1.   Among the livelier exhibits is a functioning replica of the shadow theater developed by the artist Henri Riviere, a popular entertainment that presaged the cartoon film.

2.   Allais and the masters of the shadow theater were complete professionals who knew when to cut a story short.

3.   But in Indonesia, known for its shadow puppet theater, things often are not as they appear.

4.   For instance, there is the shadow theater.

5.   In the midst of all the shadow theater and subtle nuances of Indonesian business, Soedarpo Sastrosatomo is a straight shooter.

6.   All are told through the time-honored medium of shadow theater, an art form struggling to retain a niche in a world dominated by movies and television.

7.   Despite its simple premise, shadow theater has evolved into a complex art.

8.   Egypt, Turkey and Greece, which once boasted highly popular and satirical shadow theaters, now struggle to support a handful of puppet masters.

9.   In other places, shadow theater is waning.

10.   India has preserved one of the purest forms of shadow theater, and despite years of waning popularity it is making a comeback in some areas.