Transforming wayang for contemporary audiences: dramatic expression in Purbo Asmoro's style, 1989–2015.

Abstract

This dissertation explores a recent development in the wayang kulit purwa (shadow puppetry) tradition of Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, known as pakeliran garap semalam or all-night contemporary-interpretive style. This style was created and debuted in Surakarta by the dhalang (puppeteer) Purbo Asmoro (born 1961 in Pacitan, East Java) in 1989. He spent the next decade developing his new system, and post-2000 it has became the most popular approach to performance practice among puppeteers Purbo Asmoro's generation and younger.

This research examines the history of Purbo Asmoro's style, its essential elements and identifying characteristics, his creative processes in developing and working within this style, and the effect his new approach to story-telling has had on other dhalang and on audiences. It also explores Purbo Asmoro’s musings, decisions, motives, and strategies. Most importantly, this work analyzes how all-night contemporary-interpretive style, in Purbo Asmoro's hands, has evolved into an entirely new system of performance practice rather than simply being stylistically innovative in a few characteristic ways.

Six live performances over a one year period, 2007–2008, is the primary source material for the analysis. In these recordings, Purbo Asmoro performed two different stories three times each: in classical style, contemporary-interpretive style, and condensed style.