Magnificence in masks

Following shows at the Sandwell Theatre in Chicago last year and at a small London theatre early this year, last Thursday saw him realising a dream: performing at London’s Royal Albert Hall. 

It was an experience he’ll never forget.

“Whenever I perform khon, I’m so proud to be promoting and conserving Thai culture. This time is really special, as this is one of the world’s most majestic theatres,” said Wacharawan, who played Thotsakan – the King of Longka Demon – in the one-off show celebrating the 60th birthday of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

The Royal Albert Hall is always busy and its schedule is organised and confirmed at least a year in advance. Thailand was not invited to perform there but was able to do so thanks to the efforts of the Culture Ministry’s permanent secretary, Prof Apinan Poshyananda, who approached the venue’s director last year while preparing for the “Totally Thai” festival in honour of the Princess and to mark 160 years of relations between Thailand and Britain. Credit must also go to the show’s adviser, Thanphuying Putrie Viravaidya, who works for the Princess on many of her projects.

Led by director Surat Eaimsa-Ard, the 60-member troupe comprising performers, musicians and crew and the production team from Ovation Studio entered the 3,500-seat-theatre around 4am and worked solidly for 15 hours rehearsing and preparing the stage for the evening’s show.

To make sure the dancers would be able to perform on a stage they didn’t know, the director blocked off the stage fitting for the Royal Albert Hall, which is smaller than our National Theatre, at the Bangkok venue. The performers rehearsed intensively for a full month, familiarising themselves with the layout.

But being on the real stage was totally different.

 “I was so excited,” Wacharawan said while being dressed for the part. “For me, the most difficult is being conscious of my performance in such a huge theatre.”

The epic show was designed with a foreign audience in mind and with a modern presentation that showcased the beautiful costumes.

Telling the epic story of Ramakien, the Thai version of the Hindu Ramayana, the two-and-a-half-hour show portrayed episodes starting from Phra Rama pursuing the deer to the abduction of Sita and ended with the beautiful blessing dance. Narration was provided before each scene but the English surtitles were pulled at the last minute, with no reason given.

The 2,500-ticket show was almost full. The audience included Thais who live in the UK as well as British nationals and foreign tourists. While most enjoyed the first half of the show, many left before the two-hour mark, finding it hard to follow the performance without the promised English surtitles.

Although narrator Apichart Intravasit clearly briefed the audience in English prior to each episode, the non-Thais in the audience were unable to understand what was going on.

“The show was very beautiful and the costumes were so elegant. But I didn’t really understand the details of the story,” a Swedish tourist who stayed until the end told XP.

Although originally planned to run for 90 minutes, the added hour made the performance far too long. And while our graceful blessing dance is remarkable, it was also dragged out for too long.

The Thai monarchy has long used art and culture to open the Kingdom to the world and this time was no exception.

“All these performers act as our cultural ambassadors. Just as in the reign of the King Rama V, we use art and culture as the soft weapon to tighten our diplomat relationships,” Apinan said. 

FOLLOWING LAST THURSDAY’S classical Thai dance performance at the Royal Albert Hall, Londoners are in for more of our country’s culture in the Thai Film Festival, running from tonight until Saturday at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ Princess Anne Theatre in Piccadilly.

The opener is the award-winning romance “The Teacher’s Diary”, directed by Nithiwat Tharathorn, who will accompany star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak to the festival. Suwannee Chinchiawsharn, vice president of SF Cinema City, who worked closely with the Culture Ministry to bring the seven films to London, will also be present. They will greet a host of VIP guests, including Sir David Puttnam, producer of the made-in-Thailand Oscar-winner “The Killing Fields”.

Aside from the rural teachers’ romance, other entries are the historical drama “Plae Kao” (“The Scar”), martial-arts action in “Tom-Yum-Goong 2”, the horror “Ghost Coins”, the documentary “Poo Somboon”, animation in “The Story of Mahajanaka” and the closing film, the indie financial-crisis drama “Concrete Clouds” by Lee Chatametikool.

“The films have been selected by both Bafta and the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand. Bafta wants to screen Thai films of different genres ranging from drama, family, action, horror and animation,” Suwanee told The Nation. “Movies are key to promoting our culture. We hope the festival will help us sell Thai films to the British and European markets.”

“Plae Kao” director ML Bandevanop Devakul agrees. “It’s such an honour to have my film picked to represent Thai culture overseas, especially for a film festival that’s entirely devoted to a given country’s culture rather than the entries’ technical and aesthetic merits,” he told XP.

Bandevanop, better known as Mom Noi, has readied an “international version” of his tragic romance, adding an extra 45 minutes to explain more about the star-crossed characters Kwan and Riam. “It’s another story, kind of, and I hope the European viewers like it, because the storytelling is done in a more international style now,” he says.

Devotion is on display in the animation, “The Story of Mahajanaka”, which is adapted from the book by His Majesty the King.

Action fans will be treated to “Tom-Yum-Goong 2”, starring Tony Jaa, with action choreography by Panna Rittikrai, the stunt guru who died last July.

There’s also the horror tale “Ghost Coins” by Tiwa Moeithaisong, which involves the Thai tradition of putting coins inside the mouth of the deceased and what happens when some youngsters take those coins.

And there’s a grounded look at contemporary Thai society in the heartfelt award-winning documentary “Poo Somboon” by Krissada Tipchaimeta, which follows the daily life of an elderly Ayuthaya man as he cares for his chronically ailing wife of 45 years.

Still to come is “Thailand Eye”, an exhibition set for November and December, co-curated by Saatchi Gallery’s chief executive Nigel Hurst and Prof Apinan Poshyananda, the Culture Ministry’s permanent secretary. It will feature works by 25 Thai artists, and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the opening.

The events are all part of the “Totally Thai” celebration, in honour of the Princess’ 60th birthday.

 

PHATARAWADEE PHATARANAWIK,THE NATION

 

On the Web:

www.TotallyThai.or.th