Beck Javanese Shadow Puppetry Q1

What function do Wayang performance serve in Java? Does the contemporary emphasis on singing and clown scenes aid or detract from it's effectiveness of wayang?

The function of wayang puppetry centers on the role of providing a literary outlet for those that ahve no exposure to any form of literature. The wayang emphasis of focusing on the "elite" is seen as to be a contradictory to the heavily rural and "non-elite" of rural Java. Marshall Clark explains about the strict hierarchical system that is in place in Java influences the role that wayang plays in the the everyday construction and use. This is opposed by the use of the more contemporary clown scene to be in contrast with the regime at the time, and allowing wayang practitioners to subvert the strict lines of social hierarchy (Clark 160). The overal effectiveness is not harmed, but altered by this inclusion of singing and clown scenes. This is inclusion of these methods allows for a greater inclusion of critiquing a given power through the use of texts that may be seen as safe or complacent. Clark notes this by talking about the changes in the wayang world by noting the evolution of the wayang characters to that of "teenagers" (163). This is an interesting metaphor to parallel a given cultural performance practice with it's evolution to that of a teenager. This metaphor works well to the inclusion of clown scenes and singing, and I don't know about most people, but my teenage years were a time I explored concepts like music and comedy more so. But how does this use of these practices make wayang more effective. Well like being a teenager, the inclusion of a new form always makes stumbles and might even be a bit heavy handed in their execution of ideas. Clark points out the wayang play Arijuna Drop-Out, where the subject matter is very politically charged in order to get across the point of corruption within the Javanese government (163). Although this is a bit heavy handed, it is however useful for a culture to have room to stretch out what can be done with traditional texts in a contemporary setting. This stretching room also allows for a greater inclusion of texts that wouldn't have be considered before because of political pressure. Hopefully these angsty teenager stages of wayang will eventually grow into an adult and find a way to combine the political and traditional in subtle and nuanced ways.

-Jake Beck

Q2: What characteristics of wayang make it an art form particularly well-suited for presenting metaphorical texts?

Weintraub (2001) discussed the wayang competitions and contests in Indonesia. He goes on to describe the requirements for Sundanese wayang golek performance.  As he summarized the main points, the author explained the main factors of the wayang performance evolved around language, emotions of the audience, and a particular message. This type of performance must adapt to many different ages and socioeconomic status in order to get the underlying message across to the audience (p. 93). Wayang focuses the performance in understanding issues through the message of the show. In order to adapt to their audience, they must be able to interpret the historical stories in a way that each audience member will understand their underlying message. This type of performance would use metaphorical texts in order to help the audience develop their "mental and spiritual development"(p. 93). Metaphorical texts will help this wayang performance get their political agenda across to the audience without stating their political opposition right out.

-Miranda

Q2: What are the ramifications of such a union of political and creative power?

Q2: In these readings (and many others) Thai rulers and their families are cited as leading scholars, enthusiasts, teachers, performers, and innovators of Thai performance. What are the ramifications of such a union of political and creative power?

The fact that many Thai leaders are also a driving force in Thai performance (among other creative fields) is a rather concerning trend. The unification of political and creative power has been since in many countries over periods of history. However, to the extent that Thailand merges these powers is unusual and could create a great amount of ramifications.
As in many dictatorships, or monarchies, or any authoritative form of ruling, the government tries to merge its ties to religion, performance, jobs, etc. And the royal family will get the top pick in who does what and gets what. By merging government with creative aspects of society such as performance, an element of control rises. This control is something to be fearful of, not just in government.
For example, in merging government and performance, the authenticity and creativity of the performance could be pushed aside. The government controls what the audience sees, how characters are portrayed, and what message is sent to the audience. If a government is not pleased with the originality of the performance (which unless it conveys a political message, they probably are not fond of the performance) they can easily change it to suit their desires.
To be blunt, by merging political and creative powers, creativity and authenticity will be at a loss. There is no way that such powers could emerge without political influence taking over creative aspects. Children will learn as the government sees fit, scholars will publish works that benefit the political powers, and performances will suffer and lose authenticity.

