Kings and Comics in Bali

In the following dramas, the accent is upon the unraveling of a story more than the heightened counterpoint between music and dance. The Gamelan orchestra is always essential, but it is not as commanding as the development of plot and the colorful spectrum of personalities included. Tales of passion, historical romances, love adventures, and military chivalry are popular themes of these dramas. The majority of the stories are drawn from the medieval courts of East Java-a golden age in Javanese history when kingdoms were at the peak of their splendor and of their influence upon Bali. The actors' costumes, language and gestures derive from the grand court style of the past. They speak in the classical language of poetry suitable to well-bred noble families, and dance in the high, refined manner that signifies the stately bearing of the aristocracy.

All the comic interludes the Balinese adore so are provided by the lower members of the court, the retainers and ladies in waiting. There are always two male clowns, who are usually servants of the king's prime minister. They function within the drama as interpreters of the narrative, since they translate the difficult poetic language spoken by their regal masters into vernacular Balinese so that everyone in the audience can understand the story.