Historical
Asian Clown Characters
By Bruce
“Charlie” Johnson
According to Jukka O. Miellinen, in Classical
Dance and Theater in South-East Asia, “Themes (of plots) are highly
ethical, and the mood is generally serious, although the whole includes comic
scenes with stock characters, slapstick, and even topical satire…
Clowns play a central part in almost all forms of theatre in
South East Asia
.”
This is a partial listing of historical clown characters in
Asia
.
I will be adding to it as I continue my research of this topic.
Knowing the names of the characters really does not tell you anything
about them. When famous scientist
Richard Feynman was a boy, his father pointed to a bird.
According to Feynman, his father said, “See that bird?
It’s a Spencer’s Warbler. (I
knew that he didn’t know the real name.) Well,
in Italian, it’s a Chutto Lapittida. In
Portuguese, it’s a Bod de Peida. In
Chinese, it’s a Chung-longltah, and in Japanese, it’s a Katano Tekeda.
You can know the name of that bird in all the languages of the world, but
when you’re finished, you’ll know absolutely nothing whatever about the
bird. You’ll only know about
humans in different places, and what they call the bird.
So let’s look at the bird and see what it is doing – that is what
counts.” Feynman concluded, “I
learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and
knowing something.”
While knowing the name of clown characters, and the name of the type of
shows they appeared in, really does not tell you anything about those characters,
it does provide a sign post pointing a way to learn about the characters.
By looking specifically for those names you will begin to find
information about them.
Ai Noi,
Ai
Tong, Ai Muang, and Ai Klang are some of the stock clown characters of the Nang
Talung shadow puppet plays in
Thailand
.
They are the most popular of the standard characters.
Each clown has its own characteristic.
For example, one has a constantly moving mouth while another has a
phallus-shaped index finger. This
style of show is performed by a large troupe of puppeteers.
The puppets, which vary in size from six to twenty inches, cast colored
shadows because they are made from translucent calf hide.
Bagong is the shy son of Semar, one of the Panakawan servant clowns of
Wayang Kulit shadow puppet shows in Java. He is also portrayed by an actor
wearing whiteface make up in the Javanese Wayang Orang productions.
Bángarakka is the female flirt, in Tōlubōmmalātā
style shadow puppets of
India
.
Her jealous husband is Jūttūpoligádu. In this style of
performance the puppets are up to six feet tall.
Ch’ou is a clown role in the Peking Opera. (See also Węn-ch’ou and
Wu-ch’ou)
Delem (Melem) is one of the four Punakawan, servant clowns in the Balinese
Wayang Kulit shadow puppet performances. He
is the brother of Sangut. The two of
them assist the antagonists. They
are also portrayed by actors wearing masks in
Bali
’s Wayang Wong productions.
Gareng is one of the Panakawan servant clowns of Wayang Kulit shadow
puppet shows in Java. He is one of
Semar’s sons and is distinguished by his limp.
He is also portrayed by an actor wearing whiteface make up in the
Javanese Wayang Orang productions.
Hudog is a clown, wearing a wooden mask, of the Kayan Dayak culture of
Sarawak
,
Malaysia
.
The clown has a duo role. It
is used during special occasions to attract guardian spirits, especially rice
spirits to bless the planting season, and to repel evil spirits.
The clowns also lessen sorrow during funeral ceremonies and elicit
laughter on festive occasions. Dayak
mothers often don these masks to scare their children into obeying them.
Jūttūpoligádu is the jealous husband of flirtatious Bángarakka,
in the Tōlubōmmalātā style shadow puppets of
India
.
In this style of performance the puppets are up to six feet tall.
Killekyātha is a mischievous and playful clown of the Tōgalugōmbeatta
style of Indian Shadow Puppets from Kárnatakā.
This style of show is performed by a solo puppeteer who moves from
village to village in a clearly designated territory so there is no direct
competition between performers. The
Killekyātha puppet is distinguished by a crop of hair sticking out the top
of its head. The puppeteer who makes
the puppet includes a tuft of his own hair when he constructs it.
As the puppet is handed down over the generations, each person who
inherits it adds a tuft of their hair so it becomes a direct link to the past
and all who have owned and operated it.
Malen (or Twalen) is one of the four Punakawan, servant clowns, in Wayang
Kulit shadow puppet performances in
Bali
. Twalen (Malen)
and Merdah are considered to have a divine origin and assist the heroes in the
stories. He is also portrayed by
actors wearing masks in
Bali
’s Wayang Wong productions.
Melem (Delem) is one of the four Punakawan, servant clowns in the Balinese
Wayang Kulit shadow puppet performances. He
is the brother of Sangut. The two of
them assist the villains in the stories. They
are also portrayed by actors wearing masks in
Bali
’s Wayang Wong productions.
