The Shadow Puppet Theatre of Malaysia - by Beth Osnes (Paperback)

About the Book

"This book explores the Malaysian form of shadow puppet theatre, highlighting its nature within the context of Southeast Asian shadow puppet theatre traditions. An examination of the Malaysian puppet tradition is provided, as well as performance scripts, designs for characters, instructions for a shadow screen, and easy directions. An additional section considers the practical, pedagogical, and ethical issues"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

This comprehensive book explores the Malaysian form of shadow puppet theatre, highlighting its unique nature within the context of Southeast Asian and Asian shadow puppet theatre traditions. Intended for a Western audience not familiar with Asian performance and practices, the text serves as a bridge to this highly imaginative form. An in-depth examination of the Malaysian puppet tradition is provided, as well as performance scripts, designs for puppet characters, instructions for creating a shadow screen, and easy directions for performance. Another section then considers the practical, pedagogical, and ethical issues that arise in the teaching of this art.

Review Quotes

"Demonstrating the skills of a seasoned storyteller, Osnes weaves a heartfelt narrative with scholarly research into the cultural history of Wayang Kulit, attending to the technical details of its performance while observing the communal spirit and traditional values of the art form's original practitioners"-Theatre Journal.

About the Author

Beth Osnes is a professor and director of graduate studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She has published numerous articles on the traditional performing arts of Southeast Asia.