Winter Wayang 2014

Winter Wayang was a mini-festival of Javanese shadow puppetry to celebrate Jack Body‘s 70th year and 40 years of gamelan in New Zealand.

For a week in June 2014, Wellington was alive with Javanese shadow puppetry - four shows in two schools of a special Tiger Show by Joko Susilo and Megan Collins, plus workshops in a school and a kindergarten. In conjunction with this, the Film Archive screened a film about Jack Body exploring music in China – Big Nose and Body Music. And then there were the weekend shows!:

Semar Sang Pamomong - “Semar, the wise advisor” (New wayang sandosa)
Wayang Kulit with Gamelan Padhang Moncar and Joko Susilo
Saturday 21 June, 6pm
Adam Concert Room, NZ School of Music

Gamelan Padhang Moncar collaborated with Joko Susilo to present this newly created show. We dedicated the performance to Jack Body who has championed Indonesian music in New Zealand for the past forty years. In the narrative we likened Jack to the Javanese mythical guru called Semar. Both are mentors with vision and courage who lead by example, sharing their wisdom with generosity and love.

Featuring music by Budi S. Putra, Briar Prastiti, Tristan Carter, Jack Hooker and Jason Erskine
Script based on a traditional story Budi S. Putra and Greg Street
Puppeteers: Joko Susilo, Budi Putra and Anna Bailey
Narration/dialogue by Megan Collins, Tristan Carter, Greg Street, Joko Susilo, Budi S. Putra and Rupert Snook

Music performed by Gamelan Padhang Moncar: Stephanie Cairns, Megan Collins, Jason Erskine, Carina Esguerra, Judith Exley, Jo Hilder, Alisa Hogan, Jack Hooker, Mike Jones, Annika Naschitzki, Helen O’Rourke, Briar Prastiti, Rupert Snook, Naila Rahma, Greg Street

With Ricky Prebble - taonga puoro
and Tristan Carter - violin
Lighting - Richard Robertshawe
Sound technicians - Jason Erskine, Jack Hooker
Front of house - Marie Direen

See an album of photos on Facebook

AND

Kayon Pisungsunging Tyas
Wayang Kulit with The First Smile
Sunday 22 June, 3pm
The Long Hall, Roseneath

Joko Susilo and Anna Bailey (puppeteers) and The First Smile gamelan (from Cirebon, West Java) presented a shadow puppet play telling the story of how the gamelan came here and what has heppened since, using traditional lagu and new compositions by Judith Exley and Gerard Crewdson.

Music performed by Gerard Crewdson, Carina Esguerra, Judith Exley, Chris Francis, Anton Killin, Barbara Lyon, Keith McEwing, Jennifer Shennan, Rupert Snook.

With Mark Dashper - koauau

David Lawrence - narration

These events were supported by the Asia NZ Foundation and the NZ School of Music.