Showing 1 - 10 of 32
FAR from heaven
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 18/01/2018
» The path to heaven, as paved by B-Floor Theatre at Democrazy Theatre Studio, is literally a dark, slippery and holey (no pun intended) one. Ornanong Thaisriwong's latest creation, Sawan Arcade, is a stunning spectacle. But its political message is not nearly as potent or affecting as her previous solo performance, Bang La Merd.
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.
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.
Thailand looks to its artistic big brother
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 17/05/2018
» In the past two decades, Bangkok has sprouted several big and small international performing arts festivals -- Bangkok Theatre Festival being the largest event for local productions and Bangkok's International Festival of Dance and Music being the largest for international productions. Then there are emerging festivals spearheaded and run by new bloods like the Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting that launched last year and the biannual Bangkok International Children's Theatre Fest now in its second instalment.
No comfort for young women
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 17/08/2018
» One of the biggest issues commanding media attention in the past year has been that of gender violence. And Peel the Limelight has dedicated this year to staging plays that shed light on the topic from different angles, starting with a production of Agnes Of God, about a young nun with a history of abuse. That was followed by I Am My Own Wife, a one-person play about the life of a transgender woman during World War II and the Communist regime in East Berlin.
New singers, oldest band
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 28/03/2019
» The Suntaraporn Foundation has been staging musicals for seven years, and I finally made the time to go see one this past Sunday. Theatre critics in Bangkok are very aware of their annual productions, but we have largely ignored it. Perhaps it has to do with our limited definition of "contemporary theatre", and our tendency to turn our noses up at anything that feels traditional and conservative.
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.
Garden of dreams and delights
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 09/05/2019
» B-floor Theatre, Thailand's only physical theatre company, turns 20 this year. And they are marking the occasion with Shakespeare.
Pearls of wisdom
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 22/05/2019
» Nana Dakin is a familiar name on the Thai theatre scene. The member of B-floor Theatre is known for her intelligent and sensitive pieces of physical theatre that deal with such issues as identity, migration and violence.
Not entirely transfixing
Life, Amitha Amranand, Published on 07/06/2019
» For its second production, Qrious Theatre transplants the 2005 American film Transamerica to Thailand. TranS I-Am is an awkward US-to-Thailand and screen-to-stage adaptation, but it's sweet and offbeat enough to charm.