Putul Nach (Puppet show)

Gesture, Shadow, and Voice in Traditional Puppet Theatre

Featured in D’LAB 2019’s Local Live Art section, Boy Putul Nach—a traditional shadow puppet theatre—brought age-old storytelling to a contemporary performance platform. In this unique form, local artists craft intricate puppets, narrate folktales, and animate the figures behind a lit screen, using their hands and voice to breathe life into shadowy silhouettes. The performance weaves movement, sound, and gesture into a compelling narrative experience, often rooted in mythology, rural life, or moral allegory. The invisible puppeteer becomes the soul of the story, guiding characters with nuanced choreography and spoken dialogue. At D’LAB, this immersive practice highlighted how traditional forms of performance continue to embody collective memory, craft, and culture—evoking wonder across generations.

Collaborator: Jolputul Puppeteer