Bangsawan (Jawi script: بڠساون) is a type of traditional Malay people opera or theatre performed by a troupe and accompanied by music and sometimes dances.
Etymology
In the
Malay language,
bangsawan means "nobleman".
Bangsa means "nation", "race", from the
Sanskrit word
vamsa, which means "family", "dynasty". The suffix -
wan comes from the Sanskrit suffix -
vant. A person is called bangsawan if he is descended from royal family (kings, princes, etc.). The theatre is called
bangsawan because it is most often depicting the legends and stories of Malay nobles that took place in
Palace (Malay palaces and courts).
There was another category of noblemen in Indonesia, precisely in Java, called priyayi, who were not members of royal or princely families but formed a sort of nobles of the Robe, exerting administrative functions, including that of bupati (governor).
Theme
The
bangsawan theatre usually centered on
istana or Malay palace.
The main theme of
bangsawan theatre is usually based upon the adventure, romance and conquest of Malay
, kings, heroes, nobles, princes and princesses, that took place in various Malay courts in the archipelago. The fertile local Malay legends and epics such as the "
Malay Annals" provides storylines and theme for the story to develop. The Malay King such as Seri Tri Buana and the popular Malay heroes such as the adventure of
Hang Tuah of Malacca are the popular
bangsawan themes. Other themes such as the play "Seulas Nangka" tells about the history of
Siak Sultanate.
Popular folklore was also a theme, the play "Panglima Nayan" tells the story of a robin hood-like character active in late 19th-century central Kedah.
Form
The
bangsawan theatre is quite similar to western
opera or
drama, where the stories are presented through acting and singing, and certain characters are played during performance. The stories are drawn from diverse sources, such as local Malay, Indonesian, Indian, Arabic, Chinese and Western sources. Music, dance and costumes are used depending on the story being told. The performance is accompanied by music consists of
gendang,
rebana, drum and violin, playing Malay music and chanting
dendang or Malay songs.
Acting was done on improvisation to suit audience reactions, and hence actors played without scripts.
History
Bangsawan first developed in Penang, Malaysia, from the South Asian Parsi theatre performed by companies from the Bombay region; the first local troupe Pusi Indera Bangsawan of Penang was founded in 1885 and named after tycoon Mohamed Pusi who patroned the arts prior.
The
bangsawan theatre troupes reached their peak of popularity in the 19th to mid 20th century prior to the great war. In colonial Dutch East Indies the
bangsawan theatre has inspired and influenced other form of theatrical performances, such as
Komedie Stamboel and
toneel. Prior to the development and the spread of radio and television entertainment in the region, travelling live theatres and drama such as
bangsawan, was the main source of entertainment for local Malays in the villages and cities alike, and was held in high anticipation and excitement. In Lingga,
Riau Islands,
bangsawan show enjoyed its popularity among locals until around 1960s to 1970s.
However, today in Indonesia, only a handful of
bangsawan troupes survive. Nowadays, it is difficult, if not impossible to find any
bangsawan troupes in Malaysia. A bangsawan troupe still operates in Singapore.
The advent of cinema into the Malay speaking world early 20th century attracted bangsawan actors to the media integrating the artform's conventions into a new audiovisual culture in the process: the 1933 film Laila Majnun boasted a cast of such thespians. The Shaw Brothers themselves gave financial support to bangsawan troupes in the 1930s, and a collective of bangsawan actors helmed many Shaw-made Malay films during 1940 and 1941. However as decades go on, the actors' flair for exaggerated dramatics became less appealing to newer and more seasoned audiences who saw them as "unnatural" and wanted its aesthetics to match those of Hollywood.
See also
External links
