The word that means about the same as "manipulates" in this context is Controls.
Do you think that puppet shows are just for children? In some parts of the world, like Indonesia, a puppet show is an interactive activity enjoyed by people of all ages. At most puppet shows, the audience sits on one side of the screen and the puppeteer sits on the other. However, at an Indonesian shadow puppet show, the audience can choose which side to sit on. From out front, audience members see shadows of puppets acting out exciting scenes of romance or battle. These people retain the fantasy that "real" events are taking place. Behind the scenes, the magic is somewhat diluted, but it can be fascinating to see a dalang, or puppeteer, in action. The dalang manipulates puppets made of buffalo hide by moving attached rods of buffalo horn or bamboo.
Each of a puppet's arms and the main part of its body have their own rods, but its legs are rarely moved on their own. Besides moving the puppets, the dalang also provides their voices, which may mean memorizing hours of dialog, some in different languages. The orchestra and singers who provide the accompanying music are directed by the dalang, too. During a performance, which might last for many hours, a dalang sits cross-legged on a mat behind a cotton screen about the size of a large television set. A strong electric lamp or a coconut-oil lamp shines light from behind the dalang, casting the puppets' shadows on the screen. Wayang kulit—leather shadow puppets—may represent noble humans or evil monsters. Each puppet has its own voice and its own way of moving. The "good" puppets usually speak calmly and move gracefully; the "bad" ones have rough voices and move in a funny, jerky way. The stories acted out by the puppets are often based on ancient myths or legends. A specially written puppet show might also celebrate a birth, wedding, or harvest. Sometimes a dalang chooses an old story that he thinks is appropriate for the village where the performance will take place. Before the show, he may ask local people about current events in the village and then use the puppet show to illustrate possible solutions to local problems.
The audience of a shadow puppet show expects to settle in for a long evening. A show may start in the late afternoon and not end until four o'clock the next morning! Children and adults alike may doze off in the middle of a show and wake up hours later to find it still going on. Of course, the dalang must remain alert throughout the show. One dalang remarked, "I have no real sense of time until it's all over."
Read this sentence from the article.
The dalang manipulates puppets made of buffalo hide by moving attached rods of buffalo horn or bamboo.
Which word means about the same as "manipulates"?
Builds
Chooses
Controls
Watches
1 answer