Is Thai theatre experiencing a boom? Could the government do more to help? Should theatrical productions be laugh-a-minute affairs? What is the future of Thai theatrical criticism? 'Outlook' investigates

June has become an eventful month for local theatre with five productions in the offing, in stark contrast to the first half of the year, which offered only one or two shows per month.

Are contemporary Thai theatres experiencing a boom, or is this just a phase that will come and go like the rainy season?

Unlike Singapore and Hong Kong, which invariably offer local theatrical productions in greater numbers all year round, Thailand has only three major annual events for performing arts. They are: the Bangkok International Festival of Music and Dance, usually held between September and October (now in its 7th year, and generally packed with imported productions); the Fringe Festival at Patravadi Theatre in December and January (a venue for experimental and East-meets-West fusion that has been going for six consecutive years); and the Bangkok Theatre Festival, usually held in December (a meeting point for local artists and troupes for small-scale productions, which has been staged for four consecutive years). These events usually last for a month or so and the programmes are usually run only at weekends.

"Most local artists have to run their own shows _ from production to distribution _ at high financial risk with low returns. Therefore, many aspiring talents give up along the way," said veteran actor Vanasak Sililar, aka Kuck.

Currently, there are about 10 active professional troupes, and a number of prominent solo performers. While certain home-grown artists like Pichet Klunchuen and Teerawat Mulvilai go overseas to seek fame and recognition, many struggle to survive domestically. The Makhm Pom troupe, for instance, is a more mobile community theatre group. Often, performers outnumber the audience, as happened to the Naked Masks Network, a troupe devoted to social messages and the passing on of wisdom.

There are also occasional get-togethers of local talent to produce an annual show. Veterans of the 1980s and '90s such as 28 Theatre Group and Crescent Moon troupe have made appearances. United Artists, led by gifted singer/hotelier Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, produced Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals in 2002 and 2003. Director of the currently production, Tawiphob: The Musical, Takonkiet Viravan aims to produce one musical a year.

Formed by a group of expats and Thai theatre lovers, the Bangkok Community Theatre, and a troupe of university students, mainly on arts and communications courses, pop up on the scene with amateur productions once or twice a year.

Although there is collaboration between artists of the West and East, cultural exchange programmes by the Alliance Francaise, the British Council, the Gothe Institute and the Japan Foundation are generally unilateral, rather than bilateral, or multicultural.

"So the quality of the productions is not consistently developed. There is no continuity to the productions, no chance to learn. It's not a good environment for healthy growth," said Pawit Mahasarinand, drama lecturer/director at Chulalongkorn University.

A recent paper on contemporary Thai theatre, based on a get-together of artists and academicians at the 4th Bangkok Theatre Festival, financially supported by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation last December, demonstrated that the contemporary Thai theatre scene was still like a child learning to walk.

As it turns out, there are reasons for the limited growth of Thai contemporary theatre.

Small audiences

If the world is a stage, contemporary Thai performers would discover it was a small stage indeed. Not only do we generally have a limited number of shows, but the shows are not popular or financially successful, not when compared to mainstream entertainment forms like films and concerts.

"For many Thais, entertainment is only good for mindless fun and nothing about theatre should be taken seriously. So most drama and experimental theatre shows fail to become popular," said veteran director Suwandee Jakravoravudh of the Dream Box troupe.

Many in the audience also comment that experiencing theatre is less convenient than going to a cinema, in which they can choose any movie they like at any time and any place, and most importantly, at a much cheaper price.

This might be the result of poor appreciation for art. "Art appreciation is an acquired taste that takes time to culture. Since our education does not support classes like art appreciation at school level, people don't learn how to value art and acknowledge how it upholds the human spirit. So they don't go to art functions," Pawit said.

Limited venues

There are only a handful of available venues, namely the Thailand Cultural Centre (which is generally fully booked all year round), the Pridi Banomyong Institute and some auditoriums at major universities, most of which are designed for multi-purpose use rather than theatrical performances. Many are also located away from the city centre and have limited parking, making it even more inconvenient for theatre-goers.

"Unlike other artists, performers require some time to get used to the space, and the production team also needs time to set up the stage. So it costs a lot more to rent the venue for preparation, especially when we are only allowed to work at night," said Vanasak.

To get around this problem, 8x8 theatre troupe leader Nikorn Saetang changes the third floor of his three-storey townhouse located in the heart of Bangkok's Sam Yan area to a small theatre that can accommodate about 30 audience members.

"I normally stick with storytelling and don't worry much about the setting. So my set is plain and mobile, making it flexible for any venue, whether it's big or small," said Nikorn, whose shows are usually on-tour nationwide.

