k a M Synopsis
The play Ki Ageng Mangir by Toer is based on an episode
dating from late 16th century Central Java. This is the story of Wanabaya (the
young leader of the Mangir troops), his mythical advisor Baru Klinting, their
resistance to the spread of the Mataram dynasty led by Senapati and his advisor
Juru Martani, and their manipulation of Senapati’s daughter, Princess
Pembayun. Senapati and Martani’s goal is to deceive and ultimately destroy
the Mangir forces. According to Toer, the deceptions by the Javanese king and
naiveté of the persons in this story are repeated throughout Javanese
history. The events and characters of this 16th century story are similar to
those found in modern Indonesia. For Toer, the story repeats itself throughout
Javanese history much like the cyclical sections of gamelan music.
In Toer’s setting of this story, Princess Pembayun seems to represent
the Javanese people– respectful, warm-hearted but easily manipulated and
consequently, frequently deceived and abused. Shadow theater is an ideal vehicle
for telling this story. Each of the two main characters, Wanabaya and Pembayun,
struggles with the conflict between political or family duty and moral justice.
In the end, both are puppets of conflicting ideologies, caught between a physical
reality and the idealized world of shadows.
Synopsis
Act I
Setting: 1590s. Setting: The Great Room of the palace of Mataram, near Yogyakarta,
Central Java.
Senapati, ruler of the Mataram kingdom, agrees to a covert plan to capture and
kill his last and most formidable enemy, Wanabaya, the great leader of the people
from Mangir, southwest of the Mataram, capital. The scheme is devised by his
calculating, court advisor, Juru Martani, principal architect of the Mataram
conquests. The plan involves Senapati’s beautiful daughter, Princess Pembayun,
traveling to Mangir to seduce Wanabaya posing as a village dancer with a gamelan
ensemble of court spys. She is to lure him away from his mythical protector
and advisor, Baru Klinting, the only way he is vulnerable to attack. Pembayun
and the gamelan set off to Mangir.
Act II
The province of Mangir, Central Java.
The gamelan with the beautiful female dancer are performing in the villages
in the Mangir area. Wanabaya is very attracted to the beautiful dancer, but
his advisor, Baru Klinting, and the village elders are very suspicious of this
dancer and begin to question his commitment to his military duties Wanabaya
and Pembayun fall in love and Wanabaya must defend his desire for her and explains
to the elders that it does not conflict with his loyalty to the republic. In
the end he affirms his loyalty to the republic over his love for her.
Four months later. Garden outside the home of Wanabaya in Mangir.
Wanabaya and Pembayun have married and are expecting. She feels such bliss in
Wanabaya’s love but realizes that it is incomplete since she has not confessed
her true identity. Senapati’s advisor, Juru Martani comes to her and reminds
her of her duty as princess to the king of Mataram and that she should convince
her husband to meet with the king in order that peace can return to Java. She
has no alternative but to tell Wanabaya the truth. He is of course outraged
at her deception but from his love for her agrees to meet with Senapati. The
Mangir elders view this as an opportunity for the destruction of Senapati and
the Mataram court. They all head off to Mataram.
Act III
Setting: The Great Room of the palace of Mataram.
Juru Martani talks with Senapati’s father, Ki Ageng Pamanahan. Pamanahan,
the 90-year old previous king has seen enough of this cycle of killing and wants
all the deception and murder to cease. Martani and Senapati rejoice in this
day that will see the end of Wanabaya and the Mangir forces. They are sure that
Mataram will continue all-powerful from this day forward. The Mangir forces
arrive at the palace and this story comes to its tragic conclusion. In Toer
‘s words, “Does the cycle begin again, or does Java finally free
itself from its past?”
–notes by Steven Everett
[home]