Memories of another day
The Calendar flips to October 6 in revival of Wichaya Artamat's hit play
Wichaya Artamat's “In Ther’s View”, performed last year at Democrazy Theatre Studio, was not simply a hit with the audience but also wowed critics, earning the best play award. Last weekend, he revisited his former work, reviving it as “6th Party Re: Re: Khaosarn” for new group For What Theatre at the same venue and billing it as “a play reading with moving images”.
One of the delights of Democrazy is that the performance areas and audience stands are constantly shifted around. As the title suggests, the piece was a party and so chairs were placed around tables, on which drinks menus were placed and more beverages could be ordered if the provided can of beer did not suffice. A wall was hung with paintings while a line drawing of a T-shirt spread over many pieces of white paper hung from the ceiling.
Five actors, namely Nana Dakin, Sasapin Siriwanij, Saifah Tanthana, Bandit Kaewana and Kemmachat Sermsukchareonchai, performed as themselves, walking freely around the space and frequently taking a seat at the centre table in front of the back wall onto which video images were projected. When another well-known actor walked in about 15 minutes late, many of the audience were not sure whether he was actually performing as he took a seat at the same table.
Early in the play, Saifah was focused on his notebook computer near the entrance, checking on the flood situation. The timing was October 6, 2011, and the screen accordingly showed video images from TV news coverage of the flooding as well as black-and-white footage from inundations from yesteryear. The conversation between the five friends soon shifted to another significant event on this date – the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs.
Date and topic then changed to October 6, 1976, albeit briefly, but other topics were skipped. Once in a while, as one of the actors realised they had missed a transition or a cue, they returned to read from their scripts – this was a play reading after all. And as much as they enjoyed improvising rather than reading the scripted lines, they had more fun partying than discussing the topics and issues in the script.
Among the other distractions, which the audience loved as much as they did, was an actual phone order for fast food and audience members were invited to place their orders too. When the delivery man arrived, the actors took a few photos with him.
As the party drew to a close after about 100 minutes, the number 6 was printed individually on the programme leaflets, one side of which featured an image of John Lennon and the written lyrics of “Imagine”.
While hardly the wildest party in town – the more familiar with the actors you were, the more fun you had – “6th Party Re: Re: Khaosarn” was a reminder of how forgetful we Thais are and how little we draw from lessons of the past both to solve current problems and prevent more of them in the future.
The rainy season seems to have started yet we have no hint of the government’s water management plan for this year. I know where to a purple shirts but, as the TV news images of the 2011 flood have reminded me, I have little idea of where to purchase sandbags or a boat? Or should I get a copy of the new constitution to read first?
DEMOCRAZY ON THE SPOT
Thanapol Virulhakul’s Thai adaptation of Hanchu Yuei’s “Girl X”, seen earlier this year at Tokyo Performing Arts Market, has its Thailand premiere from June 9 to 20. For details, check www.Facebook.com/democrazystudio.
