Srimulat has accompanied generations of people in this country for one purpose: to laugh
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TEKS The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Srimulat adalah Tawa Bahagia
It's not in vain that we laughed and laughed enjoying Srimulat
the comedy group Srimulat will celebrate its 70th anniversary
We respect the warriors of laughter who make us (ever) happy
The 70th anniversary of Srimulat is also marked by a puppet exhibition featuring Srimulat characters. A row of puppets, or wayang golek, and Srimulat memorabilia from the Gubug Wayang Museum collection in Mojokerto were brought to Solo and exhibited from August 8th to September 8th, 2023.
Among the interesting collections are Dracula figures, Tessy's carnelian, and stage maid costumes like those often worn by Gepeng and his friends. Laps, maid costumes, Dracula who often utters the spell of laughter "Don't let your heaps of glee...!" are traces of memories of laughter that Srimulat has exploded since 70 years ago .
Visitors taking photos with the Dracula statue from the collection of the Gubuk Wayang Museum
currently on display at the Keris Nusantara Museum
in celebration of Srimulat's 70th anniversary
The Dracula character is often played by several Srimulat comedians
In association, utterances are often tucked away from the Srimulat stage. When people doubt something, they say, "Ah that is impossible." Or when someone speaks unclearly, incredulously, or inconsistently, people then comment, "Why are you talking so pecothot?"
The word pecothot is Javanese which describes an irregular, unordered form. Often also uttered in conversation utterances such as "investigated", "fingerprints", and "deliberation".
In fact, the name of the Diwek District in Jombang, East Java, became a popular because Asmuni said it in a joke. In daily conversation, the utterances above are said in a joking atmosphere. That's Srimulat, whose traces are always synonymous with happy laughter.
It seems that Srimulat's humor is familiar to its audience. Perhaps their jokes are born from everyday life experiences that are then presented on stage. On stage, the Srimulat comedians seem to reflect what they go through in their daily lives.
They were actually laughing at their own fate, which could also be experienced by some of the audience. The Srimulat stage then became an arena for sharing the same fate as individuals in the stage of life with all its dynamics and ups and downs.
From the stage property in the shape of a sofa, or a cleaning rag, Srimulat can dig up humor about the fate of humans. A maid who cleans the sofa every day is not worthy of sitting on it. Why?
As we hear from the dialogue on the Srimulat stage, their annual salary as domestic helpers would not be enough to purchase a sofa. This is a form of satirical comedy, a social satire about economic inequality.
There is a power relationship between employers and domestic workers, between superiors and subordinates. Employers wear shoes and ties, while domestic workers go barefoot and wear only a t-shirt. Employers carry bags, while domestic workers wear only an apron.
On the Srimulat stage, the realities of life are not mourned or protested with anger or a heroic attitude, but instead become laughter and jokes that can also invite people to reflect.
members of the traditional Srimulat comedy troupe
We see on the stage, the maids are sitting kneeling on the floor. Meanwhile the employer, who is sometimes called ndoro or Tuan, sits cross-legged with a jemawa. Notice the way they cross their legs: the legs are raised straight up a bit high like stepping on, then crossed. Then, the calves land on the knees.
Asmuni or Tarzan, who often plays the role of an employer, will demonstratively cross their legs in such a manner. The scene of crossing legs is repeatedly alternated from the right to the left. The employer's humor is quite amusing.
What's interesting about the scene around this sofa is the "resistance" of the maids. Although they have no right to sit on the sofa, they can take control of it if the employer is absent. They can sit, sleep, or do as they please with the sofa. This can be seen as a form of liberation from the employer's power.
If given the chance to sit, they will timidly hesitate first. Then, slowly they will place their buttocks on the edge of the sofa, before finally sitting comfortably. Gepeng and Timbul are the most adept in such an action.
The helpers can also act arbitrarily to the employer. For example, by pretending to mistakenly wipe the employer's head or face. Sometimes in one scene they are involved in a conversation with the employer. Up to a vortex of exciting conversation, they can fiercely accuse the employer with the curse "This idiot..!!"
Maybe this is called a somersault joke, overturning the position of something that is considered commonplace. A kind of juxtaposition gag in Western comedy.
The Srimulat Surabaya comedy group performed at the Srimulat Taman Hiburan Rakyat Building in Surabaya
The relationship between the players of Srimulat can be said to be quite close. Not only are they united by the stage, but their relationship outside of the stage is also closely knit. Most of them live in the same dormitory neighborhood.
