The Struggle of Kraton’s Teenager in 18th Century

Discovered the human side of a teenager: guilty felt, sex adventured, and searched for the faith of God. This is the story
of a teenager in 18th century, Cebolang, the child of Kiai Syekh Akhadiat in Sokaya. His parents were religious persons.
Cebolang was ashamed for doing disgraceful things. He ran away from his home in the night of takbiran (the last day of fasting month). The adventure was begun.

He walked along the Serayu River with his four friends: Nurwitri, Saloka, Kartupla and Palakarti.

In this journey, he entered the dark side of life. He satisfied his desire of sex to different kind of women: maiden, widow, ronggeng (paid dancer), warog reog (masked dancer), even regent. Not only with women, he had a passion with a man and so was the man. He adventured of sex in various techniques and styles. He walked through Ngawi, Ponorogo and any forest in hinterland of Mataram just for finding the light of the life.

Cebolang described as the teenage boy who had the smooth body like the Ramayana’s dancer and his good-looking face reminded of the blooming girl. “No wonder, including man had passion to him,” said Ki Slamet Gundono. The performance, in the event of the Art Summit Indonesia 2010, titled Minggat Cebolang (Ceoblang Ran Away) which had been adapted from the Centhini’s Fibers and had translated-interpreted by a French Journalist, Elizabeth D Inandiak, as Centhini Kekasih yang Tersembunyi (Centhini, the Hidden Lover, 2008).

Slamet Gundono played the puppets and narrated by Elizabeth D Inandiak. Sometimes they both made dialogue such as wayang (traditional puppet). “This is the incredible script and very important for the present generation. It’s very rare that the ancient script told about the teenager life like Cebolang,” uttered Elizabeth. The scene located only in living room. The stage designed as in the room of Javanese house.

Cebolang was a grey person. He experienced the theology adventure. He respected and obeyed the Kiai, in the same time he ate pork and dog’s sate. “He penetrated life not only in its norms and dogmas, but also from nature. Isn’t the nature as well the God’s verse?” said Slamet Gundono, after the performance.

He also performed Bambang Kumbayana (Hanidawan) who wanted to go to Java Island, but he could not swim and no boat. Then, he made a contest – which is very cliché plot in the Javanese stories – anyone who could took him to Java Island, if a man, he would make him as a brother, if a woman, he would marry her. Therefore, Sembrani’s female horse (Ida Lala) which could swim appeared. Kumbaya succeed to across, but he did not marry her. “Person is easy to make promise, but a lot easier to break it,” uttered Slamet.

The strength of Slamet are in his words and stories, they could made the audience imagining another space and time construction. And it was right, the prayer in the night of takbiran reverberated. The drum in the mosque sounded. Cebolan came back to his parents.