The Martlet

What: “Geez” by Putu Wijaya
Where: Metro Studio
When: Jan. 21, 22, 23
How much: $10 for students

Chances are, most Victoria audiences haven’t heard of Indonesian playwright Putu Wijaya.

But for a few nights this week, they will have an opportunity to check out a show by the visionary genius, described by some as Indonesia’s Bertolt Brecht.

“This is not the type of show you can normally see in Victoria. We’re doing something really different here,” said Sandi Barrett, the chair of UVic’s Student Alternative Theatre Company (SATCO).

“Geez” is the story of Bima, a beloved community member who dies unexpectedly. While his family members and friends struggle to come to terms with his passing, he is miraculously brought back to life.

“I think that right there gives you an idea of the sort of show this is,” said director Scott Hendrickson.

He originally came across the play in 2005, when he studied it at UVic.

For the last few years, Hendrickson has been trying to bring it to the stage, which involved getting UVic professor Michael Bodden to translate the play into English.

He has also updated and adapted the script, something that Hendrickson believes is true to Wijaya’s original vision.

“They have a total different tradition of theatre in Indonesia … the script is more of a guideline. Every performance is completely unique,” said Hendrickson.

“Geez” was originally performed on campus last semester and nearly sold out its shows. It is now being remounted at the Metro Theatre, which has been converted for the show into a theatre-in-the-round.

“There’s very little distinction between the audience and the performers. You’ve got people hiding in the audience, delivering lines from the audience. It’s very inviting … this is more of an immersive environment,” said producer Tyler Longmire.

The show also showcases student musicians and an original score by UVic theatre student Jay Mitchell.

With a 14-person cast, original music, a foreign script and set built from scratch, “Geez” is an ambitious project.

But Hendrickson, who has been working with SATCO for years, believes that his experiences have given him the skills necessary to pull it off.

“I’ve put it all into this production,” he said. “I think we have something really new here.”