What function do wayang performances serve in Java?

1.     What function do wayang performances serve in Java? Does the contemporary emphasis on singing and clown scenes aid or detract from the effectiveness of wayang?

Wayang performances serve social and political functions in Java. As described in the articles, wayang is used as a way to subvert the hegemonic ideologies of the ruling class. As Clark noted, performances are particularly effective as means for social and political critique due to the absence of other means of expression. Using a popular art form allows the underlying social and political messages to reach a wide audience. This idea reminds me of how music is sometimes used to convey social or political messages to certain audiences in our own culture. Music is also typically created for a very specific target audience, to whom the messages in the music are most relevant. Although the target audience of wayang is the middle class, characters in the performances represent the elite. By portraying kings and queens in comical ways, the performances poke fun at them and serve as critiques of the ruling elite. Clark also noted the importance of wayang performance in the fight for freedom of artistic expression and efforts to counter censorship in Indonesia.

I think the contemporary emphasis on singing and clown scenes can enhance the social and political aspects of the performances while serving as an additional element of entertainment for the audience. I think the contemporary emphasis can help wayang reach new and changing audiences and ensure that it remains appealing to younger generations. Although maintaining some traditional aspects of any art form is important, adding contemporary aspects can help an art form remain relevant and entertaining to a wider audience. 

-Jenna Barclay

Function of Wayang

It seems a frequent theme that writers, performers, and artists attempt to slip the bonds of censorship by voicing themselves through their art.  Knowing and understanding the actuating power of theatre, some countries and rulers have attempted to capitalize on its persuasive message by appropriating it.  Nazi propaganda, art, and theatre aided in the unification of a country against a specific scapegoat.

Wayang  performances also attempted to slip the bonds of censorship imposed by the New Order by inserting contemporary references and jokes into their traditional tales.  This critical commentary on the ruling class worked as a social movement and mode of opposition.  The opposition was even more powerful because of the position of Wayang as integral symbol of tradition and hierarchy in the New Order (Clark, pg. 165).

Similarly, Shakespeare fearing repercussions for the tone of his works set many of his plays outside of England (Italy, etc.).  This allowed him to critique the ruling class and its leaders from a safe distance.  For example, in Twelfth Night Malvolio (the Puritan influence) is degraded, mocked, and finally flees from the others in an embarrassed fury.  The social and political commentary is masked in the dialogue and staging of performance.

Contemporary references made through song and clown scenes increase the efficacy of the performance.  Though the texts are retold, as well as, traditional aspects of the Indonesian culture, these updates allow the humor to remain applicable to the audience.  These updates can also be used to draw connections dramatically.  Tony Kushner’s play A Bright Room Called Day contains monologues by the “modern character” railing against the policies of President Ronald Regan.  This was applicable, as it was first written in the eighties.  However, if you contact the playwright, he will send you updated versions of the monologues thereby making them applicable to a contemporary audience.  Modern references enhance communitas by making the scene relatable in that time.

- Hailey Drescher

Q1. Wayang performances serve multiple functions. The government has used wayang to unite the country. Clark discusses how a wayang performance was sponsored by the government in 1998  when the country was facing an economic crisis. The performance was meant to bring the country together and provide hope throughout the crisis. Weintraub also discusses how the the New Order government created the state-sponsored wayang performances in an initial attempt to unite a country that had been torn apart by upheaval and violence. In addition to the noble effort of uniting a country, these wayang performances provided an avenue for the party to spread its official policies to the masses. While the state has used wayang for it's benefit, wayang performances also serve as a method of critique and protest of the government. Critics of the Indonesian government use wayang performances to critique the policies and problems with the government.The performances provide an avenue that risks less censorship than a direct attack on the government.

