Shadow Puppets Today
Shadow puppetry is probably the most ancient of puppet forms. One can imagine an ancient storyteller annotating his story by the 'physical' presence of dark shadowy creatures cast on cave walls by firelight.
Still today, in our modern world of multimedia entertainment, the mystic of the shadow puppet theater is not lost.
Across the Orient, where shadow puppetry is still a very active art, the most common presentation is one in which the master puppeteer narrates the story, from behind the screen, as he and his crew perform the various actions through a host of elaborate puppets. Their puppet making skills are quite unique, ornate, and very elaborate. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, these shadow puppet performances, and puppet crafts, where a very popular pastime of many attendees who desired to take in some of the local culture, in addition to the Olympic games themselves.
Another geographic area that is steeped in a very strong shadow puppet tradition is the Arabian nations. The Arabian shadow puppet often uses a many faceted filigree cutout puppet pattern, allowing for a cultural uniqueness all its own. Like the Eastern shadow puppets, the Middle Eastern puppets usually tell stories of their culture, often religious or folk tales used to share morals or stories with the younger generations.
Why not consider continuing this
ancient art by staging your own shadow puppet show? A modern shadow
puppet theater is relatively easy to stage.
The basic needs are
- [1] a strong light source like a standard house hold desk lamp and standard bulb,
- [2] a semi opaque screen like an unfigured sheet, and
- [3] the puppets themselves.
These puppets can be as elaborate as you may desire, ranging from ornate figures of thin metal and colored cutout sections, to simple cardboard. Another category of shadow puppets include “shadow hand puppets” where the puppeteer uses only his own hands, in varying positions, to produce the puppets, and even the scenery itself! Even if all you can do is a simple shadow dog puppet, that's a start.
But the most common shadow puppet is a thin wooden or cardboard cutout to form the silhouette of the figures, props and scenery of the story to be told. It is most convenient to attach thin rods of metal or wood to the figures so they can be moved and manipulated as needed.
Another method often used is to create a slightly forward tilting puppet stage (rather that perfectly vertical) so that the various puppets and other devices can rest on an unseen rack at the bottom. This angle allows the various shadow pupets and figures to slightly rest on the screen's fabric while sitting on the bottom rack.
Taping or gluing an outline around the visual area is often used to create a beautiful, and theme based, proscenium that can only add to the presentation.
And, of course, to fit into this long and established tradition, be sure to retell an old, classic story that has passed the test of time. Many great ones, suitable for puppet shows, can be found among the works of Mother Goose, Aesop, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Anderson, to name a few. A quick trip to your local library would produce plenty of suitable material, both obscure and familiar, to serve your shadow puppet theater needs for years to come.
EPILOG:
Making shadow puppets and their own puppet theater can be a very creative and educational endeavor, providing skills, stories, accomplishments, and a lifetime of memories. Is it any wonder that this ancient performing art of shadow puppetry has endured the centuries?