Culture with a humorous edge

Much to my astonishment, last weekend's stage adaptation of popular Thai art and culture-promoting television show "Kun Phra Chuay" ("Oh My God") proved so successful that it played to four full houses at King Power's Aksra Theatre and could probably have drawn even more punters had more seats been available.

Are Bangkokians really so hungry for Thai culture and contemporary art? Or are they are more in search of a comedy fix in today's depressing climate? In fact, the answer is probably irrelevant, as all three are served up in ample quantities in both the studio and live versions of Modernine's variety programme.

The four-hour live show was played out in an atmosphere redolent of Thai culture, with fragrant hints of Malaysian, Korean and American art. The Kun Phra Chuay Orchestra performed a musical marriage of traditional Thai and Western music instruments and before the curtain rose, the 600-strong audience paid respect to His Majesty the King with a new version of the royal anthem, "Sansoen Phra Barami" played on two ranads and the khim.

Cheers could be heard as the orchestra played the overture before segueing into a string of golden oldies with today's artists on vocals. One particularly interesting act blended Queen's "We Will Rock You" with the traditional Thai tune "Lao Krathop Mai". Two percussionists then took the stage for a "perng mang khok" (big drum) competition.

A musical performance followed the intermission and led into a delightful likay hulu from Pattani.

Veteran khlui player Thanis Sriklindee and pianist Tor Saksit joined the orchestra for some more modern interpretations of old songs before the stunning orchestral blend of Beethoven's "Symphony No 5" and mor lam music by blind khaen player Sombat.

And of course, there was the comedy. Between each act, the three TV hosts were out on stage keeping the audience in fits with their jokes.

A laugh a minute

>> Kun Phra Chuay" ("Oh My God") airs on Modernine every Sunday at 4pm.

>> The TV show has been on the air for more than five years.

>> Likay hulu, commonly performed in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, is different from other likays in that the Malay dialect is used in the accompaniment of indigenous musical tunes.