FADING INTO OBSCURITY

Hanging directly above the head was the single source of illumination — an oil-lamp fitted with a reflector. Towards the late 1960s and early 1970s, this traditional contraption slowly gave way to the brighter and more consistent motorcar headlamp which hung from the roof by a wire connected to a 12 volt battery nearby.

A small orchestra made up of between five to six players sat at the back of the stage and accentuated the puppets‘ movements with their performance on drums, a gong, a flageolet and sometimes a Malay violin.

Up until the early 1970s, it was common to see wayang kulit performances at important social occasions like weddings, births and circumcisions especially in the east coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu. During these events, it was very rare for the

to complete his story in a single night. Epic tales like the and were always presented serially and the performance generally lasted three nights unless the host was a person of considerable means.

The traditional way of holding the wayang kulit in the past was that one man, a family or even the entire village would shoulder the expenses incurred. This method was generally known as (free performance for the audience), Occasionally,

would be held by a group of persons wishing to sell refreshments. As a result, they pooled their resources to fund the show. for it to be organised as a business enterprise. The mechanics involved an entrepreneur renting a plot of land, fencing it off and at the same time inviting a and his troupe to perform. The agreement would perhaps be for a fixed period of time like a week or 10 days or alternatively, for an indefinite period, as long as there was still profit to be made.

This way a popular may hold court in a permanent location for as long as several months. Back in the 1970s, deals struck in this manner could yield the troupe a guaranteed nightly performance fee of up to RM70, depending on the distance from the

home and the duration of the performance. Thus, at an area near home, a fee of RM100 for three nights was considered normal.

The businessman would then sell oneprice tickets at the gate, costing between 10 to 30 sen each. Revenue could also be collected from refreshment sellers who wished to participate in the venture. This was a win-win situation for everyone especially if a famous was performing. A nightly attendance of around 800 people in this instance wouldn’t be surprising.

A good would often attempt to assess his audience and their wishes. Through experience, he knows that the older people attend with the hope of hearing a good story while the younger generation generally preferred romantic tales. Children, however, enjoyed themes that revolved around comedy and battle. The or his assistant would conduct a last minute survey of the people present and only at that point of time would decide upon the tale to tell. Depending