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Puppet
theatre is a very old form of expression. It is found throughout
the world, and each culture has developed its own specific style.
Today, in the West, puppetry is often associated with children.
While it is true that puppetry is a form of theatre which enchants
children, we will also see that it can take many different forms,
several of which are aimed at adults.
Puppetry is
a fascinating medium which often combines several forms of art,
including sculpture, painting, design, writing, acting and music.
As for the puppets themselves, a wide variety of types exists. These
are most commonly classed according to their methods of manipulation
the means used by the puppeteer to make the puppet move.
For example, there are puppets which are slipped over the hand,
marionettes manipulated with strings, shadow theatre in which characters
glide behind a backlit screen, and many others. You can find the
principal types of puppets listed in the glossary.
The repertoire
meaning the collections of stories which are performed
the types of puppets, and the audiences to which the performances
are addressed, all help to determine the style of puppetry. As we
travel through several parts of the world, you will become familiar
with certain forms of puppet theatre which are recognized everywhere,
as well as different types of puppets. You will also see that, throughout
the world, today's puppeteers are being enriched by puppetry's many
traditions a form of cultural exchange which is inspiring
new forms of theatre, new materials and new techniques.
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The
Wayang Kulit And The Wayang Golek Of Indonesia
Indonesia
has a rich tradition of puppet theatre, notably on the islands of
Bali and Java. Two of the most important theatrical forms are the
wayang kulit, a shadow
theatre, and wayang golek, which uses rod
puppets.
The stories
which are performed are largely drawn from two Hindu mythological
epics: the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. In fact,
these two important literary works from India provide the basis
for the repertoire of several forms of puppetry throughout Asia.
Noble princes
and princesses, gods and goddesses, demons and wise clowns people
the many episodes performed from the epics, which combine daring
battles, love poems, philosophical lessons and buffoonery, in addition
to current events, local references, jokes and satire. The puppeteer,
called a dalang in Indonesia, is the undisputed master of
this form of theatre. He animates the shadows or the puppets, narrates,
sings dialogue and poems, uses a different voice for each character,
improvises jokes, and directs the gamelan an orchestra
composed of brass gongs. Such mastery does not come without a long
apprenticeship; for this reason, among others, the dalang
is a respected artist.
The
wayang is a theatre with several functions: although it is
entertaining and amusing, it also has a spiritual side. A wayang
spectacle will often be presented at events which mark important
changes in life, such as marriages, births or deaths. The performance
usually begins at sunset, and can last all night, with both children
and adults in attendance.
Today's wayang
performances don't always have a markedly sacred character, however.
International tours have brought renowned dalangs and their
companies to stages throughout the world. Several dalangs
have developed new repertoires or new forms, making the wayang
a living tradition which continues to evolve.
Western puppet
threatre has also been influenced by Indonesian puppetry. At the
turn of the twentieth century, inspired by the wayang golek,
European puppeteers begin to work with rod puppets and, today, these
are among the most commonly-used types of puppets.
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Bunraku:
Puppet Theatre Of Japan
In
Japan, a very particular type of puppet theatre, bunraku,
developed during the seventeenth century. In this theatrical form,
majestic dolls which can measure as much as 145 cm
are each animated by three puppeteers, in full view of the public.
While the puppets
play out the action, a narrator, sitting near the stage, tells the
story, interprets the voices of the characters, and recites the
poetic text. A musican accompanies the recital on a three-stringed
musical instrument, called a shamisen, contributing to the
dramatic atmosphere.
The art of bunraku
lies in making the puppet's movement so lifelike that the audience
forgets the presence of the puppeteers. In order to make the movements
of bunraku puppets believable, the three puppeteers must
synchronize their movements perfectly. To become a master puppeteer
the one who manipulates the puppet's head a puppeteer
must count on at least 25 years of training.
Bunraku
is an extremely sophisticated form of theatre which presents dramas,
often with tragic endings, in which the heroes must choose between
passion and duty, and between love and honour. It is a theatre which
is aimed primarily at an adult audience.
These
dramas, in which the characters are eighteenth-century samurai warriors,
aristocrats or representatives of the middle class, do not really
reflect the problems and aspirations of modern Japanese society.
In addition, Japanese artists have created contemporary forms of
puppet theatre which differ from traditional bunraku. Bunraku
remains fascinating, however, and the plays in its repertoire
written by playwright Chikamatsu have become classics, in
the way that the works of William Shakespeare or Jean Racine are
classics. So important is this form of puppetry that a permanent
theatre dedicated to the art of bunraku the National
Bunraku Theatre in Osaka opened its doors in 1984.
Bunraku,
with its unique way of manipulating the puppets in plain sight,
has had a major influence on the development of modern puppetry.
In effect, this technique is now often used, and has inspired several
forms of full-view
manipulation.
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