From one royal court to another

Victor naturally garnered a lot of attention online when he tweeted the names of some of the cast members, including the Princess. “At first we thought she would be a guest star in just one show, but she’s full of spirit and says she can be in all the shows,” the perennial director of the World Film Festival of Bangkok tells Soopsip. Victor also directed “Reya the Musical”, starring Araya A Hargate last year, another Nation Group undertaking.

Victor says the Princess has been very kind to his team. “She told me I should be frank with her if her performance isn’t right.” The Princess has of course sung at several charitable events, but this will be her first stage performance in recent years. She’s now participating in rehearsals for the musical, which will be at M Theatre from April 25 to May 4. It’s presented by the Musical Society of Bangkok, led by Kanda Witthayanuparpyuenyong (producer of this one) and Suruj Tipakora-seni (musical director and in the cast as a court eunuch).

 

Them good old days

When a classic movie like “Plae Kao” (“The Old Scar”) is being remade, it’s bound to be under a harsh spotlight, and usually the discussion is about who’s going to play the leads, in this case the star-crossed lovers Kwan and Riam. The bigger question, of course, is whether any remake can do justice to the original. Can “Son of Plae Kao” give viewers anything like the same pleasure that the 1978 version directed by Cherd Songsri delivered?

Soopsip has already mentioned the online-chat fuss over ML Bandevanop “Mom Noi” Devakul’s choice of half-Thai actors for the lead roles. He’s got Chaiyapol “New” Pupart playing Kwan and Davika “Mai” Hoorne as Riam. For many, it just doesn’t seem “authentic” enough, but the remake director insists that New and Mai are great fits for their parts.

Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt for now and move on to the next question: Is this going to be a musical version of the classic story? Nine members of the cast competed in “The Star” singing contest organised by Takonkiet Viravan’s Scenario Company. Again, Mom Noi swears they’re perfect for the roles they’re assigned in the movie.

Most of the “actor-singers”, led by “The Star 8” winner Jaruwat “Dome the Star 8” Chiaw Aram, play friends of Kwan and Riam – and they do sing in the film (folk tunes, of course). Also on board are Warawut “Tum the Star 9” Phoyim (another season champion) and Tanyarat “Kwang the Star 7” Trisuthiwong. 

The story is still set a century ago in Bang Kapi, then the rural outskirts of Bangkok. Nostalgia informs us that life was always better if there were rice paddies surrounding you. You remember – everyone went around smiling and singing folk songs.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine Mom Noi casting nine of Takonkiet’s singers if he had no direct connection with Scenario. Takonkiet has for years been sending his TV drama and musical stars to Mom Noi for coaching.

Well, those folk songs in the movie better be good. Either that or the singing actors are going to have to look very amusing on a water buffalo.