In Jakarta, for example, they live in a residence in the Slipi area that is not too far from the permanent stage in Senayan. The Srimulat crew in Surabaya People's Amusement Park also reside in similar lodgings. Their daily stories are sometimes brought up to the stage.
Sumiati
has unforgettable memories of the story of the two worlds
there was a Srimulat performer who was dating the son of a Srimulat stage artist
Their relationship was not approved by the child's parents because of the wide age gap
they were assigned roles that required them to argue about a certain issue
personal issues from their real life were brought up on stage
lha my people know the problem," said Sumiati in an interview with Kompas
The audience burst out laughing even though they didn't know what was really going on behind the stage
This is where the professionalism of Srimulat comedians lies
Although their performance may be affected by personal emotions outside of their roles
they are able to control themselves so that personal emotions do not become dominant on stage
personal matters do not ruin the comedy show
personal emotions can also be expressed even if they are not obvious
Photos of the comedy stage stars of Srimulat on display at the Keris Nusantara Museum in Solo
in commemoration of the group's 70th anniversary
Comedian artists must quickly respond to situations so as not to fall behind on stage
This includes when they make mistakes that can disrupt the storyline
Once Kardjo AC/DC got the role of having to kill a character played by Sumiati
Apparently Kardjo got carried away by the atmosphere of the stage so he forgot to do the action
but comedian Srimulat was able to save the situation and turn it into a laughing bomb
Another atmosphere arose when Tikno took the stage
The thin artist was sick but still wanted to participate in the play
His fellow actors teased him on stage and he responded by telling the truth of what had happened
"I'm iki lara tenan (I'm really sick)...." The audience laughed and probably didn't know Tikno's real condition
but Tikno probably finds solace when he's on stage
The book "Teguh Srimulat: Racing in Comedy and Melody by Herry Gendut Janarto
Teguh is able to project the potential of players
who joined Srimulat in Surabaya at the age of 14 and performed until the mid-1970s
her voice was screaming aka not pleasant to hear
it turned out that Sumiati's appearance was well received by the audience
almost every night he only sang the song "Lament of the Stepchildren"
but always invited the audience's boisterous applause
It turns out that Teguh sees the potential charm of Sumiati's stage presence as desired by the audience
was directed by Teguh to wear a kebaya and have her hair done up in a bun
Those were the first steps for Sumiati as Sri Panggung or Srimulat's prima donna
Sumiati began to be tested by Teguh to play with comedy stars Srimulat
Of course Sumiati is still very green in the world of comedy stage compared to the Srimulat old crack lineup
Teguh only assigned Sumiati to walk across the stage as a coffee bearer in one scene
it was a kind of test by Teguh and Sumiati passed
The benchmark was when the building shook when Sumiati appeared
Sumiati got a sore throat or had a sore throat
but Teguh still assigned Sumiati to go on stage even though she didn't get any dialogue parts
Teguh is very good at arranging roles according to the conditions of the players
Sumiati remembers the Srimulat theater stage as a true showcase of life
The personal issues of the actors often surface on stage
Both are figures dressed in women's clothing
Their voices are not made up to sound feminine
but are left natural like their voices as everyday men
Kardjo wore a rolled up kebaya like ladies
but her demeanor and character were one hundred percent male
arep bal-balan (want football)." Or sometimes “Arep is screwing brick,” all of which indicate masculine activity
”You don't know that they were being invaded by the Japanese
(You've never been beaten up by the Japanese have you?).” Tessy dresses like a girl but is not prettier or beautified
The body remains stocky and the fingers wear agate with a rock that seems frightening
Teguh designs characters like them with a formula
The peculiarity is not only limited to physical features
Abimanyu is a figure of Srimulat whose ability to speak in Indonesian flows like water
Comedian Srimulat is not incapable of speaking Indonesian
They are able to speak Indonesian for daily conversations
perhaps Indonesian is not the language of comedy stage for some of them
"What's thatuu...?" The words were delivered with pursed lips and a finger pointing at his forehead
He then paused for a moment to continue the answer
Srimulat is a combination of the artist's stage intelligence and Teguh's foresight as his "handler"
Teguh knows very well the strength of each of his men
The players are very sensitive and have fast reflexes in responding to the situation
They are good at improvising with situations that are created
As Teguh says as quoted in the book Racing in Comedy and Melody
"Improvisational moves are jokes in themselves..."
laughter was born that made the audience happy
is society protecting itself with a smile (We can say
comedy is a society that protects itself with a smile)."