Museu da Marioneta

Although there are literary references to it in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was during the last dynasty of the Burma kingdom, Kon-baung (1752-1885), that the puppet’s art reached its peak, both in court and in villages.
The expansionist policy of the kings of the Kon-baung dynasty made them attack the kingdom of Siam (currently Thailand). They captured its capital, Ayutthaya, in 1767. Chronicles say that after capturing and destroying the city and its treasures, 30,000 prisoners, including the royal family and the Siamese aristocracy, were displaced by force into Burma and its capital, Ava.
The Siamese aristocracy displaced in Ava favoured the development of Burmese arts, namely introducing its version of the Indian epic of Ramayana, Ramakien, and its dance, masks and puppets along with it.
By the end of the 18th century, the Siamese were gradually replaced by local versions of members of the Burmese royal family and aristocracy.
The puppet’s theatre success was such that king Ba-gyi-daw (1819-1837) regulated this art’s practice in detail, even defining the number of characters and the type of woods used in its manufacture. A minister in charge of supervising this art and its practice was also designated.
The puppets from Burma are less than one meter tall. They usually are 60cm, but they may be smaller.
They are made of wood. Each part of the character is made separately and then connected to the others by strings.
The puppets are realistically carved, dressed and decorated; human hair is used on their wigs and, rarely, the puppet’s body reveals its sex.
This excessive realism of the puppets of Burma makes them real small characters, with protective tattoos usually drawn in red ink over the white skin made out of egg shell. The mobility of their arms, hands, fingers, eyes and mouth resembles a small human being’s. The hands of princes and princesses, pages and matchmakers may have over 12 connections in order to properly translate the delicacy of the gestures in the dances and the complicated Burmese etiquette.
Although each theatre group has its preferences, the number of characters rarely exceeds 30. However, some of them are indispensable, such as: the horse, since the galloping horse is usually the first animal to appear; the elephants, one white and one black; two ogres, the magician, four ministers, the king, the prince and the princess, the Brahmin, the eremite, the page, the clown and the matchmaker.
Shows are held on a bamboo structure that hides the puppeteer’s bodies with a simple cloth. The cloth in front of which the action takes place may also be used as a scenery base with courtly scenes or a forest painted in bright colours.
The number of puppets on stage rarely exceeds three and the characters with supernatural and magical powers, such as the alchemist, enter and leave flying, demanding great dexterity from the puppeteer.
These small creatures are treated with a calculated reverence, particularly those of high status, who do not mix with animals, or with other popular characters.
Similarly to what happens with identical theatrical arts of southern and Southeast Asia, the puppet shows were long, lasting many hours or even an entire night. Its occurrence was not merely entertaining, also having a ritual role in ceremonies of great religious meaning, such as the cremation of a particularly adored Buddhist monk.
Besides the adventures inspired by the Indian epics, the 550 Jatakas of the former lives of the Buddha, especially the last 10 Jatakas, are the most performed. Local legends and familiar events are incorporated in the Jakatas, thus facilitating the communication with the audience.
The quality of each performance depends very much on the orchestra that accompanies the puppets and supports the arias, lines and narrations which give sense to their movements and gestures.