Shadow Puppet Magic Part 1
The previous BACKSTAGE Blog post detailed a collaborative writing process to create a simple story framework with a beginning, middle, and end. To tell this brand new story, puppets are a great choice, with the puppeteers improvising the dialogue - to encourage listening, focus, creative thinking, and public speaking skills.
Of course, there are many options in puppetry, but today I’m going to talk about shadow puppets - a simple yet magical technique for all ages.
The photo shows some of my students (teachers) in South Africa, focused on strategies in the use of puppetry to improve literacy.
FIRST, A BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY
Shadow puppetry probably originated in Indonesia about 2,000 years ago. Performances feature a dalang (puppeteer) and gamelan orchestra of percussive and tonal instruments to accompany the show. The tradition is maintained today, with dalangs in training able to study in college programs as well as privately. Traditionally, dalangs are male, but young women are also training now. This is an extremely challenging undertaking as they must have deep knowledge of the ancient stories, which are very long and detailed, and also be able to improvise with the clown characters, conduct the gamelan orchestra with taps of a specific wooden mallet, and speak and sing in an archaic version of the language.
Traditionally, the shows may go on all night, with one single dalang.
I took the photo to the left in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in a large car garage (note vehicle in background), where private practice, including a gamelon orchestra, was going on. This young dalang appeared to be a teenager.
In this formal setting, note the dalang, with his back to the audience, the full gamelon orchestra with singers he conducts to accompany his dialogue, AND the numerous puppets he manages lined up on each side of the screen.
Villages exist where the puppets are made of water buffalo hide, using horn or bone as the support and manipulation rods.
In Indonesia, since the audience sits behind the dalang, seeing their back and the actual puppets placed against a lit screen, the puppets are very colorful and also have intricate punched designs.
This is Semar, one of the beloved clown characters. He has three sons. He is a teacher who uses humor to engage his students.
Shadow puppetry in most other parts of the world involves the audience sitting on the opposite side of the screen from the puppeteer. The puppeteer uses rods to manipulate flat, opaque or translucent shapes, often with articulated parts, against a translucent screen, generally lit from the side where the puppeteer works so the audience can watch the shadows on the other side of the screen.
The photo is of Richard Bradshaw, and well known shadow puppeteer from Australia. His work uses little dialogue, simple black images, and is very funny.
There are variations using projections, mirrors, and multiple image sources, giving an almost cinematic effect.
These are teachers in one of my workshops in Indonesia, using the overhead projector. The overhead projector is a fantastic and versatile tool for shadow puppets. They used to be common in schools, but now, sadly, are hard to find. If you find a dusty one back in a closet, don’t throw it away!
But, the simplicity of the basic shadow performance, whether translucent and colorful or opaque black, is mesmerizing, and can be accomplished with simple materials.
ESSENTIALS: A Shadow Screen and A Lamp
There are many options, but these are a couple of the simplest that can be constructed and used right away.
THE SHADOW SCREEN FRAME
A sturdy frame is necessary to fasten the light weight screen material to:
Corrugated cardboard box or project board: Stretch screen material over cut hole and attach with wide packing tape
Canvas stretchers from art supply store: Attach foot on each end with “L” bracket and 1”x 2” wood segment to stand frame on a table.
THE SHADOW SCREEN
Shadow screen material options:
• budget quality white plastic shower curtain (important that this is budget quality - if too heavy, the screen is too opaque)
• white muslin
• medium weight paper (for small screens)
ATTACH SCREEN TO FRAME:
Stretch screen material gradually around frame. Stretch taut and evenly to avoid wrinkles or loose areas.
For wood frame, place the screen material on the table, place frame over it, and wrap screen around edge of wood, stapling on inside surface of wood. Start in center of one side, then opposite side, then each end, working out from the center and pulling taut up to the corners.
On a cardboard box or project board frame, the best option is wide packing tape. There are some plastics this does not adhere well to, so test first. On a small screen, masking tape is another option.
LAMP OPTIONS:
• Single (two lamps may cause double shadow) clamp light clipped to top of screen frame, or to chair back or other support placed nearby
• Desk lamp with stand placed behind screen on table
* Overhead projector placed on higher table or shelf behind screen and performers. This is an excellent light source. Puppet control rods may be more effective done “lollypop” style, and held below the shadow screen.
Halogen lamps are preferable, but other bright lamps will work. For young children, place lamps with hot bulb high enough to avoid touching.
Experiment with lamp placement to minimize shadows of rods.
If no lamp is available, another option is to use the sun: Slant the screen down slightly and use black opaque puppets.
