Disclaimer: This review is part of my personal takes on the works presented at Pesta ARTI 2.0. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer (i.e. me, myself and I) and do not reflect the views of the organizers, jury, or any affiliated parties. The intention is to engage critically with the work while supporting the growth of indie theater.
Team 1:
Written and directed by Faiq Irfan
They used the term “dari minda” or “from the mind of” Faiq Irfan, which kinda signaling that it may not be wholly written by Faiq Irfan. Could it be a semi-devised play of some sort? I have to be frank that I don’t have enough experience to be able to differentiate between a devised/semi-divised play from a conventional one. But for easier writing, I will take Faiq Irfan as the writer and director. This is justified, in some way, by the fact that during the curtain call, Faiq Irfan was introduced as “penulis dan pengarah.”
The performance for me is adequate. However, I believe that the weakest point of the play is the story and its writing. The premises and character backstories are underdeveloped, resulting in a weak foundation for the story. The pacing feels overly slow, and some parts come across as repetitive without adding much depth. Luckily, the premises used is a common theme of the sci-fi post-apocalyptic bunker genre, so it’s not difficult to follow.
The premise ticks familiar boxes of the genre; distrust among survivors, unclear truths, and the eventual reveal of the bunker's dark truth. However, the development of character motivations, relationships, and interpersonal conflicts feels lacking. The presentation somehow dragged the pacing rather than enriched the narrative, making the exposition feel more burdensome than revealing. While the world-building holds up, the emotional stakes could be heightened with more efficient narrative and better presentation of tension between the characters.
For me, a script is the foundation, especially for aspiring directors. Everything builds from there. So when the script isn't strong, it's hard for the performers to bring much to the table. That’s exactly what I felt when watching the show. Of course, there are cases where a weak script can be elevated by a sharp directorial vision but that wasn’t the case that time.
The character Ravi was a risky one, mainly because it relied heavily on a distinct accent. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work. I could sense what the character was supposed to be and the actor clearly attempted to show that through his speech but I ended up hearing at least four different accents mixed in. The inconsistency was distracting instead of enriching the performance.
Another thing that, I think, should be reconsidered with stories like this, it’s probably wiser to avoid including real-world references, especially brand logos on food packaging or laptops. Small as they may seem, these details can break the illusion and disrupt the world-building.
Bunker 501 shows ambition in concept but struggles in execution, particularly in its writing and narrative structure. While the genre framework offers a familiar entry point, the underdeveloped character arcs and sluggish pacing weigh down its potential. The performances did what they could within the limits of the script, but perhaps a stronger directing and clearer narrative choices could have elevated the piece, especially in crafting tension, shaping character dynamics, and sustaining the world it seeks to build.
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