SAMPEK ENGTAY IN KOMA TASTE

Entertaining while voicing emancipation and social critics.

The wedding parade of Engtay and Macun stopped near a cemetery estate. In front of Sampek’s blue painted tomb which is placed by the side of the road leading to rangkasbitung, incense was lit and Engtay kneeled to pray. Suddenly the tomb wall gapped open and engtay jumped in side. Engtay’s body become one with sampek’s. macun engtay’s groom-to-be, was furious to learn thet his future wife who was to be relocated to rangkasbitung unexpectedly vanished into the center of the earth.

Sampek Engtay which was adapted in 2005 by the director, the late Nano Riantiarno, still remains an interesting play. It was proven by the jam-packed seats during the play, which took place at the Graha Bakti Budaya of Taman Ismail Marjuki, Jakarta, last 5-6 January. Although this classic Chinese tale performed by the Koma theatre and Atma Jaya Christian University rolls for almost four hours, no audience got up from their seats during the entire show.

That night, supporting actors: sukiu (Dudung Hadi), Dalang (Salim Bungsu), and house maid Ciok, were the casts that interrupted humorless scenes. And in Nano’s hands, the tale of Sampek-Engtay becomes “originated” with the setting of Serang, Rangkasbitung, Pandeglang and Betawi era, prior to Indonesia’s independence.

Engtay is a character who bicomes victim of multiple oppressions. She is an intelligent and beautiful girl who lived in a cultural domination of colonialism, feudalism and patriarchy. Ciok (Cornelius Syahrani) and Mrs. Cio (Michele Andina) Engtay’s parents, for bids her to study at the putera Bangsa Golodok School in Batavia. “you are a girl. Schools  are for boys. No matter how smart a woman gets, she will only end up in her husband’s arms,” was Mrs. Cio’s excuse.

After hard negotiations with her parents, Engtay was finally allowed to Batavia, disguising as a body. In the street she ran in to Sampek from Pandeglang who was also about to enlist as a student in Glodok. Since then they became brothers and lived as roommates at putera Bangsa Glodok dormitory. The disguise was a success. Engtay’s secret was revealed as she admitted her love to Sampek in the flower garden at on a school holiday.

But not long after that , engtay was summoned home to be betrodhet to Macun, the son of captain liong. For Engtay, this fixed marriage destroys her love to Sampek, the foolish but honest and simple man from Pandeglang. Sampek himself was crushed to his death after learning that Engtay was already engaged to Macun (Hendry Chendrawan).

The musical background of the play reminds us of the Chinese harmony that used to exist richly In Batavia. The sounds of Kecapi, Tambur, Rebab, and other traditional oriental instruments were heard throughout the show. This tale sends the message for all parents to let their daughters pursue education, walk their path of life, and find their own. In the hands of Nuno, Sampek Engtay has become a social critic.