THE THEATRE

The Noh Stage is a temporary one built of wood and bamboo. Torches of fire pits line the front of the stage, and are lit after a ceremonial opening from the head of Kyoto's Noh Society and the Mayor of Kyoto. There are two attendants dressed in white head to toe whose job is to make sure the fire continues to burn throughout the 3 hour evening. The fire is meant to light the entire performance, but there is a bit of help from technology to add a natural glow to the performances onstage. The stage is built right in front of the Heian Shrine, which is one of the city's most important shrines dedicated to the first and last emperors of the city.  There are several Noh theaters in Kyoto, where performances take place weekly, but this event outdoors only occurs once a year. 

THE PERFORMANCE

​There were three masked dramas accompanied by a chorus of singers stage left and a live musicians upstage center.  Each Noh performance begins with the chorus entering from the runway stage right. The musicians then enter, followed by the masked dancer.  In between each masked drama was a Kyogen performance. They are more comedic interludes, still performed in a Noh style, but it is text heavy without music or chorus. I became very interested in Kyogen, since I have a passion for stylized comedy. It served as a break between the intensity of each Noh performance. One of the Kyogen performers even poked fun at the DVD set they were selling aggressively throughout the show. As silly as that was, I guess it worked since I bought my own set. 

Here is a special preview performance recorded by the event.  It begins with the Kyogen performers, then on to a Noh drama. Imagine 3 hours of this, under the stars, with a thousand audience members...

MY EXPERIENCE

This was my first experience of live Noh theatre and I was warned by friends, that this would be a boring one. I was not bored at all. This fellowship has been about embracing the identity of "outsider."  Being in a new country and experiencing new form like this was really special. Although I didn't understand the language, thankfully they had a summary of each story in English. After living in Thailand for 6 months, I got used seeing theatre in a different language and just paying attention to the relationships. I was in awe of the beauty of the masks and costumes, and I felt ready to begin my training in Noh dance. 

FYI...

Kyoto Takigi Noh Bonfire Festival occurs June 1 & 2 annually.  
Tickets start at 4,000 Yen. Buy them early as performances are likely to sell out.
http://www.kyoto-kanze.jp/takiginoh/kyoto-takiginoh-english.html

THE FESTIVAL
Every year, the government sponsors the Harmony World Puppetry Festival in Kanchanaburi every November. Unfortunately it was postponed due to the King’s passing, but fortunately for me, I was able to see the festival this past February. There were dozens of puppetry performances from all over the world, but I was most excited to see Nung Yai shadow puppetry. Despite difficulty traveling to the town and finding the festival in Kanchanaburi, witnessing Nung Yai for the first time lit by fire made the journey worth it. ​

THE COMPANY
Nung Yai shadow puppets of Wat Ban Don, Rayong, Thailand (หนังใหญ่วัดบ้านดอน ระยอง). Rayong is a province on The Gulf coast, half-way between Bangkok and The Cambodian border. It was an important trading port, and became key to King Taksin The Great's founding of a new Siamese capital in Bangkok, after the fall of Ayutthaya. Shortly after, a ship arrived bringing shadow puppets from The South. These were put into storage at Wat Ban Don, where there was already a community of artists. They were preserved and today are on display in the temple's museum. The tradition of the Nung Yai has been kept alive through passing down the method of making, performing, and preserving this classical shadow puppet form. The training resembles that of classical Khon Dance, and the stories are similarly taken from The Ramakien, (or Ramayana), using moves, and poses derived from Khon.

THE PERFORMANCE
The puppet festival was geared towards both Thais and foreigners. The Nung Yai puppets performed almost every night and I made it a point to come and see it every time. They featured different characters and stories each time, so I was excited to see it in action. I also loved how the company was highly skilled young people ranging form probably 7 to 17.  The audience was exclusively all Thai people. We all sat on straw mats on the floor and I even had a cow sitting beside me. (See video below!) I felt that maybe the audience were the family members of the performers, or maybe they have a relationship to the form. Regardless, this was by far the best performances of the entire festival. Other shows were ruined by cheap tricks like moving LED lights and fog. If they are going to do it traditional, then do it traditional. I spoke with a theater professor friend in Bangkok later that week Pasakorn Intoo-Marin, who also has a lot of interest and knowledge in these forms. He said it is rarely performed lit with actual fire so I experienced something quite special. Here are some excerpts I took. Enjoy!

