It's safe here - share your secrets
B-Floor Theatre takes a memorable dip in the performance pond
In this era where anything we write or post on social media – which many of us still think of as our personal and presumably safe space despite all the evidence to the contrary – one wonders if there is a safe space where we can share a secret.
B-Floor Theatre’s long time member Dujdao Vadhanapakorn, the country’s only dance movement therapist, now has an answer for us –at least those of us willing to leave prejudice behind and step into her space, a large square pond filled with water to shin height at the fourth floor studio of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).
The first work in BACC’s fourth Performative Art Festival, “Secret Keeper”, which Dujdao keenly recreated for this space from previous two versions staged last year, calmed our nerves and soothed our minds in its opening night last Wednesday.
The audience in the stands on opposing sides of the pond watched as Dujdao entered with two chairs, similar to the ones on which we were seated. Her physical movements introduced us to the identity of the secret keeper as well as what she does. Shortly after, we were invited to remove our socks and shoes and bring our chairs into the pond, putting them down anywhere we chose.
On the opening night, 20 audience members answered the call. They were asked to comply with three-secret keeping conditions before Dujdao’s co-creator Vidura Amranand began to share her secret, through spoken words, in both Thai and English, and physical movements. Another partner-in-crime Navinda Pachimsawat Vadtanakovint, who is double-cast with actress Amornsri Pattanasitdanggul on certain evenings, interacted with Vidura without words throughout the remaining space in the pond.
Afterwards, a young woman from the audience also shared her secret, privately with the keeper who later responded with improvised movements. Although I personally would have liked this truly experiential part to be longer, no other audience members volunteered. And so I think Dujdao’s decision to not totally develop the entire work based on the secrets shared by the audience each evening – in consideration of our highly inhibited society – is wise.
“Secret Keeper” showed a fine balance between performance art and performing art and left enough space and time for the audience to feel, think and go home fully refreshed, even without stepping into the comforting water. Fittingly in a space that was previously known as a visual arts gallery, the experience was akin to the leisurely enjoyment of a piece of installation art.
It’s also that rare happy marriage of set, costume, sound and lighting designs – none of which attempts to do too much and achieves its desired effects – and human performance.
In short, “Secret Keeper” is the most memorable work by Thai artists I’ve seen by far this year.
MORE TO COME
“Secret Keeper” continues from Wednesday to Sunday and from August 19 to 23 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Shows are at 7.30pm. Tickets are Bt600 (Bt450 for students). For more information, call (089) 167 4039, e-mail BFloorTheatre.gmail.com or see Facebook.com/BFloor.Theatre.Group.
The Performative Art Festival resumes in late October with the 17th Asiatopia: Performance Art Festival. It will be followed by the Bangkok Theatre Festival and the International Dance Festival 2015. For details, check, www.BACC.or.th.