I think that a focus on contemporary aspects rather than traditional wayang performances help the effectiveness of wayang. Tradition is great. I appreciate aspects of culture that existed almost unchanged for years. However, sometimes that tradition can hinder an art form from growing and improving. A focus on contemporary practices such as singing and clowning helps the art continue to evolve. Likewise, contemporary audiences may often find more traditional performances stale or old. A contemporary turn may ensure the continued popularity of wayang performances.

Ken Wagner

Question 1 Lakhon Phuut

Q 1. Lakhon Phuut is the equivalent of the western theatre based on the Greek model and the dialogue is spoken rather than sung. It is the most modern of Thailand theatre traditions and it is the most popular in large cities. The history of Thailand has influences on the Lakhon Phuut in which the mainstream of Thai traditional music is a composite of several cultures. Thai music itself is blended with Chinese, Indian, and Khmer music. Thai music was learned and handed down from master to pupil by the oral or rote method. Recently, this has not been the case since Thai music today is influenced heavily by Western music and theatre.

The upper class and the common people of Thailand took an interest in the musical arts. However, once the monarchy was overthrown in 1932, the royalty and nobility were downgraded in power and ceased to exist as focal points of cultural activity. Thus, any young person who wanted to play an instrument had to attach themselves to the household of a well known and respected player. This greatly increased the value of playing an instrument. I believe that the social perspective of valuing the performing arts increased more after the monarchy was overthrown.

Lakhan Phuut is most like the li-khe art since the Lakhan Phutt is spoken and the li-khe art is spoken while performed. Li-khe uses colorful mixtures of folk and classical music. Thai politics, melodrama, and slapstick comedy are performed as well. This is more modern and is similar to the western theatre arts. The language is very culure-specific and it is the most popular type of live theatre. I believe that it is the most popular because it is so specific to the culture, and this creates a solidarity for the audience.

The language of the people is important to the history of Thai. The Lakhan Phuut is helpful in conveying the rhetoric to the people and connecting the audience with the spoken history. The musical plays, in contrast, do not emphasize the importance of the "langauge of the people."

Submitted by Jenna Quinn

http://youtu.be/YVN-Df2Hatc

Q1- What function do wayang performances serve in Java?

Wayang serves serveral purposes- by using the Indonesian language instead of Javanese, wayang serves as outreach to the non-Javanese Indonesians in much the same way that immigrants to the U.S. use English in their traditional performances to expose English speaking audiences to the performers native culture.  Wayang also serves as a safe way to mock the ruling elite and escape censorship by using the fantastic stories of kings, queens, pricesses and evil villians.  The performances seek to reach and influence the middle class- this is reminds me of the big musicals during the war years in the U.S.  The stories were meant to remind America of the  middle class values that the soldiers were fighting for and inspire patriotism in the populace.  Maybe wayang serves a simlar purpose in Java- not the war part, but to inspire a feeling of national pride and "oneness"- kind of an "us against them" mentality that is neccessary when there is oppression in a society.

Does the contemporary emphasis add or detract?

The contemporary twists make the wayang more accessible to the audience.  An example is the one given in the Clark piece where a character used to just float away but now he gets into his jet fighter and off he goes- more dashing, more exciting, more alive, more realistic!  I think that the audience enjoys the newness and the updating.  This is very similar to the way songs are "covered" and each generation thinks they have found a "new" song- the kids are shocked when their parents sing along with the "oldie"!  Also, when movies are re-done using updated locations, songs, slang, etc- like the remake of "Parent Trap"- popular then, popular now.  Updating makes performances relevant to today's audiences.

Angela Thurman

Question 3

Question 3: According to legend, Sanskrit drama was created in order to become the “fifth veda.” The direct translation of the “Ramlila” is “Rama’s sport.”  How does acting in and/or viewing  these types of performances serve as a spiritual practice?  How does the sacred nature of the performance enhance or inhibit creativity?

When viewing or participating in dramas such as the Ramlila and Sanskrit, audience members and performers participate in more than just a performance, but a spiritual experience. The Ramlila drama is part of a common Hindu celebration known as the Ramayana. This religious drama uses the Ramayana of Tulsi Das as their text. One example of the religious attributes of this drama is that divine characters must be of Brahman caste because when in costume, Brahmans “will bow down to them and worship them,” (280).  

