Voice training in tholpavakoothu, the shadow theatre of Kerala

Abstract

Tholpavakoothu is a traditional temple shadow puppet form of Kerala, South India. The 21-day cycle of tholpavakoothu requires skills in narration of verses, song, puppet manipulation and musical instruments. How does a performer attain the vocal skills required? How do practitioners animate the spirit-infused puppets with songs and voice them in traditional performances? This article takes an autoethnographic and practice-based approach to analysing the flexibility of puppeteers in learning and experimenting with traditional and novel voice techniques. We argue that a folk performance context and folk community setting shape how the oral tradition and voice practices are learned. Much of the tradition is fixed by convention, but there is flexibility in how the clown character is realized and arguments staged.