HADESFADING(HADESMEMUDAR)AsiaTOPAseason27February–1March
ReviewExtracts
“DeeplyrootedinIndonesianperformancestyles,thisspiritworldlivesthroughanairofritualandstylisedmovement,throughchoricwhisperingsandululations,andaneeriemixtureofdroneandchime,percussionandsong.…ShadowplayhaslongfeaturedinIndonesiantheatre,andthis21st-centuryiteration–withlushprojectionsfromDedenJalaludinBulqini–isatriumph.****4stars”CameronWoodhead,TheAge/SMHFullreviewhttps://www.smh.com.au/culture/theatre/cosmic-spectacle-and-apocalyptic-majesty-in-the-land-of-the-dead-20200228-p545bj.html “PresentedatAsiaTOPA,thiscollaborationbetweenIndonesiantheatrecompanyMainteaterandAustraliancollaboratorsincludingproducerKathPapasandmultilingualconsultantJodeeMundyisathinlyveiledwarningaboutman’sdisconnectwiththephysicalworld.Perhapstounderscorethis,setdesignersEmilyBarrieandDedenBulqiniobscureourvisionofthestagewithliterallayersofgossamer.Inanearlyscene,achorusoffacelessvoicesappeartocomefromanarmyofpeople,butwhenAjiSangiaji’slightfiltersthrough,werealisethereareonlysixpeopleonstage.Fromthissmallbutmightyteam,wealsogetarichsoundscape,supportedbysingingandtheliveplayingofinstrumentssuchastheguzheng,berimbauandChineseflute.…thecollaborators,someofwhomhaveworkedtogetherformorethantwodecades,arewell-matched,withanobvioussenseofmutualrespectpermeatingthroughouttheentireproduction.…Thereisnosenseofwhereoneendsandonebegins,bringinghomethemessagethatweliveinthesameworld;sotooshouldwecaredeeplyforitscontinuedsurvival.”ArtsEquator(Singapore)Fullreviewhttps://artsequator.com/hades-fading-asiatopa/
“HadesFadingdrawsonGreekmythtoexamineanunfoldingenvironmentalcrisisfromanotherworldlyperspective.Inastunningperformancecombiningsong,projectionandabilingualscript,anextraordinarycasttakesusonareturnjourneythroughHadestoourownworld.ThiscollaborationbetweenMelbournianandIndonesianartistsdemonstratesart’scapacitytoreachacrosscultures,uninhibitedbylinguisticorphysicalborders.Byblendingtraditionalartswithmoderntechnology,Mainteaterandtheircollaboratorshavecreatedsomethingtrulyspellbinding.”TheIndependentArtsJournalFullreviewhttp://popculture-y.com/2020/02/review-hades-fading-hades-memudar/
“GodiSuwarnaasHadesispositivelyfrighteningandcommanding,capturingthesinistertonesofhisunderworldrealm.RinrinCandraresmiasPersephoneisbeguilingwhileHelianaSinagaasEurydiceprovidesanastonishingperformancewhichdemonstratesenormousstamina.Hercharacteralternatesbetweeninvokingtrance-likestatesandmakingcynicalgestureswithatonethatcapturesaverycontemporarybelligerence.Thisgivesherperformanceanamusingandsurprisingedge.WawanSofwan’sversionofOrpheuscarriesalltheregalpresenceofgreatmusiclegendssuchasElvisorElton.ThiscapturesOrpheus’sselfishpreoccupationwithhismusicaltalentwithastonishingcharmandthewesternculturalreferencesblendwellintothetraditionalelementsoftheperformance.Theeffectisdelightfullyflamboyant.AllofthesecharacterisationsarebeautifullysupportedandrenderedthroughthedelicateandfrequentlyeeriemusicperformedbyRiaSoemardjoandSiscaGuzhengHarp.”StageWhispersFullreviewhttp://www.stagewhispers.com.au/reviews/hades-fading-hades-memudar “HadesFading(HadesMemudar)isbreathtakinglybeautifulandincrediblyhauntingasitspeakstoforgettingthepastandlosingthelessonsofold,inevitablyheadingtoafuturewithouthumanlife.Thecastconstantlyfindthemselvesaskingwhatlanguagetheyareusing,caughtinamaelstromofspokenword,music,andvisualmessaging.Itmakesmethinkofallthepossibilitiesandinformationavailableinaglobalisedworldwhichweareignoring.”*****5stars,WhatDidSheThink?Fullreviewhttp://www.whatdidshethink.com/2020/02/hades-fading-hades-memudar-theatre.html