THE FUTURE
They expressed the stress of running this theater company. Is it making money? Will we book any gigs?Are the children even interested in pursuing this seriously?  These are questions that we all worry about different points in our life. The couple are both retired, but they each had differing views. She seemed weighed down by the uncertain future, but the husband was very hopeful and energetic about growing and expanding their company. She mentioned that she may retire this company, if it continues to slow down. She and her husband remain passionate about their puppets, but unfortunately it is not shared by the larger Thai community. I felt lucky to have this intimate time getting to know them, and empathized with their struggles theater artist to theater artist. 

FYI...

To learn more about Choreonsilp Puppet Company and the see the company in performance, watch this news feature below!

POST-PERFORMANCE
This was by far the most impressive traditional performance I had ever seen in Thailand. It definitely lived up to my expectations. Although there were rough moments with the ensemble in training, I felt a sense of real specificity, craft, and mastery. The epic scale is a major part of this wow factor. There were probably thirty performers and then another twenty person music and voice ensemble. I have felt a similar experience going to the symphony or the ballet. When using form in theatrical performance, it is important to create your own language. I don't see myself using Khon exactly, but I appreciate seeing all the elements working in a perfect puzzle. My friends ask me why I am interested in traditional performance. If I am going to work with Thai artists, and be part of the community, I want to understand the performance culture and its originals. Today, I witness performances that are very directly related to Khon and some that completely blatantly reject it. 

​Looking at the audience around me in Lumpini park that night, I was pleased to see how many Thai people were in attendance. Mostly an older generation marveling at the beauty. In speaking with my Thai friends, they said that there are Khon performances that occur on a commercial scale in Bangkok, but all advertising is in Thai. They were impressed that I was able to find this performance on my own. This has been a constant struggle for me, in attending traditional and contemporary performance. If there advertising is not in English, than I don't have access to it. When I do get to witness it like tonight, it is a treat because it is not a tourist trap. But then I think of all the other things I could be missing, because I am not able to find more information on it. Thankfully I have friends who have translated some flyers and events for me. So now I know I have to work a little bit  harder to see authentic performances here in Thailand!

FYI...

There is not a lot of information on the College of Dramatic arts available on English. Here is a link to their Facebook page with updates on recent performances and events. To get in contact with the school, I suggest connecting with a translator to assist with communication!
www.facebook.com/pages/The-College-of-Dramatic-Arts-/467455059933703https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-College-of-Dramatic-Arts-/467455059933703

MONTH 2
Challenge: The first 45 minutes of class is dedicated to form. We 15 minutes, we stretch, then jump rope, and finally sprint. After that, we do a series of intense calisthenics, sit-ups, and push-ups for another 15 minutes. Our trainers then wrap our hands individually and we work on form for 15 minutes, before we begin our three, three-minute rounds. I am a very good student and follow form very quickly. When it comes to the intensity of the rounds with the trainer, I tend to lose form. The form creates the greatest impact, while keeping my body safe from injury. 
Victory: I am getting very fast at punching. After the first day, I knew I had to learn Thai body parts, directions, numbers, and basic physical feelings QUICKLY. Once I did that, my trainers and were able to communicate. I am used to his voice, and demands so my reaction reflex is getting very fast. My stamina is much higher, and the other students complement at how strong I am. This gives me motivation to push myself harder. 
​

THE PARADE

The vibe felt very hometown. It wasn't overly former or commercialized. Tourists and locals lined up along the sidewalks, but we were able to walk into the middle of the street to take a good photo as the float went by. The dancers and participants were incredibly patient and stopped along their route to take pictures with peace-signing tourists. We were tempted to walk into the street and followed the trend during a full stop. Parents followed their kids, and partners followed their significant others wiping their sweat and feeding cold water to the beauty queens and kings frying in the Thailand sun. Floats are prepared in just days before the festival, since the fresh flowers need to be at their peek for performance. 

THE PARK

Chiang Mai transformed Nong Buak Haad Public Park into an Instagrammers heaven. Christina and I couldn't fight our Asian impulses for selfies. There was even an orchid contest! The top ten were on display for the us flower fans. The crowd packed shoulder to shoulder, but we managed to find our Kodak moments along the way. The festival was not shy about color and quantity.  I spent many spring weekends visiting the Philadelphia flower show, but this was another level. Despite the crowds, we were able to find a moment for our photo op. 

