Reviving Javanese picture scroll theatre

Abstract

Wayang beber is a form of picture performance from the Indonesian island of Java. It has a centuries-long oral tradition, from its beginnings in royal palaces to finally finding its place in two villages, where it has been preserved to this day. However, despite the significance and the strong performative and ritualistic aspects that wayang beber had in the past, this theatrical form became very rare and unknown even to the majority of the Javanese. This article offers a historical overview of the wayang beber and analyses its existence today in both traditional and contemporary styles.