Every stage (phatet) of wayang performance from dusk to dawn has been created by puppetry artists in the past. They illustrated a philosophical depiction of a human being growing step by step in a time dimension, from the onset of birth to the world until pass away.
What do the stages or pathet in wayang kulit perfomance (particullary of mangkunegaran style) look like?
'PATHET NEM'
Pathet Nem is the stage during which a human being is born to his/her adolescent period. The accompanying music is first in pathet manyura tone. The simbol of this stage is when the parents are preparing the birth of their child. Later the music changes from pathet nem tone to pathet nem ageng tone when the child is growing.
THE FIRST ACT CONTINUED WITH UNJAL STAGE, BEDHOLAN STAGE AND GAPURAN STAGE
The stage is initiated with the total relocation. it depicts the start of macro-cosmos, the place where the life of human beings and the associated ups and down of life are displayed. Jejeran is preparatory stage continued with unjal stage.
Unjal stage marked with sulukan sendhon pananggalan recitation and the arrival of guests symboling a would be father who will forge his life.
Bendholan and Gapuran scenes are within wedding plot initiating the birth of child in the beginning of overall human life.