The remaining core elements which the dalang uses in any performance are poetry and verse. Part of the improvisation in the performance of Wayang theatre also involves working with established kakawin verse and composing songs and poetry. Many dalang call this activity ngawi kakawin, which basically means to reinterpret and give new meaning to the kakawin. The dalang is able to move between Balinese and the classical kakawin language, changing and adding or substituting words and phrases. Precise rules govern this poetry concerning number of lines and syllables, according to the particular form. The dalang can combine different source lines and even construct new lines in a similar style and sound. When the newly constructed sequence does not completely match the rules, the dalang may avoid this verse conflict by speaking instead of singing the lines. In essence, the dalang is creating his verse script by borrowing, adapting, editing and adding to existing lines and phrases.
Most dalang discuss the influence of the stage, i.e. place, on their performance. Dalang feel there are two categories of performance venues: a generous and an ungenerous stage. The generous stage is typically supportive and lends itself to the performance’s success, while an ungenerous stage tends to give a negative influence. This ungenerous stage is often referred to as a demon-occupied stage (panggung gamangan or median), because people, especially dalang, believe that demonic spirits (the Indian Natya Sastra calls them vigna) are being hostile and disruptive. The major indication of this demon-occupied stage is that the audience is not attentive. The performance atmosphere is busy and noisy, jokes fall flat and the dalang can feel it is a struggle to establish tranquillity and concentration. This is not so different, in effect, to the response of Western actors to certain stages that are considered difficult to play, whereas others seem to always work well in spite of the show. In common with the dalang, many Western actors are also deeply superstitious and indulge in rituals. The fear of speaking out loud the word ‘Macbeth’ in a rehearsal room is a good example. In most theatres across Europe and North America, many actors are disturbed and upset by this breech of superstitious law and in some theatre companies, the guilty person must leave the room and ‘purify’ by uttering obscenities before returning to the room. Some theatres have even more detailed rules of purification. In Bali, the dalang also resorts to systems to conquer the evil sprits who are trying to disrupt his work.
A more experienced dalang might exert extra-theatrical approaches to pacify demonic spirits through dedicating an appropriate offering, segehan, and reciting the incantations for demons. He might dedicate offerings at each corner of the building before the performance in order to appease the Butha Kala demons. However, the dalang is also practical and uses skill-based devices to conquer the space. Typically, a dalang may attempt to shorten his performance by rendering only the main plot and eliminating subsidiary stories. He may attempt to enliven the performance by improvising, making adjustments, expanding the dance sequences, elaborating fighting scenes and perhaps giving less attention to philosophy and diction. The performance becomes more acrobatic and less edifying, but the audience is happy.
Similar worries about the place of performance relate to direction, as thedalang must ensure that the staging is correctly orientated to the correct holy place. It is all part of the dalang’s sense of his spiritual role in addition to that of entertainer. To win God’s favour, the Wayang performance is mostly expected to face the shrine, towards the pure direction, to offer the performance for God. In case the booth for any reason does not face the holy direction, the dalang needs to adjust his direction internally or spiritually until he reaches the right direction and feels that he has shown the proper respect for the dwelling place of God; he tries to feel that he himself is the dwelling place of God. Only then can a performance begin and the dalang feel confident enough to face the many performance challenges ahead. In addition to all the preparation already explained, he is expected to deal with the unexpected.
The unexpected includes, for example, the inability to find a specific puppet in the midst of rapid sequences involving the passing back and forth of numerous puppet characters in a battle sequence. Some dalang might grab another, probably a comic character, and desperately improvise until an assistant locates the absentee, but others would simply leave the screen blank and wait until it is right to continue. The dalang, spiritually ready, technically organised, flanked by his assistants and watched by a waiting orchestra, is ready to begin. The following description is fairly typical of a Wayang Kulit performance that is part of a temple event, although in this case it is by the young and popular dalang, I Wayan Nardayana. It took place at the temple Pura Desa of Batuan village on Monday, 27 March 2006 in conjunction with the village purification in anticipation of the upcoming Nyepi, lunar New Year. In general, it followed fairly typically the rules and sequences already described but a few surprises and departures are worth noting. This dalang already has a strong following and is the highest earning dalang in Bali; he is known for using clever humour and employing technical, special effects. Some more traditional dalang have some reservations about the way he innovates, but the audiences clearly adore his performances. Like any dalang, he will always be acutely aware of the audience response and vary his performance according to the immediate affect it is having.
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