Hats off to freedom!

BANGKOK ART and Culture Centre’s (BACC) sixth edition of the Performative Art Festival (PAF#6) kicked off last Thursday with the premiere of Anatta Theatre Group’s lakhon rong “Love Astray” (“Rak Utalut” in Thai).

Singer Phanthana (Sukanya Sompiboon) and Likay performer Huan (Sukhumphan Thititanaphan)

A series of slides at the start re-introduced the political and social environment of the traditional Thai musical play, which is set at the beginning of World War II in 1939. An interview with Pantana Yotakun, a former civil servant who sang many propaganda songs for the Department of Public Relations was also heard, focusing on how she took her hat off while riding in a car and was spotted by “the leader” and was later summoned to meet him for a warning.
Exceptional playwriting is a fine blend of fact and fiction and that’s the case with “Love Astray”. The incident, as insignificant as it might have seemed, inspired Silpathorn Award artist Pradit Prasartthong to expand on the episode when she, using the fictional name “Phanthana Yothakhun” (Sukanya Sompiboon), was informed of the special call up by “the leader”. The play focuses on the love triangle between the widowed police officer and “the leader’s” right-hand man Watthana Thamcharoenrungrueang (literally “culture flourishing”) performed by Pradit himself and young likay performer Huan Homfung (country music singer Sukhumphan Thititanaphan) who’s trying to get an official license in order to be able to legally perform his art.

The few set props leave visual space for projections of relevant images.

Nevertheless, as it’s set in the period when Thai citizens were asked by “the leader” to dress and to behave like the residents of supposedly civilised countries, by wearing hats, western shirts, trousers and shoes, the play is not merely a romantic comedy. It instead pokes fun at “the leader” we know today. Hearing Phantana’s singing the song to promote how wearing hats could lead to civilisation reminded every audience member of a few songs composed by “the leader” which broke records on the radio charts two years ago. Seeing the projected images of the leaflets promoting how to dress properly reminds us of the uniforms many of us have been told to put on today – and how irrelevant they are to global warming and the rising electricity bill. In the end, many audience members were grinning at how now, 78 years on, not much has changed in this supposedly civilised and democratic country. And that also led us back to the play’s title – whether we interpret it as referring to the mayhem of love among these three characters or how we’re supposed to show our love for our nation.

Sukanya Sompiboon's roofraising performance is one of the reasons why this is a must-see.

Sukanya Sompiboon delivered her best performance to date as the only female character and the protagonist Phanthana and I wasn’t the only member of the audience who couldn’t stop smiling while watching her performance. If I have time, I may return to “Love Astray” with an electric sign saying “Love Phantana!” With her heavenly voice, crystal-clear diction and emotional expression as well as vivid characterisation as the rebellious singer, she blew away her fellow actors, neither of whom looked and sounded like they could win her heart. Pradit was reportedly recovering from a cold and hence his energy wasn’t at its fullest last Thursday. Sukhumphan simply required more confidence when he was by himself or on stage with Sukanya. 
Credit is also due to music director Gandhi Wasuvitchayagit, his pianist and four young chorus singers who, while physically always upstage and far away from the audience, were aurally also the stars of this performance.
“Love Astray” was staged as a tribute to the late National Artist Sudjit Duriyapraneet with whom Pradit studied. In addition to her photo at the beginning and the end, the titles of her compositions were projected on a white wall during all musical numbers. She would have been very proud of this “Love Astray”: not only does this Thai musical play tradition live on through it, but it’s also relevant to the contemporary audience – socially, culturally and politically.
 

THE FEST IS ON!
>> Anatta Theatre Troupe’s “Love Astray” is at BACC’s fourth floor studio (BTS: National Stadium station) until Sunday. 
>> It’s in Thai with no English surtitles.
>> Performances from Thursday to Saturday are at 7:30pm, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. 
>> Tickets are Bt 500 (Bt 350 for students), at (094) 492 4424, or at Line ID “AnattaTheatre”.
>> BACC’s PAF#6 continues until December. The next programme is Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thammasat University’s “The Voyage” from September 1 to 3. This is followed by the restage of B-Floor Theatre’s award-winning “Ceci n’est pas la politique”. The highlight, of course, is Bangkok Theatre Festival from November 2 to 19. 
>> Find out more at www.BACC.co.th.