xii 291 pages annotated, bibliography, indexed, list of main characters in Rama story. A clean, unmarked and solid copy which appears unread. "Stuart Blackburn takes the reader inside a little-known form of shadow puppetry in this captivating work about performing the Tamil version of the Ramayana epic. Blackburn describes the skill and physical stamina of the puppeteers in Kerala state in South India as they perform all night for as many as ten weeks during the festival season. The fact that these performances often take place without an audience forms the starting point for Blackburn's discussion-one which explores not only this important epic tale and its performance, but also the broader theoretical issues of text, interpretation, and audience." (publisher)