Inspection at a local Sbek Thom troupe

Inspection at a local Sbek Thom troupe

They visited a Sbek Thom (Khmer shadow theatre) troupe founded in the 1990s. The troupe is often invited to participate in performances for national celebrations, village rituals and tourist entertainment.

The shadow puppet is made by the performers with the cow leather bought in the market. The hides are dyed with a solution made from the bark of the Kandaol tree. The artisan draws the desired figure on the tanned hide, then cuts it out and paints it before attaching it to two bamboo sticks, enabling the dancer to control the puppet. There are about 30 performers in the troupe. They include puppet manipulators, musicians, narrators and conductors, whose ages range from 10 to 60. They have their regular work on weekdays and gather only when there is a performance.