THE PERFORMANCE

The major performance was an evening of cultural dances specific to the north. I had gotten a taste of this at a Thai Tourism Festival in Bangkok, but I was excited to see Northern dances in the north. The audience was almost exclusively locals, possible friends, family, and community members supporting the young performers on stage. It took me back to my Philippine-American  community in Central Pennsylvania. Tourists came and went, but we were the only ones who stayed the whole evening. The audiences were attentive, and the dancers were dedicated. I could see the hand and arm movements I've been studying with Kru Nid in Bangkok. The dancers gave it there all in each step, with a big smile on their faces. It felt like it was a mask. The costumes and dancers were indeed "beautiful," but I was not moved or emotionally impacted.  This is a common feeling among my Thai artists friends. These dances are the foundation for all performance in Thailand, but it feels empty. Why don't you judge for yourself! Here is a short youtube clip of the highlights. 

FOR YOUR INFO...

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival takes place every first weekend of February. Here are a few sites that helped me during my stay.

www.festivalsofthailand.com/http://www.festivalsofthailand.com/
https://www.tourismthailand.org/
http://chiangmaibest.com/chiang-mai-flower-festival/

THE REALITY
​
Many of my Thai friends were required to study Thai classical dance as children. It was a way of preserving the Thai culture. Most people leave and and forget about it, but some continue to pursue it professionally. My feeling is that a lot of Thais reject this traditional form, because they have no relationship to, nor do they really understand why they are doing it. Maybe the why has become, "for entertainment" or "for the tourists." The form may be beautiful for photos, but it lacks emotional depth or any conversation around the characters, stories, emotions. I find myself google the moves and music, hoping a scholar has written something that will help me understand what I am doing. As you can see from the photo above, I am one of two students studying with Kru Nid, and I can see her enthusiasm when I show her my excitement in getting a dance correctly. She often asks me, "Do you like this?" I assure yes, of course, but I notice that the bellydancing class next door has 20 times more students than ours. Frankly, it is a dying form and there are few opportunities to learn from the dedicated traditionalists like Kru Nid. 

THE PERFORMANCE

I sat in the front row surrounded by children ages 3-6, which is the best seat in the house. A puppeteer and jolly host introduced the performance giving a brief history of the space, the company, and the story we are about to see. He asks Thai people to kindly help their English speaking friends, because he only speaks Thai. Before they began, they brought out the puppets performing, along with two portraits of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. This is customary for all performances and film in Thailand. We all stood while the performers bow to give their respect. The puppets stand beside the portraits like loyal guardians. The are treated and respected as equal company members.

This short performance had three parts. Hanuman is introduced and sets out to capture the mermaid. She manages to lose him in the crowd and the company uses this chase as a time to take donations from the audience. The puppets are able to grab the paper money with both hands. Offer kisses and hugs. The sneaky, and silly Hanuman went as far as to grab an audience member’s bad and camera and placed it in a donation box. The mermaid flirted with a little boy who was too shy to give her a hug. When the audience interaction segment ended. The Mermaid rested peacefully onstage, thinking she had lost the Hanuman. He finds her and they engage in a battle. The battle becomes a flirtation and they fall in love. A sweet ending to this short episode of what I know to be a long saga of the Ramayana. 

​Notice how their feet move with precision, flexing and stomping. Their knees are always bent, which creates smooth movement and more freedom to move their legs quickly. There are three puppeteers per puppet: right controls the right arm, the center controls the feet, and the left controls the left arm and head. The trio moves swiftly like one body held together by the puppet. They wear a black neutral mask with the face of the buddha, with a peaceful smile.  Here is a 90 second video featuring performance highlights:

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Thank you for visiting my blog, where I will be sharing discoveries and happenings as I adventure through Asia. I would like to start by reflecting on my first days in Thailand  with a list:


​A SIDEWALK IN BANGKOK

Bodies slice through the dense humid air. 
Trees caught in a web of power lines. 
Thai iced tea rides in a plastic bag swing set. 
The wedding party's sandals wait outside the bridal boutique.
Fish balls dance in hot oil.
Basil, lemongrass, and chillies hang off the stand.
The security guard battles Candy Crush.
Masseuses giggle at their competition next door.
Motorcyclist in reflective armor wait for the next order. 
Small splashes on my ankles from mysterious puddles. 
Genuine happiness, and warm welcomes.
They see the majority, and hear a minority. 
The smile is universal.