was lacking, and the overall narrative of the tragedy felt rushed and underdeveloped, with an uncertain ending that raises more questions than it answers. A proper treat for enjoyers of a classic Shakespearean tragedy, “Innocence” sets its tone well and maintains that momentum and energy throughout its run.

Querencia

Directed by Akmal Adrian Haraha and written by Kayla Janeeta Rahardjo, “Querencia” is a relatable and down to earth tale about the hardships of growing up in the footsteps of your parents. A play dealing with themes of generational trauma, familial expectations, reconciliation, catharsis and the burdens of duty, “Querencia” is an emotionally provoking, captivating performance from start to finish, with a well-written, eloquent script that was incredibly well-acted and performed by the entire cast. “Querencia” presents a simple yet deeply touching premise and conveys its themes well, though the relationship between the characters could have been more properly developed. A must-watch for enjoyers of a proper and traditional drama and enthusiasts of emotionally thought-provoking literature, “Querencia” truly lives up to the meaning of its title.

The Death of the Breadwinner

Directed by Aura Aria and written by Sienna Anamaya, “The Death of the Breadwinner” presents itself as an absurdist comedy, and a very good one at that. Set during the 1950s, during the height of the post-WWII cultural zeitgeist, “The Death of the Breadwinner” depicts an argument between a married couple regarding their expectations of their roles in the household. A play dealing in themes of misogyny, gender roles, the patriarchy and absurdism, “The Death of the Breadwinner” is a true hidden gem for any enthusiast of theatrical comedy. Especially deserving of mention are the skillful and marvelous performance of the cast as well as their excellent use of set changes and props, which all come together to create a play that is both humorously entertaining and aesthetically beautiful to watch, encapsulating the true essence of theater as an art form.

Directed by Arabelle Joky and written by Paloma Tesoro, “#FreeSelina” is a satirical comedy dealing with themes of social media, justice, censorship, freedom of speech and corruption. The second courtroom drama of the night, “#FreeSelina” takes a completely opposite approach to “Innocence”, providing a critique of social institutions through a satirical interpretation of a fully plausible scenario. With an excellently written script that was wonderfully delivered by its cast, of whom especially deserving of praise were Sasha Moein in the role of Archibald Walker III and Audrey Grizelda Partakusuma in the role of Selina Shayk. Despite its fluctuating momentum and flow, “#FreeSelina” is a proper gem for any connoisseur of satirical comedies, a humorous, witty play that brings to mind a wonderful critique of current social issues, complete with an unexpected plot twist during its closing act, inviting the viewer to think deeply about the themes that it discusses.

Directed by Morris Alfarezi and written by Rachel Bernadi, “The Main Character” is a drama in the traditional sense. A play about privilege, insecurity, delusion, and the consequences of unchecked egotistical behavior, “The Main Character” provides the audience with a cathartic experience; we’ve all had to deal with awful people in our lives, though we often find ourselves lacking in the fury or the wrath necessary to truly express how we feel about them. With these deeply relatable themes, an excellent score, a simple yet captivating story, and a powerful performance by its cast, “The Main Character” is a play with hidden depths despite its simple premise, with its title and possibly even the play itself an instance of “breaking the fourth wall”, as it is truly a “play within a play”. Despite this praise however, “The Main Character” failed to score a home run, leaving many questions unanswered with its morally questionable ending, which failed to properly convey their intended message. All in all, “The Main Character” is a play that will deeply resonate with viewers, though it may not appeal to aficionados of literary analysis.

The final play of the night, directed by Kinan Dewanoto and Aby Lama, “Eilata 3000” is a comedy dealing with the themes of artificial intelligence, sentience, consciousness, personhood and morality, set in the near future. With an excellent and witty script performed superbly by their talented cast, as well as their excellent utilization of props, set pieces and sound effects, “Eilata 3000” is a thoroughly humorous play, using contemporary humor and slang to great effect, achieving the great feat of managing to explore its complex and controversial themes in a mature yet humorous way, successfully connecting to and inviting the audience to seriously question the ramifications of this brave new world that we may quickly find ourselves in. Deserving of praise is the performance of Atalie Alex as the titular “Eilata 3000”, as she managed to completely immerse herself within her character, flawlessly delivering her dialogue with perfect cadence. With its near-flawless execution, there is no doubt that “Eilata 3000” can be considered as one of if not the best play of the night, a true diamond in the rough, truly encapsulating the phrase “comedy gold”. Sure to engage and interest viewers of all ages, “Eilata 3000” proves that good theater can be enjoyed by any audience.

Final thoughts

To sate your curiosity, dear friends, the results of the “Best Play” of the night are available on our Instagram page. Putting the competitive spirit aside, the Mentari Theater Festival has demonstrated what Mentarians are capable of when we work together, and should shine as an exemplar of the cooperative spirit we must strive towards. It is the sincere hope of the Mentarian staff that next year will bring with it new surprises and new wonders, among which another annual Mentari Theater Festival would be most welcome, gracing us with more wonderful plays that will be sure to further bring together all Mentarians.