Showing 1 - 10 of 38
A stroll through nostalgia and hope
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 21/04/2022
» After the first Covid lockdown in Thailand in 2020, the first performance that brought Bangkok theatregoers back to the physical space was Fullfat Theatre's Save For Later. At that time, the number of cases in Thailand was at a negligible level, and the idea of physical distancing and other pandemic measures were still a novelty. These inconveniences and constraints inspired and pushed theatre artists to experiment and create. Digital technology had a large presence in live performances back then, even in on-site ones.
The evolution of khon
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 22/04/2021
» Choreographer Jitti Chompee's ongoing khon project, which includes Melancholy Of Demon, a dance performance that I reviewed earlier this month, is supported by the Ministry of Culture and departments and offices under its umbrella. This is a surprising level of governmental support granted to a contemporary dance artist who wants to do not-so-genteel things with khon and the character of Tossakan. I still remember how in 2006 the Ministry of Culture reportedly forced Somtow Sucharitkul to change the scene in his opera Ayodhya that depicted the death of Tossakan (Ravan in the opera version) onstage, a practice that is considered a bad omen in Thailand.
Of madness and joy
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 25/11/2019
» We review two original works -- a Thai-language political satire and an English-language musical -- with LGBTQ central characters.
A political message of hope
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 06/09/2019
» Back with the second of three productions to celebrate its 33rd anniversary, DreamboxTheatre Bkk steps into the future with a new playwright and fifth sung-through musical, Namngoen Tae: The Musical.
A double bill of different
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 05/07/2019
» Cleaning has never looked so fun, violent and spooky. Young theatre artists Kawin Bhichitkul of Dee-ng Theatre and Surat Kaewseekram of B-floor Theatre spin visually exciting tales with disposed objects in a double-bill performance, What's Left: Resonance From The Discarded, at WTF Bar & Gallery.
Angel on a mission
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 27/06/2019
» The theatre scene is marking a few anniversaries this year. First, B-floor Theatre celebrated its 20th birthday with an outdoor musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This month, an even older company, Dreambox, originally named Dass Entertainment, kicked off its 33rd-anniversary celebration with a revival of an old musical from its early days. The company will bring back another musical in November, Mae Nak: The Musical, which came from what they consider to be the company's second period in their development. And in a few months, Dreambox will stage Namngoen Thae, a new musical adapted from a historical novel of the same name by one of Thailand's most popular novelists, Lin Lyovarin.
Who's the hero here?
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 28/03/2019
» Scene Zero's Shogo Tanikawa emerges with another play about outsiders. While last year's 4 Seasons draws sensitive and convincing portraits of Thai immigrants in Japan, this year's Hero gives us characters that are either blurry or just plain ludicrous.
Transmitting human angst
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 01/03/2018
» Second time's a charm for Fullfat Theatre at Warehouse 30. The company returns to the space that had dwarfed and overwhelmed the troupe's first play [Co/exist] with its sheer size and uninsulated high ceiling. With the new play, Taxiradio, playwright-director and Fullfat co-founder Nophand Boonyai has successfully tamed the rugged space to achieve not only live performance suitability, but also intimacy.
The 'scene', in all its glory
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 28/12/2017
» It was a busy year for Thai theatre. Life highlights a few trends and picks the best productions of 2017
Freeform art
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 01/12/2017
» A decade ago, theatre was still seen an art form on the margin in Thailand. That is less true today. Visual art and design events are beginning to include theatre in their programmes. The new art and design event Freeform Festival has revived an abandoned school building at ACMEN Ekamai Complex with exhibitions, workshops, food trucks, plays and dance. Their performing arts programme is a solid one. Hopefully, this will become another platform for quality theatre in the future.