Wayang Kulit!!

[algae_al_fresco]

There is going to be a javanese shadow puppet play put on with full gamelan and everything at SFU on June 3 from 2-4pm. It will be amazing. Sutrisno came into our class and did a tiny little scene for us, and true to tradition, the higher class characters spoke a high form of javanese and the clown and servant characters spoke english, explaining

Comments

[lauzeta]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeee I want to go. Bet I can't though. I just know it.

[algae_al_fresco]

OOooh come! You will so not regret it. It is worth cancelling plans for - this is one of those things that just might not happen again yknow? I mean, it might, but, so awesome!

[kurrs]

For the record, the clowns are a balinese invention, NOT a javanese invention. When wayang moved to Bali, the problem was that no one spoke javanese. So, hence the clowns were invented and they spoke in Balinese to explain the action, thus allowing the main characters to continue speaking in javanese. Ironically, the average Javanese wayang-goer probably doesn't know what's going on because most Javanese people don't speak classical javanese. However, the development that Balinese Wayang Kulit took means that even modern viewers can follow (as the clown's language remained contemporary, even to the point of english being used for performances afar).

This is, of course, assuming that Hesslink knew what he was talking about, who is my source for this particular bit.

MORE: I just looked around online to make sure I wasn't talking out of my ass. I don't seem to be, but I am also too tired to explain more. We'll chat tomorrow about it.

[algae_al_fresco]

balinese invented perhaps, but still strongly a part of today's javanese wayang kulit. (apparently they use pyrotechnics and even occasionally use female voices for the female characters instead of having the dalang do every character.)