Wayang Kulit
Wayang kulit is the popular Balinese shadow play and one of the longest running theatricals the world has known. For hundreds of years it has endured changes in politics, ideology and fashion - continually revitalizing itself and rendering the Balinese with a unique vision of the world and of themselves.
The elements of the performance are simplicity itself. a white screen, a flame, music, and flat puppets that move and tell a tale. Balinese audiences delight in watching their favorite characters in familiar quandaries. There is the bragger caught in his own lies, the old fool who isn't so foolish, the invincible hero who needs to be rescued, the gods needing help from humans, and of course the beautiful princess - abducted, rescued and recaptured again.
The shadow puppets are made of cow hide, carved and perforated to produce lacy patterns and fastened with sticks. The puppets and screen, a large white cloth stretched out in front of a low platform may be flat, but when all components of a performance are in position - light flickering from a coconut oil lamp, theatrical gamelan music, voice and movement - they take on a spiritual dimension.
The characters are all recognisable at a glance by their headdresses, costumes and facial characteristics. There are two main types - alus and kasar. Alus means refined and controlled. Kasar is vulgar and angers easily. Alus is not necessarily good, nor kasar bad; what is admired is the right combination of attributes at the right place and instance.
A performance is usually a kind of offering that marks the culmination of a ceremony such as a tooth-filling ceremony, a cremation, a wedding, or any other major event in the life of the individual or community. In urban areas, a performance may be two hours long. In rural areas where traditions are more important, a performance is likely begin after 10 pm and can last up to 5 hours. Farmers often go directly from the performance to the padi fields in the wee hours of the morning.
The dalang
The dalang is actually a kind of priest and is familiar with religious stories and sacred traditions. An apprentice dalang will spend years following teacher, often his father, learning the many skills. Gradually his understanding of composition, rhetoric and humor become natural. He must be fluent in high, middle and low Balinese as he will use them in all performances. The puppet master gives convincing and inventive explanations of local customs and events and must be able to evoke all moods, human and supernatural to create entertaining and dramatic effects. Last but not least, he must be an expert at improvising with comedy and timely commentary which is what the audience comes to hear. The majority of dalangs in Bali specialize in stories from the two Hindu epic poems - the Ramayana and Mahabharata but more often the Mahabharata which is a myth cycle about two families in the conflict over succession to the throne. Despite each side having valid claims, one operates from greed and self-interest, while the other is more altruistic. The five Pandawa brothers struggle to assert their best qualities pitted against the 100 Korawas, who desire great power.
The shadow play group generally arrives several hours before the performance. As they chat with their host and exchange the lastest gossip, the dalang quietly pays attention to pick up ways to adapt the story for his audience. He never announces which tale he is going to perform, and may change his mind if he so wishes.
The lamp is first lighted and while the musicians play the overture music, the dalang engages in special rituals and prayers as he makes his selection of puppets. The Balinese need no introduction to the characters as they are already familiar with the stories and their characters and recognise instantly them from their shape and headdress. The good characters look rather harmless and are placed on the right while the antagonists have frightful bulging eyes and fangs and are placed to the dalangs left. Major characters are placed closest to the kayon - the "tree of life" puppet that marks the beginning and end of major scenes.
There is singing as each character is presented. The starting scene is the meeting scene, where problems central to the evenings episode are presented. It is entirely in Javanese Kawi, the language in which the plays and ancient Hindu-Balinese texts are written. Then a gutteral sound - probably offensive or strange to a intrigued foreigner but perfectly normal and unembarassing to a Balinese! - followed by a slow, deliberate laugh. The kayon is removed, the story begins and the audience is taken through the episode, battles and all. There is much slapstick comedy, local jokes and even political references. But this is purely for the enjoyment of the Balinese and us foreigners would never understand a word.
At the very end, the characters dissappear, the kayon reappears and the audience leaves as quickly as it all ends. As for the puppets, they are put to rest in their chests until the next ceremony once again demands their dramatic performance.