Showing 1 - 9 of 9
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.
Shows for all seasons
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 15/03/2018
» March kicked off with the return of French choreographer Jérôme Bel to Bangkok, bringing with him two productions to close the French Highlights #3. Then English-speaking theatre company Peel the Limelight celebrated International Women's Day with the premiere of their latest production of Agnes Of God in their new and larger venue, Peel the Limelight Studio, just across from their old home, Spark Drama Studio, at Jasmine City building in Asok. And Bangkok-based Japanese theatre artist Shogo Tanikawa founded his own theatre company Scene Zero and gave birth to a new play. Here are our reviews of these performances.
Grace, beauty - and self-discovery
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 01/12/2017
» Unfolding Kafka Festival 2017 ended in Chiang Mai on Sunday. This year, under themes of gender identity, animals and folding and unfolding of the body and objects, the festival's performing arts programme doubled in size. Life reviews all the seven performances presented in Bangkok.
Chit Phumisak, on stage
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 07/09/2017
» Splashing Theatre returns to the stage with Teenage Wasteland: Summer, Star And The (Lost) Chrysanthemum, a play inspired by the life and work of Chit Phumisak. At times moving, at times frustratingly obscure, Thanaphon Accawatanyu's ambitious new creation makes a subtle statement about institutional violence against Thai youth and political dissidents.
Going through the grieving process
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 09/06/2016
» On the Thai stage, we rarely get to see domestic scenes with nuanced emotional conflicts. No sooner does tension begin to form than it is resolved by a comedic means. In our everyday life, too, Thais prefer to avoid discussion of our emotions. Most Thais don't spend hours in therapy sessions every week. Our first instinct is not to seek out professional help to fix our psychological health.
Gruesome torture relived with both barrels
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 06/11/2014
» Almost right after I watched Teerawat "Kage" Mulvilai's solo performance Satapana: Iceberg, I came across Chinese artist Liu Bolin's Hiding In The City performance/photographic series in a book entitled Liu Bolin.
Getting in on the act
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 04/04/2013
» March was a busy month for theatre-goers as artists apparently rushed to stage their shows before holiday-packed April arrived. Here are a selection of theatre and dance productions that were staged last month, some of which are ongoing.
Sayonara to stereotypes
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 15/03/2012
» Oriza Hirata's theatre is a theatre unafraid of silence, of actors turning their backs on spectators, of things said on stage not reaching the ears of the audience. The founder of the Tokyo-based Seinendan Theatre has developed an approach he calls Contemporary Colloquial in which the language used on stage is infused with the structure, grammar and rhythms of everyday spoken Japanese.
Troupes on display
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 15/02/2012
» In the hodgepodge of student, amateur, professional and comeback theatre troupes that, for a decade, have together defined the Bangkok Theatre Festival (BTF), it can be difficult to discover the shining newcomers. Even those who have been on the scene for years can easily get lost in the muddle. While regular theatre-goers may prefer to invest their energy in watching the works of long-standing reputable troupes, sometimes it's the new discoveries that make your theatre-going experience all the more worthwhile and exciting. We talked to newly formed and lesser-known companies of veterans and new blood to give you a glimpse into this year's festival and the direction of the local theatre scene.