Nang Talung
Shadow Puppet Theatre of Southern Thailand
Thailand vs. Java/Bali
Similarities
Ceremonial- Communication with the Gods
Begins in the evening- last all night
Puppets made of leather- roughly the same size
Arm movements-wrist , elbow, shoulder joints
Puppet master- training, voices, respect
Thailand vs. Java/Bali
Differences
Men in profile, but women full front
Orchestra
Story Line -Not the Ramayana…
Comic Characters- magical, power of Gods
Story Line
Unique to Thai oral Tradition
Influenced by classical myth and local folklore
Specially created by puppet master (Nai Nang)
Family problems, wandering heroes, romantic misalliances, abandoned children
searching for parents, a hermit teaching magic, impossible love affaires
Moral education
Social Criticism
Endings
No happy ending
Closes with family crisis
Unresolved romance
Story Line Cont…
Social values
Children’s gratitude toward parents
Mothers responsibility
Religion
Buddhism
Karma
Story Line
Other stories popular in modern Thailand
Good Son- Bad Son
Teenager influenced by western society
Wife against wife
Clown
Only Puppets that stay the same
Characters made from real people, then become part of culture
Revered like Gods
Social criticism
not good or bad
Ai Theng
