MARTOR no. 30 / year 2025
[Shadow Theatre: A Magical Dance of the Imagination. From Oriental Traditions to Contemporary Romanian Theatre]
DOI: https://doi.org/10.57225/Martor.2025.08
AUTHOR:
Ștefana Pop Curșeu
“Babeș-Bolyai” University, Romania
PAGES: 135-161
KEYWORDS: Shadow theatre; Ada Milea; animation; ombres chinoises; puppet theatre.
ABSTRACT:
Starting from the consideration that shadow theatre is mostly associated with children audience in Europe, the present paper traces back its millennial path from the oriental civilisations to the mediterranean countries and to its nowadays use on stage. When looking back to the origins of shadows as part of performing arts, a few questions arise concerning their relation to rituals, legends and their symbolism, concerning their audience and the transformations they have been subject to on their way to Europe, from India and China through the Ottoman Empire, as well as the constant attraction they exert upon artists and spectators. Always tightly linked to music and choreographic movement in front or behind the screens, large shadows and shadow puppet theatre give shape to a multilevel approach to fiction, magic and subjective relationship with the mysterious side of human existence. Through the examples of a few contemporary Romanian performances, especially Ada Milea’s concert performances, answers are proposed to how shadows continue their voyage, reinventing themselves and their creative part in stage dramaturgies, charming all age audiences.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE:
Pop-Curșeu, Ștefana. 2025. “Le théâtre d’ombres : danse magique de l’imagination. Des traditions orientales au théâtre roumain contemporain.” Martor 30, 135-61. [DOI: 10.57225/Martor.2025.08]
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