Merdah (Mredah) is one of the four Punakawan, servant clowns, in the
Balinese 'wayang kulit' or leather shadow puppet theatre tradition. He is of
divine origin. Paired with Malen he
assists the protagonists of the stories. Like
Killekyātha, he is distinguished by a crop of hair on top of his head.
He is handed down over the generations and each puppeteer who inherits
him adds a tuft of their own hair so it is a direct link to all who have owned
and operated it. He is also
portrayed by actors wearing masks in
Bali
’s Wayang Wong productions.
Panakawan are the four servant clowns in Wayang Kulit shadow puppets
performances in Java. They are Semar,
and his three sons, Petruk, Gareng, and Bagong.
They assist the ethically good, most noble heroes.
The puppets are opaque with lace like perforations but brightly colored. The
colors don’t appear in the shadows. Traditionally
women and children sat in front of the screen watching the shadows while the men
sat behind the screen watching the puppeteer and the puppets.
In modern performances everyone can decide which side of the screen they
prefer to view.
Phra Bhun is the clown character of the Lakhon Nai dance drama of
Southern Thailand
.
Because Lakhon Nai was performed by royal maidens of the King’s Harem
the audience was restricted to the King, his guests, and members of the court.
Phra Bhun wore a grotesque red half-mask covering only the upper part of
the face.
Phra Bhun is also the clown character of the Lakhon Nora dance theater of
Southern Thailand. Lakhon Nora was
inspired by Lakhon Nai. Phra Bhun
wears a white loin cloth instead of being completely covered in the standard
costume of Lakhon Nora performers. In
Lakhon Nora, Phra Bhun still wears the red half-mask that is similar in shape to
Harlequin’s mask in the European Commedia del Arte.
The mask leaves the mouth free to articulate spoken lines.
Punakawan are the four servant clowns in Wayang Kulit shadow puppet
performances in
Bali
.
They are Twalen (or Malen), Merdah, Delem (Melem), and Sangut.
Twalen (Malen) and Merdah are of divine origin and assist the
protagonists. Delem (Melem) and
Sangut are brothers and they assist the antagonists.
They were also portrayed by actors wearing masks in
Bali
’s Wayang Wong productions.
Petruk is
one of the Panakawan clowns of Wayang Kulit shadow puppet shows in Java.
His is the son of Semar. He
is distinguished by his long nose. He is also portrayed by an actor wearing
whiteface make up in the Javanese Wayang Orang productions.
Sangut is one of the four Punakawan, servant clowns in the Balinese Wayang
Kulit shadow puppet performances. He
is the brother of Melem (Delem). The
two of them assist the villains in the stories.
They are also portrayed by actors wearing masks in
Bali
’s Wayang Wong productions.
Semar was originally an indigenous clown character in Java.
He appears on temple carvings dating 500 B.C.
He was later incorporated into the Wayang Kulit shadow puppet shows in
Java. His indigenous origin accounts
for the fact that he differs stylishly from the other Wayang Kulit puppets.
He is the leader of the Panakawan servant clowns of Wayang Kulit shadow
puppet shows in Java. He is believed to be of divine origin, a god in the guise
of a clown who uses kindness and humor to help the hero achieve his goal.
He is old, fat, short-legged, and flat nosed.
His eyes are those of a kind, wise person.
He is considered the most sacred and valuable of the Wayang Kulit
puppets. Semar is also portrayed by
a three-dimensional rod puppet in the Wayang Golek shows, by masked dancers in
the Wayang Topeng shows, and by actors wearing whiteface make up in the Wayang
Wong and Wayang Orang productions.
Teu is the stock clown of
North Vietnam
’s water puppet theater.
The shows begin with fireworks, and then Teu, portrayed by a puppet,
makes his entrance. A bamboo screen
stretched across a pond hide the puppeteers who stand in the water.
They reach under the screen to manipulate the puppets.
Their hands remain hidden under the water.
Twalen (or Malen) is one of the four Punakawan, servant clowns, in Wayang
Kulit shadow puppet performances in
Bali
.
Twalen (Malen) and Merdah are considered to have a divine origin and
assist the heroes in the stories.
Vidusaka is a slow-witted buffoon who is the loyal servant of the
spiritual hero in the classical Sanskrit epic plays of
India
.
He was paired with Vita. Vidusaka
is easily duped and is often the victim of Vita’s schemes.
The name Vidusaka means “one given to abuse.”
Vita is a clever rogue who serves somewhat like a court jester amusing his
patron in the classical Sanskrit epic plays of
India
.
He is paired with Vidusaka
Węn-ch’ou is a clown, often a servant, in the Peking Opera.
Wu-ch’ou is a military clown character in the Peking Opera.
Copyright
2011 By Bruce "Charlie" Johnson. All rights reserved.
