Le gambuh: grandeur, décadence et renaissance (?) du théâtre à Bali

International audienceGambuh is said to be classical Balinese theatre par excellence, the source of all the dramatic genres that are now seen on the island. Evoking gambuh conjures up the image of a bygone era of exquisite magnificence, of an art that has declined together with the princely courts due to the colonial conquest of Bali, but which, thanks to the interest of a few dedicated artists and scholars associated with the Indonesian government, has recently experienced a revival of sorts. Such is the commonly held opinion that I question in this article, which is not to be read as a study in ethno-musicology, but rather as a reflection on the evolution of theatre in Bali