Shadow puppet theatre in Southeast Asia

A In many cultures today, people view puppets as simply toys for children. In Southeast Asia, however, shadow-puppet theatre and shadow-puppet imagery, which date back some 1200 years, fulfil many roles – from ceremonial and ritual purposes to entertainment. Performances are usually held at night, and people of all ages and from all walks of life watch as a puppeteer creates shadowplots by manipulating puppets between a light source and a white cloth screen, while simultaneously conducting ...