The Excitement of Dewi Teater

Three years ago, back to the days team J were all still trainees performing Pajama Drive stage. Those moments were not a decade until now but so nostalgic every time I think that stage is always being used for JKT48 trainee’s setlist and somehow taken as beginners’ procedure. The stage gives all vibes of youthfulness, girls’ love, first heart break, and such, successfully given spectators the energy and sought into it. It’s like a Super Supreme pizza when Pajama Drive picked as everyone’s favorite, second, or third. That’s a thing supposed to be.

At 2012, JKT48 were still at their early shape and not much they could offer on daily basis except the awaited theatre performances. That year was still quiet and handshake event was hardly visible. Performance at live event or theater were things that keep them going. And then, from day to day, show to show, Pajama Drive was starting to become dull, in a sense that fans want another stage or simply bored because their heavy attendance, they started to wonder what was good for the next stage.

I was also wondering nothing different from that matter, and had a thought that another stage from team B (Pajama Drive is the third setlist of team B, hence called as B3) would be very nice for team J. Then I told myself that Theater no Megami (B5) was exactly my suggestion , even though that was a bias choose, I would to watch some certain songs to be performed by the girls. “Theater no Megami”, “Team J Oshi”, and “Yokaze no Shiwaza” were my lust. The latter had always been my favorite with its calm mood and soothing voice of Kashiwagi Yuki.

The wish finally has been granted in almost three years span after the stellar “Renai Kinshi Jourei” and tricky “Dareka no Tameni”.”Theatre no Megami/Dewi Teater” has finally became team J’ fourth stage since their debut. The management even have given some signs and teased with two of unit songs which have been already performed at live shows.

It’s better now or never, I couldn’t make it in Shonichi, but later having my seat secured at Wednesday night show (20 May) and Sunday afternoon (24 May). Fresh from the oven, crowd at weekdays’ felt like a weekender exercise, packed and full-house. Sunday was a bit loose, probably because there was more show and an official fanclub event.

Talking about the stage, I believe setlists are made in order to accommodate performers. In this case Theater no Megami is engineered to adjust all the mature and growing team B’ members in the past. In other words, this is a refined setlist which its content tend to display more composed feeling from the girls.

Indah at Wednesday and Cia at Sunday ignited both shows as the trainee girls who became the Zensa Girls sang “Romance Kakurenbo”. It was bizzare and good experiences to see the courage from a trainee opening the show with such an oriental and melancholic song, but right to the point where the fans can feel the difference between this show with another stages. Zensa Girls itself is an invention on AKB’ modern stage where its occurrence also happen at A6 and K6 stage.

Theater no Megami is a modern type setlist with four opening songs on roll, “Yuuki no Hammer” has dug the curiousity out of me with all the equipments the members had from flashlight helmet until the hammer. The next were “Inseki no Kakuretsu”, “Ai no Stripper”, and “Theatre no Megami”. All opening four song were not really hooking me at some points, but that kind which will grow on you if you have them on repeat. I can notice the members had layers on them as three different uniforms were shown and often they all lined up in the front. Perhaps, it takes time for team J to back to their usual pace again after weeks of non-regular performance, but it was a bit hustle on the stage to the extent whether team J were all dancing in sync or considerably unorganized.

Continue to the main course, unit songs were sort of a roller coaster. A typical girls’ love song “Hatsukoi no Konichiwa” centered by Nabilah was followed by dance unit galore “Arashi no Yoru ni wa”, and then the sweetest song of the day “CANDY”. “Locker Room Boy” was that part of the stage where an unit song could shut down certain members’ potential with an unfitting image. Shania has been through “Manatsu no Christmas Rose” and “Nage Kiss” with questions of appropriateness, and she had to deal once more this time. Revelation came at the end, Veranda had a solo stage with “Yokaze no Shiwaza”. Aside from her image, both were average performances. Stage presence and live singing are probably the points she should improve to make her part better.

“100 Meter Conbini”, “Suki Suki Suki”, “Sayonara no Kanashibari” were plain but offered some complicated tunes. This stage becomes better with time as the calm and warm “Shiokaze no Shoudaijou” wrap the three quarter of the show before encore. A slight note on MC, with all jokers around, team J’ capability at MC were still undefeated even Dena, Vanka and Rachel were enjoying themselves and looked like have blended so well into the team.

There is this one type of fans whose regularly watching theater performance just for some songs, even only one. Perhaps, this stage will suit to that type with its latter part. Team J recall the performance of trainee days by showing their performance with such fun yet cheerful mood. After all, this is a team B’ stage with their image of cuteness and appealing. It’s been a while in years since I pick excitement as a word to sum up team J’ performances, but those were as those have happened. This latter part won’t contend with Boku no Taiyou’s one, but you will spend your money with ease just to watch “Honest Man”, “Bokutachi no Kami-hikouki” and to claim that you are a “Team J Oshi”.

Months ahead are a competition with the fresh “Te wo Tsunagingara” and furious “Seisshu Bell ga Naru” which will also run the theatre and attract the audience. Two shows I had attended were fun and playful, and I’m expecting some fun again in the future. Improvement is necessary, but the most important point is the way of team J to perform this setlist. In a way, it is crystal clear that fun and exciting performance combined with the mature image of the team might be the best way for team J to showcase this stage.

The name of “Goddess of Theater” is a pressure, it’s like a dare for team J how far they can attract the fans with only their appearance at a fair race but getting neck to neck at the final laps setlist. But rest assured, because “Dewi Teater” were delightful.

Pic Ghiboo