ABSTRACT
Theatre – both masked and nonmasked – has a long history in rural Mali. Village communities place a positive value on innovation and rivalry in the theatre, a factor that contributes to its continuing vitality and popularity. In this study I explore one manifestation of this theatre, youth association puppet theatre as it is performed throughout the Segu region and in selected areas of adjoining regions. I focus on one Bamana village’s theatrical tradition; on how innovation and rivalry are incorporated into the definition of puppet theatre; how they are articulated in the construction of a performance; and how they shape the participants’ reception of the theatre. 1
