Single Thai (Fe) Males

After making a splash with his solo performance “My Mermaid Dream” at Bangkok Theatre Festival 2013, Pathavee Thepkraiwan and Nakornrath Theatre have made a much-awaited return to stage. Their new work is called “Single Ladies ‘til the World Ends”, or more jovially in Thai, “Rue Yang Cha Nok Mae Lok Cha Salai”, and it’s on at Democrazy Theatre Studio.
The play is set in the future at a time when humans are scarce and can only live in special cells with the help of an operating system called “Nong”. Drag queen Miss Carter, who worships Beyonce, lives on processed food from boxes and complains that her romantic relationships with men haven’t been successful. These men are like “Nok”, or birds, who would fly towards her only to flutter away. She is joined by a tomboy, whose idol is Taylor Swift, and through many Thai and international pop and country songs, they show us how they are cut off from the society.
“Single Ladies” is highly entertaining throughout its one-hour run, and the two performers – Pathavee himself and Chatraporn Pakdee – deliver a memorable performance. The latter, with her singing prowess, even steals the show from its creator in a few musical numbers. They are well accompanied by musicians who add more vibrancy to the piece as well as a lighting and video design team who clearly have worked very hard to transform this small studio into what looks and feels like a futuristic bar. In sum, the cast and crew make this a worthwhile queer theatre production, and not simply just a cabaret show or a concert.
However, the high entertainment waters down the messages and the audience doesn’t really have time to empathise with the two characters’ social woes – and they seem to be happy most of the time anyway. Unlike more dramaturgically sophisticated works like Wannasak Sirilar’s “Chailai Pai Rop” or “Khor Khanthi” at Patravadi Theatre more than a decade ago, in the end “Single Ladies” doesn’t give the audience more than a unique evening of fun. 
And unlike when “Chailai” was staged, queer characters and stories are now more often seen as they actually are, not as comic relief in TV series and movies, making it more difficult for theatre artists to find a ground not yet covered. That said, Bangkok is the gay capital of Asia, and there are many more stories TV and movies wouldn’t dare to tell. 
I find it quite intriguing that the plays and musicals on stage this month – others are “The Chanchila”, “The Vagina Monologues”, “Lai Chiwit” and “Nithan Hinghoi” – all deal with different subject matter yet none is political. 
And that again proves the diversity in contemporary Thai theatre. 
 LAST CHANCE
- The last show of Nakornrath Theatre’s “Single ladies’til the world ends” is at 7 tonight at Democrazy Theatre Studio (five-minute walk from MRT’s Lumphini station, Exit 1). 
- It’s in Thai with no English surtitles. 
- Tickets are Bt400 (Bt350 for students), at (085) 473 7956. Check at Facebook.com/Nakornrath.