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Arabic Shadow Theatre 1300-1900
A Handbook
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This handbook aims mainly at an analytical documentation of all the known textual remnants and the preserved artifacts of Arabic shadow theatre, a long-lived, and still living, tradition â from the earliest sightings in the tenth century to the turn of the twentieth century. The book consists of three main parts and a cluster of appendixes. Part One presents a history of Arab shadow theatre through a survey of medieval and premodern accounts and modern scholarship on the subject. Part Two takes stock of primary sources (manuscripts), published studies, and the current knowledge of various aspects of Arabic shadow theatre: language, style, terminology, and performance. Part Three offers an inventory of all known Arabic shadow plays. The documentation is based on manuscripts (largely unpublished), printed texts (scripts, excerpts), academic studies (in Arabic and Western languages), journalist reportage, and shadow play artifacts from collections worldwide.
Li Guo, Ph.D. (1994), Yale University, is Professor of Arabic at the University of Notre Dame. His most recent book, The Performing Arts in Medieval Islam: Shadow play and popular poetry in Ibn Daniyalâs Mamluk Cairo (Brill, 2012) is the winner of the IIM Prize for Research in the category âNew conceptual tools,â Institut International de la Marionnette, France, 2015.
"Li Guo's Arabic Shadow Theatre 1300-1900: A Handbook is a sweeping survey and interesting introduction to all things shadowy and theatrical. It is rare to say that an academic study is a joy to read, but this book certainly proved to be the case. [â¦] it is well worth engaging with and will stimulate discussions about theatre and shadow theatre beyond the Arab world." Usman Butt, in Middle East Monitor (2020)
âNo standard work on the subject has been produced until now [â¦] Dozens of synopses of plots, together with some translations are especially valuable.â Caroline Stone, in AramcoWorld
âThis handbook still has an inevitable focus on Ibn DÄniyÄl and Egypt, but expands the boundaries of research in several directions, covering the role of German Orientalists and the rich tradition from the Levant. It admits that some areas still need investigation, especially considering the lack of material from Iraq, Morocco, and the period prior to the nineteenth century except for Egypt. Arabic shadow theatre is a kaleidoscope that can be used to look at cultural traditions and entertainment from an original angle.â
Cristina Dozio, Zeitschrift Orientalistische Literaturzeitung , 117.3 (2022).
âNo standard work on the subject has been produced until now [â¦] Dozens of synopses of plots, together with some translations are especially valuable.â Caroline Stone, in AramcoWorld
âThis handbook still has an inevitable focus on Ibn DÄniyÄl and Egypt, but expands the boundaries of research in several directions, covering the role of German Orientalists and the rich tradition from the Levant. It admits that some areas still need investigation, especially considering the lack of material from Iraq, Morocco, and the period prior to the nineteenth century except for Egypt. Arabic shadow theatre is a kaleidoscope that can be used to look at cultural traditions and entertainment from an original angle.â
Cristina Dozio, Zeitschrift Orientalistische Literaturzeitung , 117.3 (2022).
