 Tradition
Shadow theatre is an early form of cinema - it's visual storytelling. Its origins are inevitably interlinked with extreme responses to our perceptions of space and time ... the Chinese Emperor Wu, devestated at the loss of his favourite concubine, tried to regain her physical presence in space and defeat the limits on her lifespan. Shadow Theatre was used to project her into a time in which she was no longer able to exist through the spatial divide of a screen between reality and desire; between life and death.
There is a long history of shadow puppetry in the Far East, which has a deep spiritual element to it, discussed briefly in Spirituality below. In the West, Traditional Shadow Theatre takes on a more satirical role with the Karagozis tradition common to both Turkey and Greece, and yet, in its evocation of a utopian contrast through comic opposition, it hardly strays very far from its symbolic roots.
Modernity
Western shadow theatre owes a debt to Traditional Far Eastern Shadow Theatre - shadow puppets influenced paper cutting, silhouettes and other forms of visual entertainment from around the 18th C onwards, including hand puppetry.
Different light sources allowed performers to explore different techniques and effects - limelight, for instance, formed by a volatile chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen lit both avant-garde shadow theatre performances at the Chat Noir in Paris as well as magic lantern shows which were behind many popular entertainments in the 19th C, including Phantasmagorias - and many a fire at the establishments which hosted them.
With the invention of the halogen bulb, Contemporary Shadow Theatre came into its own. Performers no longer needed to be in close contact with a screen - hand-held lights allowed greater mobility and flexibility in terms of control and staging. Companies started to experiment with the elements of the form, creating moving screens, breaking through screens, exploring different types of lighting and staging effects. The potential for innovation within the form has yet to be fully realised, which makes Contemporary Shadow Theatre technique a particularly interesting medium to work with.
Spirituality
'...the shadows of the terrace of night - did you know them or not?'
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- (An excerpt from 'Dreaming of Yuan Chen' by Po-Chi-Li, composed eight years after her death.)
Death, epics, myths.
It is no surprise that shadow theatre lends itself to the treatment of these themes.
In Taiwanese shadow theatre, the music which accompanies traditional shadow puppetry shows is closely related to the music which is chanted at funerals.
In Java and Bali, 'Wayang Kulit' performances often last through the dark hours of the night, ending at dawn. 'Wayang' is etymologically related to concepts of both 'imagination' and 'spirit'. The repertoire both here and in India draws heavily on the sacred epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
In Cambodia, shadow puppetry shows take place during temple ceremonies. The spiritual aspect of shadow theatre is palpable in its original forms ... it works like a Zen paradox, to achieve a mental state of enlightenment through a balance of opposites.
'High and low, wise and simple, all busily hoard up the moments of life. How greatly they err!
Therefore I have to the uttermost exposed the bitterness both of Substance and Shadow, and have made Spirit show how, by following Nature,
we may dissolve this bitterness.'
(From 'Substance, Shadow and Spirit' by Po-Chi-Li)
Technique
Contemporary Shadow Theatre makes particular demands on performers. A simple, far from exhaustive comparison with conventional theatre will highlight some of the technical and artistic challenges performers face.
In conventional theatre, actors are used to facing the audience and interacting with them face-on. In Contemporary Shadow Theatre, very often they are performing in profile, with no clear view of the screen, or the audience. This demands a great level of physical control and trust.
In conventional theatre, lighting is the domain of technicians and lighting designers. In Contemporary Shadow Theatre, very often actors have total command of the light sources they are working with and have to develop skills of handling these to allow smooth transitions, gradual fades as well as other effects - often while executing complex moves and handling props.
In conventional theatre, costume and lighting design development and construction happen alongside but separately to the rehearsal process. They only come together towards the end during dress and tech rehearsals. In Contemporary Shadow Theatre, lighting and costume drive the production - they are the first things to be sorted and they have an enormous influence on the development and staging of a production.
These are just a few examples of how Contemporary Shadow Theatre, in many ways, reverses the conventional theatrical norms that actors are generally trained in.
At Shadow Stage Productions, we think this is exciting - how often do you have an opportunity to totally rethink what you've been doing? How often do costume designers and lighting designers get to lead the development of a production? How often can illustrators or model makers take full, active part in shaping a theatrical production?
With Contemporary Shadow Theatre, this is the norm.
Picture Info
Rehearsal Picture, Spring 2009
For 'Under the Arabian Moon'
The Roundhouse, August 2009
Storyteller: Leon Conrad
Musician: Sam Fathi
Photo Credit: Leon Conrad
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