'Bangsawan Dendam Laksamana' Backdrop: New Breath in Bangsawan Theater Performance

Abstract

Bangsawan is an art form that combines elements of acting, singing, music and dance. Bangsawan is believed to have been brought to Malaya around the 1870s and adapted from Persian puppet shows in India. The nobility experienced a period of fame in the 1890s and began to experience its downfall in the early 1940s. Bangsawan to this day is still trying to compete with modern theater performances especially in Kuala Lumpur. 'Bangsawan Dendam Laksamana' was staged on 10-13 November 2017 and 2-11 November 2018 at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall Auditorium (DBKL), directed by Pat Ibrahim and published by Pat Ibrahim Project Entertainment. This study looks at the transformation made in the conventions of Bangsawan performances, especially looking at the innovations featured in the curtain background in this traditional theater. The curtain setting is a major form of design in the conventions of Bangsawan theater performances. Bangsawan uses seven types of curtain backgrounds that are used for each scene in his performance. The curtain background is the background of the scene location painted on a canvas measuring 20 feet wide and 15 feet high according to the suitability of the stage and requires a high cost and a long period of time to prepare it. 'Bangsawan Dendam Laksamana' composed the use of curtains from hand-painted fabric to a digital backdrop from an LED screen display. Nevertheless, the retention of the painting image on the curtain background is still done and improved by using digital painting on the LED. This has a modernizing impact in Bangsawan theater. This study discusses the extent to which reforms are made to elevate Bangsawan in trying to compete with contemporary theater today in Malaysia.