shadow play

See also: shadowplay

English

Alternative forms

• shadowplay

Etymology

From shadow +‎ play.

Noun

shadow play (countable and uncountable, plural shadow plays)

1. (hand games) An ancient form of storytelling and entertainment using opaque, often articulated figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images.

   Synonym: shadow puppetry

   • 2018, Nicole Seymour, Bad Environmentalism, page 86:

     The project invokes aesthetics particularly associated with children: play, craft, and amateurism. Indeed, especially in segments that employ elements such as a spotlight and shadowplay, Green Porno is reminiscent of an elementary-school pageant.

2. A play of this form.

Translations

form of storytelling using opaque figures in front of an illuminated backdrop

• Belarusian: тэатр ценяў m (teatr cieniaŭ)
• Catalan: teatre d'ombres m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 皮影戲／皮影戏 (zh) (píyǐngxì)

• Dutch: schimmenspel (nl) n
• Finnish: varjoteatteri
• French: théâtre d’ombres (fr) m, ombres chinoises (fr), ombromanie (fr) f
• German: Schattenspiel (de) n
• Hungarian: árnyjáték (hu)
• Indonesian: wayang (id)
• Japanese: 影絵 (ja) (かげえ, kagee)
• Malay: wayang kulit
• Polish: teatr cieni m
• Portuguese: teatro de sombras m
• Russian: теа́тр тене́й m (teátr tenéj)
• Spanish: teatro de sombras m
• Swedish: skuggspel n
• Telugu: తోలుబొమ్మలాట (tōlubommalāṭa)
• Turkish: gölge oyunu (tr)