PI00002118

Shadow Play is a traditional theatre that uses light and shadow. There are opinions that say that this theatre originated from Java Island, Indonesia and there are others who say it came from Pattani in southern Thailand. However, it has become a traditional theatre for the Malay community since ages ago. A Shadow Play performance is headed by a Tok Dalang who moves puppets sculptured from cow hide based on specific characters. The puppets are projected behind a screen or white cloth using light rays. Tok Dalang’s greatness is also his ability to converse in a myriad of voices according to the characters in every performance. Shadow Play is performed with music accompaniment with the purpose to assist in enlivening the characters played and to portray the environment happening at a particular scene. Commonly used musical instruments are the clarinet which is the main instrument, a number of various types of drums, cymbal and gong. The musical instruments are different between Kelantan’s Shadow Play, Porwo Shadow Play of Johor and Gedek Shadow Play of Kedah. Although the basics are the same but the variation is in the type of drum, for example. Among the songs often played accompanying this arts form are ‘Lagu Bertabuh’, ‘Perang’, ‘Seri Rama’, ‘Kabar Manja’, ‘Buluh Seruas’, and ‘Pandan Wangi’. Generally, the stories played are excerpts from the Ramayana and Mahabrata Epic collections. The popular characters are Seri Rama, Siti Dewi, Wak Long, Pak Dogol and Hanuman. A performance is usually held in the evening. However, the function of Shadow Play is diminishing since the appearance of television that has various interesting programmes. The master activists too are becoming sidelined by the society. Once in a while Tok Dalang returns to the stage and screen when there is a request.

PI00002120

Shadow Play is a traditional theatre that uses light and shadow. There are opinions that say that this theatre originated from Java Island, Indonesia and there are others who say it came from Pattani in southern Thailand. However, it has become a traditional theatre for the Malay community since ages ago. A Shadow Play performance is headed by a Tok Dalang who moves puppets sculptured from cow hide based on specific characters. The puppets are projected behind a screen or white cloth using light rays. Tok Dalang’s greatness is also his ability to converse in a myriad of voices according to the characters in every performance. Shadow Play is performed with music accompaniment with the purpose to assist in enlivening the characters played and to portray the environment happening at a particular scene. Commonly used musical instruments are the clarinet which is the main instrument, a number of various types of drums, cymbal and gong. The musical instruments are different between Kelantan’s Shadow Play, Porwo Shadow Play of Johor and Gedek Shadow Play of Kedah. Although the basics are the same but the variation is in the type of drum, for example. Among the songs often played accompanying this arts form are ‘Lagu Bertabuh’, ‘Perang’, ‘Seri Rama’, ‘Kabar Manja’, ‘Buluh Seruas’, and ‘Pandan Wangi’. Generally, the stories played are excerpts from the Ramayana and Mahabrata Epic collections. The popular characters are Seri Rama, Siti Dewi, Wak Long, Pak Dogol and Hanuman. A performance is usually held in the evening. However, the function of Shadow Play is diminishing since the appearance of television that has various interesting programmes. The master activists too are becoming sidelined by the society. Once in a while Tok Dalang returns to the stage and screen when there is a request.