Sanskrit dramas use the concept “rasa” which the creator creates meaning for. This creates for a spiritual experience, because this aspect of the performance means that emotions are conveyed to spectators.  Rasa is about emotions and passion, and the experience in viewing it is a unique one to the performance.



In the case of these two dramas, I believe that the spiritual experience is essential to both the actors and the spectators. The performers in the Ramlila are normally amateurs who are paid a very small amount. Though, they do receive gifts sometimes from spectators, they are not greatly compensated for the work done in the play, so why participate? Well, I believe that the Ramlila’s religious roots create an exceptional experience for performers. It is the tasks of actors to portray religious text through music and singing. Furthermore, enthralled spectators also have quite a spiritual connection to the drama. As mentioned above, spectators will worship the divine characters, and give gifts to actors during the depiction of a wedding. Sanskrit is also a spiritual experience, where the creator portrays the concept of rasa and creates emotions among spectators.

This spiritual aspect of these dramas, in my opinion, enhances creativity in these dramas. Though, in the case of the Ramlila, the drama is bound to religious texts, these texts are not just read but performed to the audience. This performance features music, singing, and other creativities. In the case of the Sanskrit, it is very open to creativity with the very broad topic of rasa. 


-Monica Strauss

4. Compare and contrast the role of pandit in the Ramlila to Robert Breen's construction of the narrator in Chamber Theatre or Augusto Boal's Joker figure in Forum Theatre. 

The role of the pandit in a performance of Ramlila, resembles the role of Narrator in Chamber Theater and the Joker in Forum Theatre. The main expectation for this role is to move the story along. In Chamber Theater, the Narrator can take several forms in representing the actions or feeling of characters in a story, depending on the style of the narrator. As a first person narrator, the performer can serve as a major or minor character. However the first person style is not utilized in Ramlila performnaces. The pandit is more likely to take the role of a third person narrator. Third person narrators are categorized as Omniscient, Limited Omniscient and Objective Observer. From a third person narrator perspective, the narrator can report on the story, without necessarily being a part of it.

Although sometimes unnoticed, the role of the narrator is crucial to understanding a performance. In Ramlila the pandit performs the recitation which “carries the threat of the story and regulates what the speech and action of the performers shall be.” (p. 283) Due to the less strict audience expectations at these festivals, the pandit has to adjust his recitation to the behavior of the audience. In today’s Ramlila performances the pandit may use a microphone and amplifier to make sure he can be heard over the crowds. His main purpose is to narrate the action of the story while staying true to the verses of Ramayana. The scenes combine varying degrees of dialogue, action, and recitation. The pandit is essential to understanding scenes that would otherwise be indiscernible without the use of text.

The pandit in Ramlila also relates to the role of the joker in Augusto Boal’s Forum Theatre. Boal worked against oppression through the use of forum theatre. Forum theatre is heavily dependent on the use of imagery. In Forum Theatre performers involve the audience in the progression from an “actual” image towards an “ideal” image. The joker in Forum Theatre serves as a moderator between performers and the audience. The Joker makes sure the audience and performers stay on task in their problem solving process. In Ramlila, the pandit also serves to mediate relationships between performers and the audience. Through the processions in Ramlila, many local citizens like to join in on the action of the scene in Ramlila. The pandit therefore serves as a balancing figure to keep the Ramayana story intact and in the proper progression.

-Brittany Hale-

1. What makes the concept of ‘rasa’ critical to understanding Sanskrit drama?  Compare and contrast this notion of stimulation of select emotional states by performance to the Western notion of catharsis.

Sunil (p. 1) states "...poetic creation is an expression of the aesthetic
experience of the poet, and in this, Rasa represents the ultimate emotive experience
evoked by the literary work." Rasa is a two fold experience the the creator feels when creating the art, and the the experience the audience member that receives the art. The creator experiences an emotion, and seeks an outlet for this emotion. The audience member then feels this same emotion when receiving the art. However, the creator must deliver this emotion skilfully to have the recipient feel the same emotion.

