Puppets in Myanmar are handled through strings attached to the forehead, neck, spine, elbows and hands, knees and heels. So technically they are marionettes. They became very popular in the 18th, century, more so than human performers, and they also became very powerful at the King’s Royal court.

The reason for their power and popularity is based on the logic of the Asian mind. Since they are just wooden dolls, what they say cannot be taken offense by anyone: even the King. It does not matter that behind the screen there is a man talking on behalf of the puppets, for the criteria of the highest talent in puppetry is that the small wooden dolls must be completely life-like. This means that the puppeteers have mastered their art to such a degree that the dolls they manipulate with strings move and dance like humans. Since in these movements they are so much like humans, what they say is also supposed to have come from their painted lips.

This logic was very useful: it allowed the puppets to speak freely to the King what his Ministers do not dare say. Thus a great many wrongs had been righted, and many lives saved through the speech of the puppets. It was also the privilege of the Minister of Theater that he can invite the King or Prince to a puppet show in an emergency.

For example, one cruel queen locked a young princess in a big teak trunk as they were playing hide and seek. The queen was of common birth so she could not be chief queen as long as this princess lives, for she is of full Royal blood and destined to become the Chief Queen as soon as she was old enough. At that time she was only fifteen.

When the Minister of Theater heard of this, he hurriedly arranged a puppet play to relay the news, and invited the Crown Prince to watch. As soon as the Crown Prince realized the story behind the play, he hurried to save the princess. She was still alive, testimony to how quickly the play was arranged and performed. The Crown Prince later overthrew his brother the King and executed the commoner Queen.

At that time, human performers acting the part of a king were not allowed to wear the King’s costume. Only by holding a sword in his hand could the dancer let the audience know he was supposed to be the king in the play. However, for puppets, it was a different matter altogether, for they could be dressed in all full regalia, with gorgeous silks and gold. Puppet plays could also be performed on a stage, whereas the humans dance on the ground. So puppetry was known as the High Theater and the human as Low Theater. This made the puppeteers look down so much on the humans. Not only that, but human performers must dance as much like a puppet as they can, and this is still the criteria of Myanmar choreography. For this reason, many famous dancers of the past were taught to dance by following the moves of a puppet.

It was not only at court that the puppets served the people. In the countryside, too, they were the media when there were no newspapers as yet. Puppet troupes travel from town to town, and the puppeteers gather information and gossip from many places, as well as from the capital city. They will relay the news through the speeches of the comedian puppets, so that the countrypeople in remote villages also hear about city life and the latest scandals.

The comedian puppet handlers were the most important members of the troupe, and they impromptu jokes, songs and long poetic speeches while they were on stage. The village people attended these performances diligently, for this was a way of getting news as well as for learning about history and literature.

The leading roles in Myanmar theater are the Prince and Princess. Indeed, actors and actresses for movies are also called Prince (Mintha) and Princess (Minthamee). The two leading puppets are always gorgeously dressed with silks and jewels. They also have real hair implanted in the wooden skulls. Their hair is combed out, washed and oiled by not the handlers, but the speakers. The two dancing puppets are the leading roles, so they are important enough to have a man each speaking or singing for them. They sit behind the screen while the puppeteer is busy handling the strings. The speakers give the final, important touch of life and personality to the puppets, so they are the owners, not the puppeteers.

Each puppet is made with especially crafted joints to enable them to play their roles to perfection. All puppets must have complete sexual organs carved in, although not in detail. When the troupe travels, the puppets are kept in two huge trunks. Some puppets are enemies to each other, for example the tiger and elephant, or the two ogres, so they must be stored separately. Even on stage they must be hung up at either side of the stage. There should be at least 28 puppets in each troupe, but many have a lot more.

In this present age when tourism is important, and visitors like to see the culture of the country , it is fortunate that there are many puppet shows around to amuse them. Now puppets are only for entertainment, but long long ago they helped in the rule of the nation.