Panggung Semar

Aspects of Traditional Malay Theatre

Although stretching back into the unwritten and often mythic past, traditional Malay performing arts have, until recent times, been almost totally neglected. In recent years, the subject has begun to attract the serious scholarly interest it deserves. Such attention is timely, for the principal theatre genres, including Mak Yong, Wayang Kulit and the comparatively modern Bangsawan, have begun to suffer decline. Indeed, many of them are on the verge of extinction and, with time, will come the loss of an important facet of the native Malay genius. This volume by an acknowledged expert on Malaysian theatre, Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof, is a pioneering work on the subject, an invaluable contribution to Malay cultural studies. It discusses theatre from the perspectives of history, performance principles, functions and problems that have contributed to the decline of traditional performing arts in Malaysia. Also included is a chapter on Semangat, the Malay concept of soul, a seminal belief whose understanding allows for a deeper appreciation of Malay theatre and its role in traditional society. A vital forerunner of several books on the traditional performing arts and cultural traditions of the Malays, this volume is a landmark in cultural research by a Malaysian scholar.