Bharata calls rasa "the essence of art" (Sunil, p. 6). Rasa can be realized occurs when Vibhava, Anubhava, and Vyabicaribhava are in union and in alignment with with the Sthayibhava. I think that Vibhava and Anubhava are very important aspects of rasa. Vibhava activate the emotion that is conveyed from the creator of the art to the receiver of the art. Anubhavas are the external manifestations that result from the emotions conveyed through Vibhava. Vibhava and Anubhava seem to closely relate to the western concept of catharsis.

Catharsis can be described as an emotional cleansing felt by the audience after a deep emotional connection to the character on the stage. In other terms, the emotional aspect of a performance leads to an emotional change in the audience members. I can see Vibhava as the catalyst for catharsis and the Anubhava as the emotional change that results. Catharsis and Rasa are important to a performance because both create a direct link between the performer and the audience member. An audience member that experiences an emotional change because of the performance will continue to enjoy and experience that performance long after the actual performance has ended.

Ken Wagner

The Natyasastra identifies eight rasas with eight corresponding Bhava (mood):

Below:

Raudram rasa of the destructive fury of goddess Durga in Bharatanatyam

• Rati (Love)
• Hasya (Mirth)
• Soka (Sorrow)
• Krodha(Anger)
• Utsaha (Energy)
• Bhaya (Terror)
• Jugupsa (Disgust)
• Vismaya (Astonishment)

What makes the concept of "rasa" critical to understanding Sanskit drama?  Compare and contrast this notion of stiulation of select emotional states by performance to the Western notion of catharsis.

Rasa seems to me to be passion, understanding and accepting of the underlying meaning of art all rolled into one word, one concept.  "That which is relished is Rasa" (Sunsil). I take this to mean that to "relish" Sanskrit drama, you must have teh neccessary "palate" for it.  Rasa is the soul of the art, maybe even the soul of the artist, displayed for the viewer- when the viewer understands the emotions of the artist, rasa is present.

In Western performances, it is equally important to understand the motives of the artist if you are to "get" the work.  That is not to say that you can't enjoy the work without really getting it- I think that happens a lot!  But, if you get it, if you understand what emotions are being portrayed, the work will have a bigger impact on you.  I think about opera- the auguish portrayed when a love is betrayed, the sense of doom when one sees no way out of a predicament, the intense joy when love is returned- I think these emotions- indicated by the author, portrayed by ther actors, received and interpreted by the audience- also reflect rasa. 

The notion of catharsis in drama is basically about portraying intense emotion- purging or cleansing emotion- and arousing those same emotions in the audience.  Here is a clip from You Tube showing catharsis in action:

http://youtu.be/8vBslsDMaBM

Is catharsis the same as rasa?  Rasa seems to me to be more subtle while catharsis is more intense, more "in your face".  That being said, I do think they represent a similar concept- to arouse in the audience the same feelings that the author has when creating the work.

The concept of Rasa

1. What makes the concept of ‘rasa’ critical to understanding Sanskrit drama?  Compare and contrast this notion of stimulation of select emotional states by performance to the Western notion of catharsis.

