Stand Up Sinden: Commodification in Shadow Puppet Shows and Youtube Live Streaming

Abstract

The creation of YouTube content and live streaming of wayang kulit (shadow puppet performance) on the personal channel of a dalang (puppeteers) represents an effort on the part of the individual dalang to gain viewers and expand consumer base. The performance of the sinden (singer) who stands, dialogues, sings and danc­es during the wayang performance is a special attraction for the audience of wayang fans (this article uses the term “stand up sinden”). This article will broadly discuss the form of commodification that occurs in the stand up sinden practice seen in Ki Seno Nugroho’s (KSN) wayang show streamed on Youtube. This discussion aims to examine the form of commodification that occurs in the stand up sinden phenom­enon and its possible future impact, especially in the world of wayang performing arts. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method with document data sources (including personal and Youtube social media channel sites), interviews, and partici­pant observation conducted by the author. This research suggests that the commodifi­cation that occurs in the KSN shadow puppet show that employs stand up sinden is in accordance with Vincent Mosco’s thoughts on the three aspects of commodification: content commodification, audience commodification, and worker commodification. Of the three aspects, content commodification is the most dominant form of commod­ification in KSN performances, especially for stand up sinden. Stand up sinden, as a trend of commodification in wayang shows, influences other artists to make various efforts to match the same level of performance standards. The commodification that occurs in KSN performances on the one hand can facilitate and give pleasure to the achievement of the coveted sales of the performing artists. On the other hand, performances that lead to commodification erode the objective consciousness of the audience owing to instrumental/media logic, and things that become popular quickly also risk being quickly abandoned, due to the flow of new interests for other creative industries. The influence of commodification also tends to make artists cater to audi­ence will and may suppress their own artistic will in their works.