Tribute to a master of the stage

MEMBERS OF THE Thailand centre of the International Association of Theatre Critics have unanimously voted actor, director, playwright and professor Kamron Gunatilaka as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Back in the early 1970s, Khru Kamron, as he’s better known here, was among the most active members of Crescent Moon Theatre in the company’s first phase.
Applying Jerzy Grotowski’s “poor theatre” methods to his works in Chiang Mai, this Thammasat University graduate proved that the most important element of any theatre production is the performance by actors and their relationship with the audience, not the spectacles like set, costume and lighting designs.
After the political turmoil in that decade, he moved to France where he worked with Theatre de la Mandagore. Upon his return to Thailand, Crescent Moon Theatre made a strong comeback with his work “The Revolutionist”, in which he applied Bertolt Brecht’s epic theatre techniques to the life and works of statesman Pridi Banomyong in 1987.
Crescent Moon Theatre remains one of the pillars of contemporary Thai theatre as evidenced by the fact that three Silpathorn Award recipients – Nimit Piphitkul, Sineenadh Keitprapai and most recently Jarunan Phantachat – have worked with Khru Kamron.
Apart from this honorary award, the critics will be handing out awards in other 11 categories. Leading all nominees is “Hipster the King”, Thanapol Virulhakul and Non Citizen’s social and political commentary on our fascination with stardom and celebrity, which premiered at Democrazy Theatre Studio and was later restaged as part of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre’s third Performative Art Festival. It’s up for best movement-based performance, original script, art direction and direction.
A few hours after the IATC Thailand Dance and Theatre Review 2014 event on February 24, the cast and crew of “Hipster the King” – no matter how many awards they win – will be leaving for the “Offene Welt” festival in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Also in the movement category is B-Floor Theatre’s “Satapana: Red Tanks”, a solo work by Teerawat Mulwilai, who’s also up for best performance by a male actor and direction. This commentary on censorship was staged at Pridi Banamyong Institute in early October and its sequel, “Satapana: Iceberg”, won praise and awards at the Bangkok Theatre Festival a month later.
Another movement finalist is Crescent Moon’s “Shade Borders”, which premiered at the Culture Ministry’s “Silpathorn” festival at Chang Theatre and was restaged at BACC.
Sineenadh Keitprapai is also in the running for best performance by a female artist for this compelling work, which is up for best performance by an ensemble. Rival works in this category are productions by New Theatre Society, “Cacophonies” and “In Ther’s View: A Documentary Theatre”.
Sineenadh has two strong contenders in Tangmo Rodvanich and Dujdao Vadhanapakorn Boonyai in respectively “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe”, a solo work performed entirely in English, and “The Maids”, a two-hander.
Their male counterparts are equally hard to call as Saifah Tanthana has been nominated for third year in a row, this time for “The Cult of Monte Christo”. The other two are Teerawat in “Red Tank” and British actor James Laver in “Boxes”.
In a year where the major producers of musicals, namely Dreambox and Scenario, were very quiet, the Musicals Society of Bangkok’s “Cixi Taihou”, Walrus Art and Music Group’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and Arts Hub Group’s “Monrak Transistor” are nominated for best musical prize. The nominees for best book of the musical are almost the same except that the Suntraporn jukebox “Phleng Rak Khong Theu” replaces the Broadway glam rock musical.
Short-listed for the year’s best play are “In Ther View”, “Boxes” and “The Cult of Monte Christo” – all of which were seen at Democrazy.
Before the award ceremony, critics will also share their thoughts on the overview of contemporary Thai dance and theatre, and hence the title of this event – “review”, not “awards.”
 YOU PICK
THE WINNERS
- The IATC Thailand Dance and Theatre Review is set for 6pm on February 25 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.
- For more details, check www.Facebook.com/IATC.|Thailand.