The repertoire of royal wayang topeng (masked dance) is based mainly upon the adventures of the mythological Javanese hero Prince Panji, who is equated in demeanor with Arjuna in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The classical dance Klana Gandrung portrays an evil foreign king’s lustful love for Panji’s wife Candra Kirana. Klana is a generic name for a prince from outside Java and the mask that represents him features a red, mustached face and bulging, ferocious eyes.

Topeng masks are worn low on the face, held in place by a short internal strap that the dancer clenches in his teeth, and sometimes also with a head cord. In order for the dancer to see through the narrow eye-slits, the head has to be tilted back. This positioning assists in creating a sense of the supernatural, as the eyes appear to stare out high over the audience’s shoulders. Good dancers also keep the mask “alive” by incessant small movements of the neck and head.