GWR
20-06-08, 10:57 PM
Thai puppet troupe facing uncertain future
The Nattayasala troupe at the Joe Louis Theater carefully moves intricately painted puppets to traditional Thai opera. Their movements in the "Hun Lakkhon Lek" puppet show are based on Khon- the classical Thai masked dance. The stories they perform are based on tales from the Ramayana, the Indian book of the Hindu Gods.
It takes three puppeteers to control the limbs and head of a single puppet. A good troupe can make the puppets ‘come alive’, conveying human emotion and pathos.The Nattayasala troupe recently won the Best Performance Art award at the 12th World Festival of Puppet Art 2008 in Prague.
Even though the troupe brought honour to Thailand, it received very little publicity back home. On the contrary, the troupe’s regular shows pull in many foreign tourists.
"It was a lovely play. I think it reflected aspects of Thailand that I didn't know.", said a foreign tourist.
Apart from fighting not to become a dying art form, the troupe is also facing eviction from the theatre in which it performs in, which is located in the Suan Lum Night Bazaar in central Bangkok. Developers want to build a modern shopping mall in its place.
Young puppet master and president of the Nattayasala troupe Pisutr Yangkhiawsod said if the troupe was forced to move out, it would go on a road show, and perform in schools and for people in the provinces.
Family members of puppeteer master Sakorn Yangkhiawsod, widely known as Joe Louis, have been fighting to preserve the ancient Thai puppet art form for years, after it started losing popularity in the 1950s.
Whatever the fate of Suan Lum Night Bazaar, the Nattayasala troupe remains determined to keep up the Thai puppet tradition, hopeful this part of its culture will persevere like the characters in the plays it performs.
"We will keep trying to preserve the cultural art. Even if there is no support in the future, we will try to keep it alive until we have no power left to do so and that might be the end of the culture.", said Pisutr Yangkhiawsod.
Last Update : 2008-06-20, 2008-06-20 (GMT+7:00)
With MCOT News English Language video report:
http://enews.mcot.net/clip.php?nid=13414
See also thread on the 'Siam Tribune' development of the old Suan Lum & Lumpini Park Boxing Stadium sites:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=21675#post21675
Thread on the 'new' Lumpini Boxing Stadium:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=958
The Nattayasala troupe at the Joe Louis Theater carefully moves intricately painted puppets to traditional Thai opera. Their movements in the "Hun Lakkhon Lek" puppet show are based on Khon- the classical Thai masked dance. The stories they perform are based on tales from the Ramayana, the Indian book of the Hindu Gods.
It takes three puppeteers to control the limbs and head of a single puppet. A good troupe can make the puppets ‘come alive’, conveying human emotion and pathos.The Nattayasala troupe recently won the Best Performance Art award at the 12th World Festival of Puppet Art 2008 in Prague.
Even though the troupe brought honour to Thailand, it received very little publicity back home. On the contrary, the troupe’s regular shows pull in many foreign tourists.
"It was a lovely play. I think it reflected aspects of Thailand that I didn't know.", said a foreign tourist.
Apart from fighting not to become a dying art form, the troupe is also facing eviction from the theatre in which it performs in, which is located in the Suan Lum Night Bazaar in central Bangkok. Developers want to build a modern shopping mall in its place.
Young puppet master and president of the Nattayasala troupe Pisutr Yangkhiawsod said if the troupe was forced to move out, it would go on a road show, and perform in schools and for people in the provinces.
Family members of puppeteer master Sakorn Yangkhiawsod, widely known as Joe Louis, have been fighting to preserve the ancient Thai puppet art form for years, after it started losing popularity in the 1950s.
Whatever the fate of Suan Lum Night Bazaar, the Nattayasala troupe remains determined to keep up the Thai puppet tradition, hopeful this part of its culture will persevere like the characters in the plays it performs.
"We will keep trying to preserve the cultural art. Even if there is no support in the future, we will try to keep it alive until we have no power left to do so and that might be the end of the culture.", said Pisutr Yangkhiawsod.
Last Update : 2008-06-20, 2008-06-20 (GMT+7:00)
With MCOT News English Language video report:
http://enews.mcot.net/clip.php?nid=13414
See also thread on the 'Siam Tribune' development of the old Suan Lum & Lumpini Park Boxing Stadium sites:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=21675#post21675
Thread on the 'new' Lumpini Boxing Stadium:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=958