The end of us

While in France for the 2011 edition of the Festival d’Avignon, I was fortunate enough to catch the world premiere of Pascal Rambert’s “Cloture de l’amour”, a contemporary drama about a couple breaking up that comprises two 50-minute monologues by both the man and the woman. My French was, and still is, very limited and even though I didn’t understand much of what they said, the energy of the two actors and the audience’s response was so remarkable that the play held my attention for the entire time. 

A year later I discovered that American actress Kate Moran had translated “Cloture de l’amour” into English and was so impressed with it that I included it on the reading list of my contemporary world drama class where many students said they wanted to watch it on stage, in Thai.

 Now their wish is about to come true thanks to the efforts of graduate student Pakawalee Kongkrapan and comparative literature professor Phrae Chittoiphalangsri who translated it into Thai and of seasoned director Bhanbhassa Dhubtien who has worked on the tradaptation with professional actors Chaiwat Anutrakulchai and Sasithorn Panichnok. And with Rambert’s note to the Thai team, “do whatever you want with the play”, “Cloture de l’amour” has become “Loek!”, literally “stop” or “quit”.

Bhanbhassa, the recipient of IATC Thailand’s best directing award last year, says, “Directing this play is truly challenging. Excellent acting skills are necessary for such a unique drama. At the beginning of the process, I spent quite some time with the script, adjusting the level of the spoken language so that it communicates better with the Thai audience, while making sure that the writing style of the French playwright remains intact. 

“Pascal suggested I work with the English translation of the script, in which he was also involved, saying this would help me thoroughly understand what he wanted to put across to the audience through his play.

“When it came to working with the actors, I realised that the characters must have the kind of extreme emotions that come with a break-up of any relationship that has lasted for longer than 10 years. Those emotions give birth to the long monologues but also make them patient while listening to the other person. Therefore, after the actors get into the extreme condition of the characters, I let them lead into the situation, and just let everything happen naturally. Thus, in a different evening, some mise en scene may be slightly different; though the consistency, thanks to the clear characterisation, remains. 

“I decided to keep the artistic elements as simple as possible, while making sure that they contain the feelings relevant to the main concept of the play.”

Last month, with the assistance of the French Embassy, Alliance Francaise Thailand and Institut Francais, Rambert was in Bangkok to talk about the play, join a debate on contemporary arts with Thai artists, conduct a playwriting workshop, and watch the rehearsal of “Loek!” – all in just two days.

And tonight, for the first time in Southeast Asia and third time in Asia after Japan and Korea, Bangkok theatre audiences will get to watch “Cloture de l’amour”. I know I’m not the only one who’s extremely excited.

 

FRENCH HONOUR