Wedhus Gembel is an Indonesian term for the white gas cloud that rolls down the side of an active volcano. This show, like its most destructive character, was born from the aftermath of a natural disaster. This collaboration between Melbourne-based Snuff Puppets and artists in Yogyakarta, Java, began as part of the recovery following a devastating earthquake in 2006, in which more than 5,000 people were killed and a further 36,000 were injured. Yet despite its tragic roots, this show is full of humour and joy.
As the audience enters, there is not much to see. A large mountain fills most of the room, and a single man in an oasis of instruments provides the live musical accompaniment. The audience cheer when the first masked actor and puppet appear on stage. One by one, we are introduced to our players, and get a taste of life in the village. The cast even includes a chicken and a cow.
Wedhus Gembel explores themes of duality, the destructive power of nature and the cycle of life through an Indonesian fable. A young couple wish for a child, but are not prepared for the child that is brought by the volcano. With it comes the destruction of the village, but they are rescued by Semar, a Javanese god / clown, and celebrate their new lives.
This simple plot is outlined in the program, allowing us to follow the story more easily and fully enjoy the visual spectacle. Without an ingrained understanding of Indonesian culture and symbolism, the scene is quite surreal, and the reverberating acoustics of the performance area create a few challenges in understanding the accented dialogue.
While the colourful masks and costumes may seem outlandish, they come from a traditional Indonesian theatre form characterised by stylised movement and dance. In fact, there is more than one traditional form featured here, with a shadow puppet performance nested within the human puppet show.
In the first half, ritual and mysticism sit side by side with the pressure of modern life, which here takes the form of mobile phones. The comedy and farce comes to a head in the second part — once the volcano erupts, things really get weird. The baby, spurned by the townspeople, turns violent. This stylised violence and manic movement is a little too much for some very young viewers, but the teenagers in the audience lap it up. Some even get sucked into the action.
The transformation of characters and visual cues is particularly noteworthy. The volcano is a character in itself, and it’s impressive to see it erupt on stage. Just impressive is the transformation of the baby into a rampaging monster and the appearance of the goat, Wedhus Gembel, which adds to the joyous ending of a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
This captivating performance has toured to Indonesia, Melbourne and Peru. Its run at World Theatre Festival is brief, so don’t miss out on this amazing cross-cultural experience.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Wedhus Gembel
Produced by Snuff Puppets and Indonesian Artists (Australia/Indonesia)
Powerhouse Plaza, Brisbane Powerhouse
World Theatre Festival
www.brisbanepowerhouse.org
18–22 February