Will theatre venues located in central Bangkok, even if small in scale, increase the audience sizes?

The Dreambox troupe, after its lease with the Bangkok Playhouse expired _ it had been located there for a decade _ recently staged a revival of its successful Onlamarn Ban Saithong at its new cinema-turned-theatre venue at Metropolis, an EGV/Major Theatre Circuit, on Ratchadamri Road. With 700 seats available, the jury is still out on whether a central location with easy parking is a factor in the success of a production or not.

Lack of support

Vital forces behind the staging of theatrical productions are sponsorship and patronage. But due to its current nature as an alternative artform, it's difficult to find funding _ either from the government or the private sector _ to support theatre productions.

"Theatre has less monetary value compared to other forms of entertainment. Putting on a production is already a risk in itself. Therefore many opt for supporting profit-making mainstream entertainment projects," Suwandee said.

The lack of consistent government support is an issue that has been beaten to death by struggling artists. Critics have said that the Ministry of Culture puts stress on the revival of traditional artforms, rather than looking after the needs of contemporary artists.

"For decades, we have requested help with regard to venues and promotion, if not money. It's the responsibility of the government to support the arts _ old and new. It's the government's job to empower arts for national development," said Suwandee, who said today's arts will be a foundation for future generations.

The lack of support results in a short lifespan for many promising troupes. New, emerging troupes aim to promote social messages and/or question social norms in Thai society. In fact, many small troupes tell stories about political issues, minority groups, gender issues and alternative life-styles, that complement an array of social and political themes such as the impact of capitalism and political movements.

"Many performing arts in Thailand have the potential to contribute to social dialogue and to reflect critically the state of reality. Unfortunately, these good stories only reach a limited number of audiences due to the lack of assistance on money and space," said Nikorn, whose current production Suay Soo Narok attacks Otop (One Tambon, One Product).

Lack of professional criticism

While theatrical productions have been thriving in Western countries and have welcomed criticism from journalists, dramatists and academicians for many decades, theatre criticism in Thailand has yet to become institutionalised. The main reason for this state of affairs is the lack of art appreciation and the mentality that theatres are made for laugh-a-minute shows, not thought-provoking dramas.

There are only a few outlets for serious theatre criticism in Thailand. According to the four-year research project "Criticism as an Intellectual Force in Contemporary Society", which studied newspapers, magazines and journals published in Thailand from 1926 to 2001, only 683 pieces of theatre criticism were published, 585 of which were written between 1993 and 2001, with a sharp decrease after the 1997 economic slump. This statistic also reflects the number of staged performances each year, which are highly sensitive to political and economic constraints.

Most importantly, however, theatre criticism in Thai society has been a predominantly oral tradition rather than a written one. Many practitioners prefer informal, private criticism rather than public criticism.

"Interestingly enough, among today's handful of Thai critics, few have gone through professional training in this field; the majority are self-taught. In fact, there has been no intention to produce theatre critics," said Pawit, a theatre critic.

Yet critics face major obstacles because the majority of the print media accord little space for their efforts, and perhaps more importantly, the freedom to offer criticism.

Lack of professional dramatists

What makes a theatrical production popular? Does popularity translate into good theatre? What about critically-acclaimed theatres that don't have box office hits? These are major questions for producers, directors and actors in Thailand and around the world.

"We can't deny the fact that if a show fails to make revenue, it's a problem for yourself and organisation you work for. It's best to gain both box office success and praise from the public," said Suwandee.

But it's hard to please all segments of an audience with a sure-fire formula. Many use star magnets and heavy promotion to lure audiences, or heavy promotion via advertising.

But is this in the true spirit of theatre?

"Many in the younger generation produce shows for self-gratification, ignoring the fact that arts for public appreciation must hold some value for the public, for social development and to provoke thought," said Pannasak Sukhee, a talented director/drama lecturer at Bangkok University.

Success should not rely on ticket revenue, audience numbers and sponsorship, but also on the development of personnel resources and networking for future shows.

"Rather than just profit, I'm concerned about whether I can groom a new generation to work in theatre, and whether my work remains in constant demand. That's more important for sustainable growth of theatre here," Nikorn said.

Though there is high demand for scripts that talk about Thai society, whether adapted from or inspired by foreign scripts or written locally, Thai theatre practitioners are still learning the ropes.

"At the end of the day, it's about what we want today's theatre to be like _ as a medium to connect with audiences, art for personal appreciation, as a reflection of ourselves or just an industry that produces money," Pannasak said.
Bangkok Post 8 June 2005 www.bangkokpost.com
Alongkorn Parivudhiphongs