Telling it like it is

ASIAN WOMEN and the expectations placed on them took centre stage last week at Chulalongkorn University’s Sodsai Pantoomkomol Centre for Dramatic Arts in the Thai premiere of Korean-American artist Asa Palomera’s thought-provoking drama, aptly titled “Women of Asia”.
The play was composed of seven sketches focusing on the lives of women in different corners of the world and featured a prelude narrated by Onchuma Yuthavong. Dressed all in white, the veteran acting coach offered a few clues as to what the audience would witness later in the show..
Singer and actress Rudklao Amratisha was the star of “Milking Madam Butterfly”, a monologue in English that I personally found a little boring. Dressed in a striking kimono, Rudklao picked on Violetta, Carmen and Butterfly – surely better subjects for a Western audience – but was convincing enough though her words would have enjoyed more impact had they been in Thai.
“Virgin Sale” and “The Kuwaiti Princess and the Flilipino maid” both covered the subject of young girls trapped in foreign countries and again would have been better in Thai. Nonetheless the actresses were successful in portraying their journeys as well as their suffering far from their motherlands.
The performance revved up a notch with “You Don’t Love Me”, the entertaining story of a Thai wife and her Japanese husband. She complained about the food and how much she missed the Thai way of eating, cursing foreign cuisine for being so every bland. Actors Sunon Wachirawarakarn and Korkaew Kampananon showed terrific chemistry as a couple, keeping the audience laughing as they played out the scene in Thai.
“Japanese Woman in San Francisco” was also excellent. Nilobon Vongpattaranon played the title character, delivering a strong and heartfelt message of the agony and misery in being married to a guy she barely knew. Also acted out in Thai, Nilobon had many of the female audience members crying in sympathy for her plight.
“Dowry”, another interesting scene in Thai, saw Warunya Munkaew as the Indian madame of a Mumbai brothel. in Bombay. In a brilliant performance, she scolded the virgins for sale, and told us how she enjoyed going to cinema to escape from the pits of her world.
The highlight was the finale “Woman at the Top” featuring theatre’s grande dame Patravadi Meejudhon in a role especially written for her. Dressed entirely in black and sporting glittering jewellery, she held the audience’s attention with a monologue about the diplomatic lifestyle.
The backstage crew also deserve mention for the simple and elegant set and the well thought out costumes.
Perhaps Palomera could be encouraged to do another “Women of Asia”, this time bringing in some Chinese stories in it.
 LISTENING
TO THE LADIES
 - “Women of Asia” runs through Sunday at the Sodsai Pantoomkomol Centre for Dramatic Arts at Chulalongkorn University. Shows are at 7.30 nightly through Saturday and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.
- Tonight’s show will not feature “Woman at the Top” with Patravadi Meejudhon. Instead, MR Usnisa Sukhsvasti will be featured “The Ambassador’s Wife”.
- It’s in Thai and English with English and Thai surtitles.
- Tickets are Bt600 (Bt300 for students). Call (02) 218 4802 and (081) 559 7252 or check out “Drama Arts Chula” on Facebook.