Shadowgraphy

When I was invited to a shadowgraphy performance 2 months back, I had no idea what to expect. I assumed it would be similar to puppetry. I didn't have the time or inquisitiveness to read about it on google/wiki either. I was also selling tickets to the show (it was organized for a cause) and obviously everyone asked me what shadow art was. I was more interested in getting tickets sold so brushed aside all questions with quick answers "puppetry you know" or "pls come and watch as I'm equally clueless"!! Little off the track, but I managed to sell all my passes within half a day. Collar up! Well, its a different matter that I targetted my hapless friends at work and coerced them into buying a ticket each ;-)

After I watched the performance, I came home & read a lot about shadow art. I got to know there are several styles involved and it is easy to get confused among them all - shadow play/puppetry is very very different from shadow art. According to wikipedia, shadow art originated in the Far East but was practiced in Europe more. In recent times, it was made popular by Felicien Trewey.  It is a form of performing arts and the only tools one uses are ones hands, a blank screen, light source and imagination! Commonly called 'cinema in silhoutte', I've now come a long way from referring to it as mere puppetry. In a matter of hours, I even found sites where one could learn simple shadow art sitting in your own cosy bed! I am not going to start creating crabs and snails right away, but I might try someday. There are shadowgraphers who even create profiles of Fidel Castro or Eiffel Tower in a matter of seconds. They would conjure these personalities or popular spots with immaculate precision there's no room for doubt. For ex. - Sherlock Holmes silhoutte with a top hat & a cigar. Do not be under the impression that these experts just create one profile after another sans relation. They weave a story with some real/fictional characters and as you watch, you'll be left wide-eyed and gaping! 

What I watched that Saturday morning was actually 'handshadowgraphy'. I am yet to find out the detailed difference between the two but I assume that in the former, one is allowed to use props occasionally whereas the latter only uses 'a couple of hands including ten fingers'. In case you find out more nitty-grittys, let me know! The shadowgrapher here started with a prayer and introduced 2 characters - a brahmin & a muslim traveling in a train and quarelling.  The subject matter of their argument is whether to  keep the window open/closed. The brahmin is only wearing a dhoti so he does not want the window open. The muslim feels hot and insists on the opposite. The TT intervenes and settles the argument by informing them that the window (glass pane) cannot be opened at all. Only the grill can be slid up or down. The brahmin then narrates stories to the muslim and they have a pleasant journey. This is all I remember (with little help from my friend). I may have missed certain details but I didn't feel any difference between watching a live play and a shadow play. During the course of the play, he switched characters with ease, introduced new ones only with his flexible fingers and modulated his voice with perfection according to the character. I don't know how many hours, months and years of practice went into achieving such composure but it was remarkable. Here are some pictures from the show.I wanted to make a slideshow but it was too much trouble for few photos (I don't have the rest).

Impressed? Next time I shall invite you, with or without passes. The shadowgrapher S is a musician by profession. On behalf of all my friends, I'll steal a line from Po (Kung Fu Panda) and say 'Big Fan'!!