"Rasa" describes the emotional theme surrounding a performance or the emotional state that the performers strive to instill in the audience. Rasa is the "soul of poetry" (Sunil, p 6), and is essential to Sanskrit drama as a spiritual experience for both the performers and the audience.
Rasa is a complex concept that can be imagined as the emotional experience that the creator of the art, or performance, passes to the audience. The creator or the performer becomes overwhelmed by an emotion, and if the performer is skillful in his presentation the audience will feel the same emotional state. This emotional experience can be associated with the pleasure, delight, or experience of art.
According to Bharata, the emotional experience or "essence" of art can be divided into 49 different emotional aspects (including general emotional states, "accessories", and involuntary physical reflexes), which together form Rasa (Sunil, p. 2). Thus, we can see that Rasa is very complex, combining multiple emotional experiences to form a generalized state of emotion in the performers, the characters, and the audience members. Through the shared Rasa of a performance, the audience feels connected with the performance, causing it to come to life.
The stimulus by which emotions are activated is referred to as Vibhava. These stimuli invoke emotions and result in external manifestations of emotion in the audience members. Similar to the Western concept of catharsis in theater, this occurs when the audience feels so connected to the emotional mood of the performance that members experience emotions similar to the characters', which are manifest through laughter, crying, etc. Catharsis, which refers to a sort of "emotional cleansing", also occurs when audience members feel connected to the emotion of a performance and experience an emotional response. The idea of catharsis indicates a change in the emotional state of the audience, which can lead to a release of emotions caused by the emotional events of the performance rather than an emotional stimulus in audience members' own lives.
I believe catharsis to be an important aspect of performance, and art in a more general sense as well. Often, the emotional experience of art forms the basis for its appeal. Through art we can experience something unique and special, leaving us changed in some way or another. Similarly, the concept of Rasa creates an experience for the audience members through the performers' portrayal of emotion that lasts beyond the time frame of the performance.


Jenna Barclay

Rasa

1. What makes the concept of ‘rasa’ critical to understanding Sanskrit drama?  Compare and contrast this notion of stimulation of select emotional states by performance to the Western notion of catharsis.

“Rasa, being an aesthetic experience of both the creator and audience, comes alive only when truth join hands with the emotions of the heart and passes through the alchemy of imagination” (Sunil, 2005, p. 8)

I love this summation of Rasa.  Not only is it concise as to its purpose in Sanskrit drama, but the rhetoric is beautiful.  The imagery equated to the flowing “emotions of the heart” which then “passes through the alchemy of imagination” gives clear context to the flowing nature of Rasa.  It is the power of emotion that flows first through the writer into the text.  Then, if artfully compiled, passes onto to the actor and into the character.  However, in order to reach full fruition, the emotive properties then move into the audience.

However, when broken down and into pieces with distinct purposes, it is apparent that Rasa is far more technical in nature.  Similar to the compulsive cataloguing done by Aristotle when defining drama and the poetics, Rasa has key components necessary to its construction.  Without these functioning and building elements (including forty-nine emotions) Rasa, “the essence of art”, falls flat.  When technically defined, Rasa is “the permanent emotion that was raised to its climax by the combination of determinants, consequents and transitory emotions”(Sunil, 2005, p.5).  It seems ironically prescriptive to be describing the flowing and experiencing of emotion.  Sunil is careful to explain that although the audience experiences the emotions and feeling of the characters, the experience is not the same.

Parallels can be drawn to the Western notion of Catharsis.  Deemed roughly as “the purging of emotion”, Aristotle describes it as almost necessary for the emotional health and re-centering of an audience.  Brecht purposefully excluded catharsis from his works in hopes that the play would work upon his audience and compel them to action.  If pushed, the Western description can also be conveyed in a prescriptive manner.  Peripeteia (reversal) and Anagnorisis (recognition) play an important role in the culmination of catharsis.  Operating through the ongoing example of Othello, the peripety occurs when the Moor is convinced of his wife’s infidelity.  This reversal of truth causes the recognition (anagnorisis) of his duping to become even more painful.  The result of this climax is hopefully catharsis.  If well illustrated, the audience should also be overcome by “the tragic loading of the bed.”

I believe the Western concept of catharsis to be far more nebulous than the clearly defined elements of Rasa.  However, both are necessary to the success of the art forms they inhabit.  What good is art with no soul?


- Hailey Drescher

Q1 The Concept of Rasa by Jenna Quinn

Q 1. What makes the concept of ‘rasa’ critical to understanding Sanskrit drama? Compare and contrast this notion of stimulation of select emotional states by performance to the Western notion of catharsis.

