Royal blood fails to flow

Last Tuesday, I saw a magazine ad for Scenario’s “Lueat Khattiya: The Musical”, proclaiming the production as “the best play of the year”. Although it didn’t mention who had made that call, I figured it was reason to get excited. 

About half an hour into a show the following evening, I already knew that whoever had written that line hadn’t seen much in the way of theatre in 2013. 

The rows of empty seats Wednesday night at Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre can perhaps be explained by the ongoing demonstrations in Bangkok as well as a loss of interest in the show, which premiered in November and ran for a week with the rest of the performances postponed until this month.

For me, the biggest problem with the production was that despite being the first stage adaptation of Khunying Wimon Chiamcharoen’s popular romance novel, it looked, sounded and felt just like any other Scenario musical by Takonkiet “Boy” Viravan.

For example, the show sped its way through the early scenes and showed off the set designer’s prowess in scene changes. It’s was so rapid and sacrificed so many plot and character details that the audience was left wondering whether this two-volume book was better as a TV drama series than a two-act musical running for less than three hours.

However, as is always the case with Scenario’s musicals, it slowed down and became meatier and more dramatic towards the end. But the pace nonetheless left the actors with so little dialogue that they were forced to rely on emotions. In addition, Sarawut Lertpanyanuch’s score was so amazingly diverse that it was difficult to believe that the story was set in the fictitious land in the Middle East. It was also evident that Sarawut had deliberately composed difficult songs for those performers with good singing voices and none for those who the audience would rather not hear. 

Making his professional theatre debut, Tanatat “Kangsomm The Star” Chaiyaat was not convincing as the soldier Anothai who’s later appointed as the supreme commander of the Kingdom of Yasothon. Older viewers will remember Pisarn Akarasenee’s performance in this role when the novel was first made into a TV drama series in the late 1970s. 

As Princess Thippharat Darathewi, who later becomes Queen of the Federation, Nuengthida “Noona” Sophon successfully shed the teen image that shot her to stardom and was considerably stronger than Kangsomm in many scenes. However, she was not totally convincing as a young woman who had always been interested in politics and eventually sacrificed love for duty thanks to her “royal blood”, the play’s literal translation. To be fair, that was partly because she was given insufficient lines to build her character. There was also little chemistry between the two star-crossed lovers. 

On the bright side, Noona’s singing has significantly improved since she made her stage debut in “Rak Chap Chai” two years ago at the same venue, and the performances by Nonthiya Jewbangpa and Rudklao Amratisha who portrayed, respectively, her mother and aunt, were credible and praiseworthily. 

Other commendable performances were given by Anatpol “R The Star” Sirichoomsang, who should have been cast as Anothai but instead performed Prince Chaiyan of the rival kingdom Khemmarat; and Kulkornpat Phothongnak in the role of Princess Khaekhaicharat. With limited stage time, these two characters were, unfortunately, reduced to stereotypical jealous villains.

Veteran actors Phairote Sangwaribut and Phollawat Manuprasert made a rare stage performance, as King of Yasothon and his Minister of Defence.

I can only assume that Boy has shifted his financial assets and creative efforts to “Behind the Painting: The Musical”, now in development in the US. If that’s the case, then maybe Scenario should have hired a new director for its next production.

 

BLOOD STILL POURS

“Lueat Khattiya: The Musical” continues until Sunday at Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre (MRT: Thailand Cultural Centre).

Show time is 7.30 from Wednesday until Saturday at 7:30pm and at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday and Thursday shows have English side titles. 

Tickets cost from Bt500 to Bt 2,800 (Bt800 for students), at Thai Ticket Major outlets and online at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.