Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★★ (4.8/5)
Genre: Performing Arts, Puppetry, Asian Theatre, Cultural Studies

Book Review:
Professor Jayadeva Tilakasiri's ''Asian Shadow and Theatre'' is a labor of love, a lifetime of scholarship distilled into a single, invaluable volume. It is the definitive work on the shadow puppet traditions of Asia, written by a man who has not only studied them but has lived them. For anyone interested in the rich and diverse world of Asian performing arts, this book is a treasure.

Tilakasiri's credentials are impeccable. An Emeritus Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Peradeniya, he has spent over six decades researching, promoting, and serving as a consultant for puppetry in Sri Lanka and across the continent. This second edition, a revision and expansion of his 1970 classic The Puppet Theatre of Asia, is the fruit of a lifetime of travel, observation, and engagement. He has visited all the countries he discusses, participated in UNIMA festivals, and met with the artists and academics who keep these traditions alive.

The book is comprehensive in its scope. It covers the major shadow theatre traditions of Asia: the wayang of Indonesia, the tolpava koothu of India, the nang of Thailand and Cambodia, the traditions of China, and, of course, the puppetry of Sri Lanka. Tilakasiri describes not only the techniques and performance practices but also the cultural, religious, and social contexts in which these arts thrive. He is a scholar, but he writes with the warmth and enthusiasm of a true devotee.

The book is illustrated with photographs and diagrams, including a striking image of a wayang purwa scene from Java. It is a testament to the author's dedication that he was awarded the title of Kala Keerthi by the Government of Sri Lanka and honorary membership of UNIMA, the world body of puppetry.

''Asian Shadow and Theatre'' is an essential resource for students of theatre, Asian culture, and puppetry. It is also a beautiful book for anyone who loves the magic of shadow play. A fitting tribute to a lifetime of devotion to a beautiful and ancient art. Highly recommended.