By Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal. The Street Theatre. 15 Jun 2013.
An independent production some two years in the making, Opal Vapour is an artistic collaboration between dancer Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, musician/singer/composer Ria Soemardjo and designer Paula van Beek.
With both Tunggal and Soemardjo having Australian and Javanese heritage, their production draws on traditional Javanese cultural elements such as shadow puppetry, court dances and trance rituals as well as vocal arrangements and musical instruments such as the gamelan.
However, Opal Vapour has simultaneously been influenced by Tunggal’s diverse training in other dance forms, along with the possibilities of modern lighting and set design, with a contemporary flair subsequently flavouring the work.
Beginning with the gentle chiming of bells and lilting Javanese vocals, Soemardjo patiently removes what looks like a human corpse draped in elegant silk shrouds, to unveil Tunggal on a platform that would become the centrepiece of the performance.
When Tunggal arises, a shadow is cast and the platform lit up from beneath with a yellow glow, with an aerial view of her visible in the background – creating an innovative shadow puppet display.
With the colours changing from dusky shades of pink to purple, Tunggal writhes and forms patterns in the sand covering the platform, providing some effective, if not a little overly indulgent visuals.
A costume and lighting change transforms the surrounds into a setting for traditional Javanese court dancing, with all the subtle, yet intricate hand and feet gestures and animated features. Impressively, Tunggal displayed a level of strength, poise and balance that I’m sure took years of commitment to perfect.
The next act returned to the shadow puppetry, but this time a more serene and languid version, as if drifting underwater. The result was mesmerising, and along with Soemardjo’s mournful viola composition and elegant voice, it evoked an ambience of deep reflection, femininity and peacefulness.
This theme continued with the last dance of the evening that was graceful and sensual, bringing the performance down to a new level of subtlety with slow, purposeful and deliberate movement. Even the score was minimalist, hovering at an intimate whisper but permeating every inch of space in the theatre.
The beautiful, flowing textures and Javanese designs of each costume by the multi-talented Soemardjo contributed greatly to the stunning aesthetics of Opal Vapour. Likewise, the rich colour scheme of the lighting and visual effects of the unique set design by van Beek had remarkable results.
Overall, Opal Vapour at times feels like it would be better served as a live art installation rather than a performance piece, as it is slightly gratuitous and heavy on the navel gazing.
In saying this, I came out feeling more calm and relaxed than I have in months. If you can manage to let go and immerse yourself into the gentle sensory and cultural experience that Opal Vapour has to offer, this show is sure to reverberate a sense of tranquillity that is sorely needed in our busy lives.
Deborah Hawke
When: Closed
Where: The Street Theatre
Bookings: Closed
