AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Turkish shadow puppetry11/29/2022 ![]() ![]() Performed among different cultures, Shadow Theater seems to have developed distinct regional characteristics concerning the main heart of the narrative, the combination of extra activities complementing the storytelling and the materials used in the construction of visual effects. Origins Shadow puppets reached Egypt through India, which in turn got them from China. Theres a white sheet of screen with a strong light behind it, and the puppets are animated. ![]() TURKISH SHADOW PUPPETRY FULLBut while Shadow Plays might lack a full educational concept in its basis they do have a moral dimension presented in a more or less clear way. The puppeteer is known as hayali which means imaginary in Turkish. Melancholic feelings for a long passed happy childhood or the lack of better activities are also to be considered as good reasons to join the crowd. Even though puppets have been frequently associated with younger ages, traditional plays in Shadow Puppetry are rather adult in content and this is perhaps one of the reasons why they attract different age groups. The history behind the origins of Shadow Plays is not clear but its geographic expansion unites continents into a common fact. For centuries, Muslims in Turkey have used shadow puppet theater as part of their celebrations. When Karagoz cuts the branches from a magical neighborhood tree, he and his friend are transformed into animals, and learn the importance of nature and protecting the environment. In Shadow Theater there is a common flexible dimension, in the space of reality, resulting from the interaction among the unseen one, who is moving the sticks in the backstage, and the audience, standing in front of a sheet of cloth, suspended by the rhythm of a plot where "performers" are made of leather cuts instead of flesh and blood. This gorgeous shadow puppetry performance brings an ancient Turkish tale to life with Karagoz, the hero of traditional Anatolian shadow plays. ![]() The puppeteer could be compared to a dualistic god, in-between light and darkness, performing all roles at the same time, able of being everywhere in just one place. ![]()
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |