The cinema may be the world’s most prominent entertainment, but recorded film screenings cannot match the liveliness of performing theater. Learn about three theatrical traditions beloved by their Asian audiences for their craftsmanship and cultural significance.  

Theater is a unique art in its ability to elicit both laughter and tears within the same showing. Throughout these three Asian nations the stage is a place where performers can bring imaginary worlds to life, or inspire their audiences to better their own.  

1. Japan’s Rakugo

Rakugo (fallen words) showcases a storyteller’s skill to enthrall their audience without the use of any costumes, scenery or special effects. Rakugo was developed during Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1868) by Buddhist priests who recounted dramatic tales to illustrate the impermanence of life and the sufferings elicited by materialistic attachment. Soon non-religious performers regaled crowds with parodied interpretations of those parables. A specialized sect of storytellers has emerged since, termed the rakugoka, who rely upon improvisation, exaggeration and, most critically, wordplay for their performances. A rakugoka presents upon the spartan kōza stage while dressed in traditional Japanese garb, and has only a sensu (paper fan) and a tenugui (hand towel) as props to aid them. With pantomime, voice and facial expressions the rakugoka will narrate one of 300 stories inspired by the realities of ordinary people.

The stories of rakugo are structured as back-and-forth dialogues between a set of archetypal characters and generally culminate in a funny climax. Popular character archetypes include cunning tricksters, miserly merchants, arrogant authorities and kaidan (ghosts or other apparitions). Each narration ends with an raku (fall), a humorous linguistic twist which serves as a punch line for the whole performance. Rakugo is analogous to a one-man show of sit-down comedy. 

2. India’s Nukkad Natak

From universities to slums throughout India, nukkad natak (street drama) serves as a medium of entertainment as well as social commentary. India has a rich heritage of theater which traces back centuries, but nukkad natak was shaped very recently among the country’s schools and streets. In the 1980s, left-wing grassroots activists started to put on plays for the lay public to highlight major social and political issues. Nukkad natak grew especially popular among college students who identified an outlet through which they could express their unacknowledged emotions and views. Nukkad natak has since become a channel for communication and information among the uneducated masses. 

Without any audiovisual equipment or cosmetic crew professionals nukkad natak troupes are forced to capitalize their bodies to the fullest. The troupers’ voices vary in pitch and volume as they undertake in constant physical motion. Troupes will not shy away from controversial scenes like sexual assault but will act them out publicly to provoke emotions. Some troupes dedicate their performances towards the portrayal of exemplary civic behavior. Even India’s private sector recognizes nukkad natak’s enormous influence on public society; some multinational corporations sponsor their own performances to advertise their products.   

3. Indonesia’s Wayang Kulit

Although its origins are disputed to date, there is no debate as to the renown wayang kulit (shadow leather) holds today in Indonesia and neighboring countries. Intricately detailed leather puppets are deftly maneuvered by a dhalang (puppeteer) between a light source and a blank screen to portray a story via shadow. Performances feature plots derived from a bevy of sources, ranging from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana or Mahabharat to the East Javanaese Prince Panji cycle. 

A show of wayang kulit may carry on through the night for eight hours and is usually accompanied by a gamelan bronze orchestra. A single performance may entail the use of hundreds of puppets, all of whom are designed with utmost faithfulness to visual symbolism. Puppets portraying noble heroes, for example, are crafted in accordance with the Javanese ideal of male beauty: slender build, long and pointed nose and eyes shaped like soya beans. A puppet’s colors represent characteristics; gold indicates dignity whereas white is the color of youth.

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Rohan is an engineering graduate from Brown University. He is passionate about both writing and travel, and strives to blend critical thinking with creative communication to better understand the places, problems, and people living throughout the world. Ultimately, he hopes to apply his love for learning and story-sharing skills to resolve challenges affecting justice, equity, and humanity.