 

Rasa could be said to be a two-fold experience felt by the creator and his

expression through his art and the experience of the reader (Sahrdayas) who receive

the art. The creator undergoes an emotion and is so overwhelmed by it that he seeks

a medium for the expression of his feelings (Sunil, 2005, p. 1). The permanent mood in a piece of literatrue is the basis of Rasa. The permanent mood or the Sthayibhava is a major emotion which is

developed by a number of minor feelings called Vyabhicaribhavas or Sancaribhavas.

There are thirty three such minor feelings recorded by Bharata. The minor emotions take place in the major emotions.

The concept of Rasa is that the Spectator's egoistic self gets submerged and his emotions become universalized.

This universalization explains the paradox of participation and detachment. Though

the spectators take part in the pains or pleasures of the hero, they do not undergo

the emotions to the extent that they would have done in real life (Sunil, 2005, p. 7).
 Sanskirt Drama "Rasa" is emotionally rooted in the audience because the performer inspired the emotional state. The purpose of the drama is to evoke certian permanent emotions in the audience members. Thus, a connection to the audience is the primary mechanism of the "Rasa." Without the audience, the "Rasa" would conceptually fail. It is similar to Western catharsis conceptually, as an emotional drama. Catharsis is the purification of or purgation of one's emotions through art. In contrast, the Western theatre does not succintly break down the types of emotions and style like the
"Rasa."For example, the thirty three minor feelings and permanent mood are not practiced with the same style. Moreover,

The essence of Rasa is a pleasure which has no relationship with any particular ego.

The aesthetic state of consciousness, whether its material is anger, pain, love and so

on does not insert itself into the texture of everyday life, but is seen and lived in

complete independence of any individual interest. Western theatre plays on the emotion of the audience's ego. The individual ego is manipulated due to the Western culture's individualistic autonomy.

Q1- What has made the performances of male dan so appealing to historical and modern audiences?

Looking at the framework of performance- what was the reason for using males to perform female parts to begin with?  It appears to be the Confucian dictates against mixing the sexes along with the social and cultural values of the day.  Females who would perform on stage were seen as lacking in morals- after reading the Tan article, I find that ironic since it appears that much of the appeal of the dan performers was due to the actors being young and attractive, arousing homo-erotic feelings in the male audiences who left either confused about what they felt or determined to act on it!  So, in attempting to protect the virtue of young would-be actresses, instead use of the  dan introduced an entire class of young, sexually provocative men to the stage.  The article pointed out that many of these actors weren't particularly skilled, but they were uniformly attractive and their favors were sought out by men and women alike.

As time went on, the custom died down but has picked up again lately.  The difference between the audiences of today and yesterday are many and what is expected in the actors has changed as well.  Now, the dan is more campy, more obvious, more of a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge".  The actors are highly skilled and older, performing well into their 5th and 6th decades.  The audience knows that a man is up on stage- but the audience allows itself to actually "see" a woman.

However, women are also stepping up to play "their" roles- sometimes with stiff resistance which begs the question, why would a man (or anyone) prefer to see a man play a female part?  I think it's because that way men get the "ideal woman", the woman that they wished existed.  The article points out that many critics of women on stage say that they are "to real", they would rather see woman as defined by man.  It was also mentioned that the perfect actor is neither man or woman- an androgenous someone who can be anyone or no one, a blank slate.  This does make sense when you want to see the character, not the actor.

In British Panto, the roles are always reversed, the starring female role is usually played by a big man, obviously in drag and the male role is played by an attractive woman, dressed in men's clothing but still recognizably a woman.  The actors are very skilled and you do lose yourself in the performance- it doesn't matter who plays what, the story gets told and you enjoy the performance tremendously!  The role reversal is just part of what makes it panto- just like using dan is part of Chinese and Japanese Theatre.  If the actors are doing their job, and the audience is doing their job, everyone enjoys the performance and it doesn't matter in the least that the a man was Cinderella and a lady was Prince Charming!

Peking Opera

British Panto