Preface
List of Figures
1 Arabic Shadow Theatre in Historical Sources
â1âLate Ê¿Abbasid Accounts (c. 1000â1250)
â2âMamluk Accounts (c. 1250â1517)
â3âOttoman Accounts (c. 1517â1900)
â4âWestern Visitorsâ Accounts (c. 1760â1900)
2 Early Modern Scholarship
â1âOrientalism and Arab Shadow Theatre: c. 1890â1945
â2âEarly Arab Scholarship: c. 1900â1950
3 New Studies
â1âWestern Scholarship Since the 1950s
â2âArab Research Activities Since the 1950s
4 Primary Sources: Manuscripts and Artifacts
â1âManuscripts
â2âShadow Figures
5 Language, Style, and Terminology
â1âContent and Language
â2âSongs in the Shadow Play: Canonic and Non-Canonic Verses
â3âTerminology
6 Performance
â1âScenes from Medieval Cairo
â2âShadow Theatre of the Ottoman Time
â3âScenes from Early Modern Era
7 Medieval Arabic Shadow Plays: Ibn DÄniyÄl and Others
â1âIbn DÄniyÄlâs Three Plays
â2âAn Unconfirmed Mamluk Shadow Play
8 Ottoman Egyptian Shadow Plays
â1âSources
â2âAn Original Description of the Repertoire
â3âSix Early Ottoman Egyptian Shadow Plays
9 Late Ottoman and Early Modern Egyptian Plays
â1âFour Egyptian Shadow Plays of Late Ottoman Time
â2âShort Plays from Early Modern Egypt
10 Syrian and Levantine Plays
â1âAn Overview
â2âLebanon
â3âSyria, Damascus
â4âSyria, Aleppo
â5âSyria, the Coastal Region
â6âOther Syrian Plays
11 North African Plays
â1âThe Maghreb: Tunisia and Algeria
â2âLibya
Epilogue: Notes from the Field
Arabic Shadow Theatre Today
Appendix 1: Arabic Shadow Plays: an Inventory
Appendix 2: Shadow Theatre in Premodern Arabic Poetry
â1âThe Prime Metaphor: God, Reality, and Shadow Play
â2âPerformance as Illusions Making and Performer as Illusionist
Appendix 3: The Cast
â1âEgypt
â2âSyria and the Levant
â3âTunisia and Algeria
â4âLibya
Appendix 4: The Programme of a Layla Celebration
Appendix 5: Glossary (Arabic â English)
Bibliography
Index
List of Figures
part 1: Research
1 Arabic Shadow Theatre in Historical Sources
â1âLate Ê¿Abbasid Accounts (c. 1000â1250)
â2âMamluk Accounts (c. 1250â1517)
â3âOttoman Accounts (c. 1517â1900)
â4âWestern Visitorsâ Accounts (c. 1760â1900)
2 Early Modern Scholarship
â1âOrientalism and Arab Shadow Theatre: c. 1890â1945
â2âEarly Arab Scholarship: c. 1900â1950
3 New Studies
â1âWestern Scholarship Since the 1950s
â2âArab Research Activities Since the 1950s
part 2: Resources
4 Primary Sources: Manuscripts and Artifacts
â1âManuscripts
â2âShadow Figures
5 Language, Style, and Terminology
â1âContent and Language
â2âSongs in the Shadow Play: Canonic and Non-Canonic Verses
â3âTerminology
6 Performance
â1âScenes from Medieval Cairo
â2âShadow Theatre of the Ottoman Time
â3âScenes from Early Modern Era
part 3: Repertoires
7 Medieval Arabic Shadow Plays: Ibn DÄniyÄl and Others
â1âIbn DÄniyÄlâs Three Plays
â2âAn Unconfirmed Mamluk Shadow Play
8 Ottoman Egyptian Shadow Plays
â1âSources
â2âAn Original Description of the Repertoire
â3âSix Early Ottoman Egyptian Shadow Plays
9 Late Ottoman and Early Modern Egyptian Plays
â1âFour Egyptian Shadow Plays of Late Ottoman Time
â2âShort Plays from Early Modern Egypt
10 Syrian and Levantine Plays
â1âAn Overview
â2âLebanon
â3âSyria, Damascus
â4âSyria, Aleppo
â5âSyria, the Coastal Region
â6âOther Syrian Plays
11 North African Plays
â1âThe Maghreb: Tunisia and Algeria
â2âLibya
Epilogue: Notes from the Field
Arabic Shadow Theatre Today
Appendix 1: Arabic Shadow Plays: an Inventory
Appendix 2: Shadow Theatre in Premodern Arabic Poetry
â1âThe Prime Metaphor: God, Reality, and Shadow Play
â2âPerformance as Illusions Making and Performer as Illusionist
Appendix 3: The Cast
â1âEgypt
â2âSyria and the Levant
â3âTunisia and Algeria
â4âLibya
Appendix 4: The Programme of a Layla Celebration
Appendix 5: Glossary (Arabic â English)
Bibliography
Index
All interested in world history of puppetry and shadow theatre, Arabic literature, Arabic drama and theatre, Arabic vernacular poetry and storytelling, popular culture of the premodern Middle East, Arabic dialects.