Ludruk

Ludruk including traditional Javanese theater types who were born and raised in the midst of the people and based on the spontaneity of people's lives. Ludruk submitted by appearance and easily digestible language community. Besides functioning as the entertainment, performing arts also serve as a disclosure of public life supporting atmosphere. In addition, this art is also often utilized as the distribution of social criticism.

Until now has not gained certainty about ludruk birth place of origin. Attempts to determine this is usually always hit on two different opinions. The first opinion says that this art originated from Surabaya, was of opinion that the two consider that ludruk derived from Jombang. Both opinions are equally strong arguments.

According to several sources and ludruk among artists, arts ludruk embryos first appeared about 1890. Pemulanya is Gangsar, a character who comes and Pandan village, Jombang. Gangsar sparked the first time this art form and jogetan ngamen. He wandered and house to house. In these wanderings Gangsar then saw a man was holding his son who was crying. The man dressed in women, and this is considered Gangsar funny and interesting, so he encouraged the use of reason to ask these women dress. According to the man, he wore women's clothes to deceive their children, to make the child feel that he was being held by his mother.

According to these sources, an event that is the origin for the emergence of men posing as women in the arts ludruk. Another informant said that the last thing this odyssey began as a street singer named Alim. Like Gangsar, in wanderings, Alim met a man who was comforting her child. The man was wearing women's clothes. Diceriterakan that comes from local Alim Kriyan who then wandered down to Jombang and Surabaya. In the wanderings Alim accompanied by some friends. They shared the same to introduce the art form and jogetan ngamen. Then it developed a form of group Alim became an art form that contains parikan and dialogue. Because the dances are performed always stamped (gedruk-gedruk) feet, art was later given the name "ludruk".

In the days of Dutch colonial rule, known as a media distributor ludruk social criticism to the government. Social criticism is displayed through parikan (poem), which contains veiled allusions, called besutan.


Therefore ludruk called ludruk besutan who conceived him. In ludruk besutan disguised criticism not only social, but also the names of the players like Jumino, Ruswini, Singogambar and so forth. Besutan ludruk game composed of Tick (free dancing), slapstick (comedy), and besutan. In this ludruk unknown story intact. There was only the dialogue that developed spontaneously.

From year 1922 until the year 1930, ludruk been progressing with a gradual entry of the elements of a story in it. This development was heavily influenced by the circulation of silent film in Indonesia. Ludruk which has included a story called ludruk theatrical elements. Type ludruk featured scenes stories that reflect the community's life situation and environment. Ludruk realistic theatrical daring to express concerns about the people who are colonized. In addition, these art forms contain elements that promote the struggle. Ludruk own costume consists of red and white colors that reflect the national flag of Indonesia.

In the Japanese time to function as a media arts ludruk criticism of the government. This appears especially in the famous ludruk Durasirn Cak with parikan "omahe Pagupon virgin, Nippon melok added misery." With such parikan Cak Durasim proved successful people arouse resentment against the Japanese. Cak Durasim eventually captured and died in Japanese custody.

In the days of the Republic of Indonesia, art ludruk still alive and growing as a traditional folk art form of theater. Only if the period of this art sebeluninya serves as distributor of social criticism, in that time then it takes a transmitter function of government policy.
In addition, ludruk also used as media promotion of certain merchandise by a particular sponsor.

Performing ludruk have special features as follows. Ludruk all players consist of men, either for himself the role of men as well as to the role of women. Therefore usual role of women, the players tend to be formed into groups ludruk travesti. The language used in ludruk is an easily digestible language communities, namely Surabaya dialect of Java language. In addition, in accordance with the demands cenita, in this art form often used the words of Chinese, Dutch, English and Japanese. In addition to the players and in terms of language, distinctiveness ludruk also found in the passage, the decorations, costumes and staging sequence.


Ludruk story can be differentiated into two kinds, namely pakem stories and fantasy stories. Pakem story is the story about the leading figures of the East Java region, such as Cak Sakera and Sarif Yoso Pond. Fantasy story is a story written by certain individuals who are usually associated with people's lives everyday.

Ludruk decor is very limited. Among these are the home interior decoration, natural countryside and mountains, cemeteries, and weddings. Stage show with Geber, decorations and other stage equipment such as tables, guest chairs, sideboard, chairs the bride, and so forth. Costumes worn adjusted to the demands of the story. Therefore, each group has at least ludruk arts costume daily clothes, wedding clothes, uniforms and so forth. This costume is used in accordance with a story that is displayed.

Besides costumes, in the arts there ludruk gamelan simple device. The device is called sengganen mi gamelan, which consists of small gongs kienengan saron and demung, peking, router, small drum and gong. Gamelan consists of four people, each holding copies of equipment. There are handles and demung saron, Pekinese and successor. A small drum and gong each held by one person.

Ludruk scene has a typical sequence. Stage usually begins with ngremo. Kidungan (innate songs), bedayan (general dances), and the core story, successively followed ngremo the scene. In essence there are scenes stories Babakan replacement usually interspersed with humor.

Directing the show done in a loose and spontaneous. About an hour before the game, first director of the players who gather there. Then he explained the play to be played. After that, one by one player and was appointed as the actor visited a certain character. Furthermore niengenai acting director gives instructions and outlines and patterns of dialogue that must be performed by the player. If time is not sufficient, a certain scene is set at the time of the previous scene is in progress. If there is any player who originally appointed, but it can not perform its duties due to various reasons, the player can be easily replaced by other players.