shadow theater

Shadow theater is a form of performance in which flat figures—traditionally cut from leather or cardboard—are held between a light source and a translucent screen, casting silhouettes for the audience.

The art form has ancient roots across Asia, particularly in Indonesia, China, and Turkey.

By extension, shadow theater describes any dramatic situation where the real actors or motives remain hidden while only their effects are visible: The trial was shadow theater—the verdict had been decided before it began.