shadow puppets

Last night I went to a performance of wayang kulit (shadow puppets).

Like most performances in Bali, it was an episode from the Ramayana. 

Music played, and puppeteers told a comic tale of love and dominance. 

The good guys won, of course. But not without a fight.

Here's what the puppets look like when they're not behind a screen. They're remarkably expressive. 

And here they are in the window of the gamelan shop. My bungalow is behind the shop. 

Sometimes you can hear them playing.