Faiza Mardzoeki

The Jakarta Post on Women Seize The Night

Foundations to stage play for Women’s Day

The play Perempuan Menuntut Malam (Women Seizing the Night) will be staged by two foundations, Institut Ungu and Yayasan Pitaloka, to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8.

Three actresses — Rieke Diah Pitaloka, Niniek L. Karim and Ria Irawan — will perform the piece at Graha Bhakti Budaya in the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center in Central Jakarta on March 8 and 9.

“The play will tell the wariness of its three characters, a politician, a sex worker and housewife. It will be full of tension, drama as well as humor,” said Rieke, who produced and co-wrote the play, during a press conference Wednesday.
She said the show, which will be directed by Zuki “Kill the DJ”, would encourage audience members to reflect on the political situation faced by Indonesian women.
Yogyakarta-based Zuki, who is also a hip-hop performer, made his name directing monologues by well-known actor Butet Kartaredjasa.

Niniek, who is also a lecturer at the University of Indonesia’s School of Psychology, said the play was a story of marginalized women.
“I joined the play because I respect Rieke, who initiated, wrote and produced the show,” Niniek, who won a Citra, the country’s highest film award, for best supporting actress in Ibunda, told The Jakarta Post at the university in Depok, West Java.
Niniek, Rieke and Ria Irawan have been rehearsing the play for two months, mostly at Rieke’s house in Kukusan village, Depok.

Best known as a television host, film actress and women’s activist, Rieke recently joined the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) after resigning from her post as deputy secretary-general of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
She has also written several books, including a collection of poems and a book based on her master’s thesis from the University of Indonesia’s School of Philosophy.

The play, which was co-written by author Faiza Marzoeki and sponsored by, among others, the Embassy of Finland, the Post and Hivos foundation, will be accompanied by an art video, music and lighting by Chandra Hutagaol, Yoseph Herman Susilo and Aziz Dying.

Perempuan Menuntut Malam (Women Seizing the Night) Staged at Graha Bhakti Budaya at the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center in Central Jakarta from March 8-9 at 8 p.m. Tickets cost Rp 100,000, Rp 75,000, Rp 50,000 and Rp 25,000.

 

By A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta