Makassar, September 5, 2024 – Dr. Rosmah Tami, S.Ag., M.Se., M.A., Head of the Department of English Language and Literature at UIN Alauddin Makassar, took center stage as a speaker at the highly anticipated “Presentation of Observers/Writers on Theater Class: The Shirotama Hitsujiya Class” event, held at the historic Fort Rotterdam in Makassar. The event, which took place on Thursday, September 5, 2024, was attended by a group of passionate theater directors, eager to engage with the innovative ideas presented.

During the event, renowned Japanese theater director Shirotama Hitsujiya introduced a unique concept of theater that is performed in trams and along tram routes in Sapporo, Japan. The tram becomes both a stage and a moving space where actors and audience members blend with daily life. Passengers come and go, seemingly unaware of the performance unfolding around them. This innovative approach allows the audience to observe and reflect on the simple moments of everyday life.

Hitsujiya's work seeks to bring everyday realities into focus, inviting audiences to contemplate, accept, and celebrate the ordinary. As she stated, “theater lives as a bearer of hope for tomorrow, nurturing and preserving the flame of aspirations so it never goes out.”

Dr. Rosmah, in her speech, highlighted the importance of theater as a medium to explore not just the past and present but also the future. She drew an analogy between artists and scientists, stating, “Both pursue long-term observations and experiments, but while scientists use advanced tools, artists use their own bodies as instruments to embody personas of the past and future, allowing them to bring these experiences into the present.”

From August 29 to September 5, 2024, Shirotama Hitsujiya led an intensive theater class attended by sixteen directors from across Indonesia. Throughout this week-long engagement, the directors explored how theater can offer not only performances but also healing and reflection. Shirotama shared that directors often absorb the energy and trauma of objects or people through their bodies, and suggested playback theatre as a form of therapy to help them reconnect with their true selves. Her mantra, “shed the persona you are playing, return to yourself,” resonated with many in the room.

The final performance, held on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, drew an enthusiastic audience who gathered at Fort Rotterdam. Shirotama's unconventional directorial style was evident as the directors performed in various locations around the fort, using the ancient ruins as their stage. Without elaborate sets, the performers embraced the energy of the fort’s old walls, resonating with the history embedded within them.

The theater production, titled This Place is the First Place You’ve Ever Seen, unfolded in four different sites within the fort. The first performance, by the group Pallu Basa, explored themes of frustration and stagnation, particularly addressing the unrest caused by students in Makassar. The audience was invited to reflect on the challenges of expression in a city where conflict is a recurring theme.

Audiences were guided from site to site, becoming active participants in the performance. Accompanied by drumming and chants, they moved through the fort, experiencing the history and spirit of the place. The final scene evoked a journey through time, offering a space for rest and reflection. The play concluded with a celebration of childhood innocence, as music from the performers' past brought the evening to a close, leaving audiences transformed by the sacred journey they had witnessed.

Much like Shirotama’s tram theater in Sapporo, the performance in Makassar encouraged the audience to view life as a pilgrimage. Every encounter, every place, every moment is part of a journey to be observed, understood, and celebrated.

The event was a unique fusion of Eastern spirituality, Japanese theater traditions like Noh and Kyogen, and modern reflections on the role of theater in today’s world. Shirotama’s emphasis on the importance of listening and her minimalist directorial approach provided the sixteen Indonesian directors with new insights and experiences, ensuring that their future work will carry forward the lessons learned in this extraordinary class.

~Arbii (Intern)