Sangkuni , wood carving , Wayang klitik , Central Java , Early 20th Century

A Wayang Purwa performance is a complicated compound of very diverse elements. It is a shadow-show and a puppet play requiring the greatest possible dexterity on the part of the dalang, particularly in the fighting scenes. It is a recital of both classical and modern Javanese music, both vocal and orchestral. Further, a number of classical prose poems, known and loved by the Javanese public and composed of the most beautiful language, are declaimed to soft music by the dalang. The performance is enlivened by clowning, often ad lib; and usually some slap-stick. It also contains comment on current affairs, local, national, and even international. In addition to all of which, the point of the entire performance is ethical education and character-building.

The “Eleven-Eleven” system is a good way of describing how all these elements fit together in a performance.

The first “Eleven” is composed of the dramatis personae and the equipment already described above. The second “Eleven” enumerates the audio-visual effects obtained in action. All of the first “Eleven” are visible only from the dalang’s side of the screen, but the second “Eleven” can be better enjoyed from the shadow side.

The two sides of the system are listed as follows hereunder:

Dramatis Personae And Equipment

1 Dalang – The leading artist
2 Niyaga – Musicians
3 Pesinden – Women Singers
4 Wayang – Puppet
5 Kelir - Screen
6 Blencong – Oil Lamp
7 Dhebog – Banana Boles
8 Kotak – Wooden Chest
9 Chempala – Wooden Knocker
10 Kepyak – Metal Rattles
11 Gamelan – Orchestra instruments

Audio-Visual effect

1 Sabetan – Puppet Movements
2 Janturan – Declaimed narration
3 Chariyos – Narration
4 Ginem – Dialogue
5 Suluk – Mood-setting songs
6 Tembang – Songs
7 Dodogan – Knocking sounds on wood
8 Kepyakan – Mettalic Rattling
9 Gending – Melodies
10 Gerong Male Chorus
11 Sindenan – Songs by the pesinden

The screen, or "kelir", is made of white cotton with borders all round it, usually red, but sometimes blue, black, green or even patterned. The border at the bottom, which represents the ground or floor of the “stage”, is 8 to 10 centimeters wide, while the side and top borders are a little wider. Sometimes, there is an ornate but sturdy wooden frame for the screen, decorated with fret – work and serpents running across the top. This frame is equipped with hooks to which the screen is tied and it is also provided with an attachment for the lamp.

Not all of the screen is used for the action. Clearly, the dalang, seated cross-legged in front of the screen, could not manipulate the puppets over so wide an expense. An area in the centre of the screen, about 1.6 meters wide, is left vacant for “ the stage “, whilst puppets not in use are stood up in a row to right and left, with the “good” characters on the dalang’s right and the “bad” ones on his left . The puppets to be used in the play are either placed in the wooden chest on his left or, on the dalang’s right-hand side, in the lid of the chest.

Traditionally, the lamp used for a Wayang Purwa performance burnt coconut oil with a cotton-like wick floating in it, similar in style to oil-lamps known the whole world over in ancient times. But the lamp itself, the container for the oil, or blenchong as it called, is nothing but Indonesian. It takes the form of the mythical Garuda eagle, made of bronze or brass; it has a crowned head, the wings are spread in flight and the tail is raised, so that the light from the wick, which usually issues from the Garuda’s open beak, is all thrown forward onto the screen.

Since the performance lasts for around 9 hours, the oil in the blencong has to be replenished several times, while the wick must be trimmed and lengthened. This is an additional task for the dalang, for the lamp is approximately above his head.

These are good enough reasons for switching to electric lighting, which is also more powerful. But, if the shadows are therefore more distinct, so that they can be seen from a greater distance by a larger audience, the quality of the shadows is changed. The depth of shadows is constant and the shadows no longer flicker, so that some of the mystery and some of the artistic quality is lost from the shadow side of the screen. In contras, however, from the dalang’s side of the screen, where increasing numbers of people prefer to sit today, the coloring of the puppets appears brighter. In the case of the rare performances given with puppets encrusted with jewels, of course this splendor flashes all the brighter under an electric light.