The 'Four Reigns' return

Edited down to less than 160 minutes but with the young Khun Prem’s five-minute dance scene remaining intact and time-wasting, Scenario’s biggest hit of the decade, “Si Phaendin: The Musical”, returned to the stage last month and has continued its run thanks to popular demand. 

Last Sunday evening, for example, the theatre was nearly at full capacity, though there was no standing ovation and the two audience members next to me didn’t bother to return after the intermission.

MR Kukrit Pramoj’s novel “Si Phaendin” (“Four Reigns”), a work of more than 600 pages, reflected how cultural, political and social changes in Thailand from the reigns of King Rama V to King Rama VIII affected a group of people. In contrast, the storyline of the musical, constrained as it is by time limitations, chooses to focus only on Phloy’s lifelong loyalty to the kings. A member of an aristocratic family – though she claims to be a commoner – she apparently enjoyed a better life under the absolute monarchy and while the musical touches on how she was affected by these changes, in truth she would have been unable to make decisions in the patriarchal society of the time. 

Musically, the mix of classical Thai and Western instruments was frequently pleasant. The premiere production three years ago was successful in putting the song “Nailuang Khong Phaendin” (“King of the Land”), which has three reprisals in the musical, into the memories of many Thais. The same cannot be said, however, for “At Khoei Pen Khon Mai Di” (“I may have made a mistake”) and “Chan Cha Yu Khiang Khang Thoe” (“I’ll always be beside you”). Both were apparently written for the pop charts and with little concern for the play’s dramatic content.

Many members of the original cast return and, after more than 100 performances, look and sound surprisingly fresh, from Sinjai Plengpanich’s Phloy and Kriengkrai Unhanan’s Prem, if you can forgive their singing prowess, to Rudklao Amratisha’s Choi, Ti Doksadao’s Phoem and Anuttaphon Sirichumsang’s On. As in the premiere production, Napat Injaiuea, as the young Prem, still thinks that he’s performing in a pop concert. 

New cast member Saranyu Winaipanit, in his first major professional stage work, is so natural and arresting that I completely forgot Yuttana Puangklang’s performance in the original production. Sadly the opposite holds true for Chonnanai Sukkawat, whose bland and stereotypical portrayal of Phloy’s Praphai, notwithstanding her superb singing voice, made me wish Kanda Witthayanuparpyuenyong had been recast in this role, and Amen Sotthibandhu Komeluecha’s Ot was even weaker than Singharat “Singto” Chanphakdee’s.

Like many of Scenario’s child performers on stage and in television, Patrawadi Sukkhothai’s portrayal of the young Phloy seems to have been programmed by her director or acting coach with the result that she apparently enjoys standing still, chin slightly tilted and singing “Nailuang Khong Phaendin” much more than acting.

 

BY POPULAR DEMAND

“Si Phaendin: The Musical” runs every Thursday to Sunday until September 7 at the Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre. 

It’s in Thai, with English surtitles on Thursday and Sunday evening. 

Shows are at 7.30 nightly with 1.30pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. 

Tickets cost Bt520 to Bt3,020 (students Bt720 for Thursday, Friday and Sunday evenings only) at ThaiTicketMajor.

Find out more at Facebook.com/Rachadalai.