Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre
As Balinese Calonarang shadow theatre responds to shifting audience expectations and media influences, intermediality has emerged as a strategic mode of adaptation. This article examines a notable example: the emergence of the watangan matah or ‘living corpse,’ a figure performed by a live actor wit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universitas Udayana
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Jurnal Kajian Bali (Journal of Bali Studies) |
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| Online Access: | https://ejournal1.unud.ac.id/index.php/kajianbali/article/view/1410 |
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| author | I Made Marajaya Ida Ayu Gede Sasrani Widyastuti |
| author_facet | I Made Marajaya Ida Ayu Gede Sasrani Widyastuti |
| author_sort | I Made Marajaya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As Balinese Calonarang shadow theatre responds to shifting audience expectations and media influences, intermediality has emerged as a strategic mode of adaptation. This article examines a notable example: the emergence of the watangan matah or ‘living corpse,’ a figure performed by a live actor within the traditionally two-dimensional shadow space. This adaptation bridges symbolic shadow play with embodied presence, negotiating ritual integrity with theatrical spectacle. Using a mixed-method embedded design, the study combines descriptive quantitative data with ethnographic interpretation through observation, video analysis, interviews, and an audience survey. Findings show that the inclusion of watangan matah intensifies visual and emotional impact but generates divided responses between younger, media-oriented audiences and ritual purists. More significantly, staging a live corpse figure introduces power contestation, as puppeteers symbolically challenge mystical forces to assert spiritual authority. Watangan matah thus exemplifies how Calonarang theatre navigates preservation and transformation while maintaining its sacred resonance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f0f13afbbbae4c5984c63a9d0ab8bfa7 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2088-4443 2580-0698 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Universitas Udayana |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Jurnal Kajian Bali (Journal of Bali Studies) |
| spelling | doaj-art-f0f13afbbbae4c5984c63a9d0ab8bfa72025-08-03T22:39:38ZengUniversitas UdayanaJurnal Kajian Bali (Journal of Bali Studies)2088-44432580-06982025-08-0115279782210.24843/JKB.2025.v15.i02.p141412Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow TheatreI Made Marajaya0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9453-721XIda Ayu Gede Sasrani Widyastuti1https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8227-8904The Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Bali, IndonesiaThe Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Bali, IndonesiaAs Balinese Calonarang shadow theatre responds to shifting audience expectations and media influences, intermediality has emerged as a strategic mode of adaptation. This article examines a notable example: the emergence of the watangan matah or ‘living corpse,’ a figure performed by a live actor within the traditionally two-dimensional shadow space. This adaptation bridges symbolic shadow play with embodied presence, negotiating ritual integrity with theatrical spectacle. Using a mixed-method embedded design, the study combines descriptive quantitative data with ethnographic interpretation through observation, video analysis, interviews, and an audience survey. Findings show that the inclusion of watangan matah intensifies visual and emotional impact but generates divided responses between younger, media-oriented audiences and ritual purists. More significantly, staging a live corpse figure introduces power contestation, as puppeteers symbolically challenge mystical forces to assert spiritual authority. Watangan matah thus exemplifies how Calonarang theatre navigates preservation and transformation while maintaining its sacred resonance.https://ejournal1.unud.ac.id/index.php/kajianbali/article/view/1410intermedialityembodimentcalonarangshadow theatrebalinese puppetry |
| spellingShingle | I Made Marajaya Ida Ayu Gede Sasrani Widyastuti Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre Jurnal Kajian Bali (Journal of Bali Studies) intermediality embodiment calonarang shadow theatre balinese puppetry |
| title | Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre |
| title_full | Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre |
| title_fullStr | Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre |
| title_full_unstemmed | Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre |
| title_short | Embodying the Living Corpse: Intermedial Adaptation in Balinese "Calonarang" Shadow Theatre |
| title_sort | embodying the living corpse intermedial adaptation in balinese calonarang shadow theatre |
| topic | intermediality embodiment calonarang shadow theatre balinese puppetry |
| url | https://ejournal1.unud.ac.id/index.php/kajianbali/article/view/1410 |
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