Sbek Thom shadow theatre has its roots steeped deep in Khmer history. This ancient art of shadow puppetry is in fact a sacred tradition that dates back to pre-Angkorian times as evidenced by bas-reliefs left at the 7th century Sambor Prei Kuk temple.
This art form was almost wiped out during the Khmer Rouge era when the majority of the country’s intellects and artists were targeted and executed. The Sbek Thom shadow art like most of all the Khmer art forms enjoy resurgence only in recent decades. The two surviving genres of shadow puppetry are sbek thom and sbek thoch; both of these apply shadows of leather puppets projected on a white screen to retell age-old tales and entertain.
A large white cloth (Screen) is propped up by bamboo poles and a fire is lit from behind to produce the shadows on the screen that the audience sees. throughout the show. A Khmer orchestra, a pinpeat, plays traditional Cambodian music while two narrators tell the story. These shows are usually staged at night in an outdoor setting to ensure the shadows are at their finest.
This tradition has been kept popular largely by the villagers in Siem Reap, where performances took place in paddy fields or at pagodas where they are traditionally dedicated to the divinities and staged only on auspicious occasions three or four times a year; on occasions such as Khmer New Year or the King’s birthday, etc.
Nowadays, the once rigidly sacred Sbek Thom transitioned into a recognised secular art form commonly performed across the country for entertainment; shows became much more numerous. However, while this ritualistic dimension of shadow puppetry may have dwindled, the ceremonial elements remained, enshrining the importance of Sbek Thom in Khmer history for many decades to come.
Today, rituals must still be carried out when hand-carving the puppets used for the performances. The meticulous carving process can take up to 20 days. While cutting the characters used for the show, artists must wear white, abstain from alcohol and observe a sin-free life. The leather used must also come from cows that have died of natural causes and not the ones that are slaughtered. The hides are coloured with dye from Kandaol tree bark, with artists drawing each figure onto the tanned leather before cutting them out and painting them. The bamboo poles that are attached for the performers to handle, must be ritualistically cleansed.
The same rituals are observed when making the Sbek Touch puppets The difference between these two genres, Sbek Thom (Big) and Sbek Touch (Small) is not only in their sizes, but their deployment in the stories. Sbek Thom puppets, made about 1.5m to 2m in size, are used to feature stories from the Reamker. The Sbek Touch, the much smaller puppets with movable parts, tell a wide range of folk and funny stories of Cambodia›s countryside.
Sbek Thom lures people through an almost primeval attraction. The shifting shadows and intricate figures can captivate an audience for hours on end.
