The Temulawak 2026 musical theatre production by PPIA Victoria brings a different take on the Bandung Sea of Fire story.
On Saturday, 15 August 2026, PPIA Victoria once again staged its annual musical theatre production, Temulawak, in St Kilda, Melbourne. This year, the performance was titled "Riuh di Bawah Langit Merah" (Uproar Beneath the Red Sky), set against the backdrop of the historic Bandung Lautan Api (Bandung Sea of Fire) of 1946.
Unlike typical portrayals of the historical event, this year's Temulawak highlighted the conflict of a warrior named Denzel, who faces two choices: fighting for his country or protecting his younger sister, Sekar. The dilemma between the call of duty to one's nation and responsibility towards family is a real struggle often experienced by fighters around the world.
On the night of the performance, SBS Indonesian was present and set up a booth at the venue. After the show, SBS Indonesian interviewed six audience members: Luna Kirana, Ramzy, Adjie, Bian, Soraya, and Salsabyla.
The audience expressed their admiration at seeing an Indonesian-language musical theatre production staged in Australia. They also shared their pride in watching the cast, who are Indonesian students, perform on stage.
The audience also appreciated the storyline, which offered a different perspective on the Bandung Lautan Api story by focusing on the struggle between a warrior's duty and family bonds.
Listen to the full interviews in this podcast.
