• Share |
• 
• 

Apart from "Sao Chaona" and "Yak Tua Dang", the Thai exports previewed last week, there are lots of other productions to see in the 15 days of the Bangkok Theatre Festival beginning on Saturday.

"In keeping with this year's theme, 'Lakorn Thai Unlimited', we want to focus on the real variety in Thai theatre," says New Theatre Society's Parnrut Kritchanchai, one of the festival's producers.

"The genres and styles may be the same as in previous years, but the way they're arranged for the Saturday and Sunday evenings will show the opposite extremes of Thai theatre."

That's the intention of artistic director Babymime, says Parnrut.

At Santi Chaiprakarn Park you can see a performance of nora, the southern Thai classical dance, followed by a contemporary dance, a pantomime and a lakorn rong - the Thai-style musical - which leads into a likay.

"Most of the presentations are premieres," Parnrut adds, "except for the guest artists' masterpieces, like Pichet Klunchun's solo dance-theatre 'Ganesha'."

There will also be productions by the drama clubs of several universities, and "fringe-style" theatre inside the nearby restaurants like Hemlock and Sangkom Niyom.

"And," Parnrut says, "there are ticketed performances seven days a week at small theatre venues across the city, such as Makhampom Studio in Saphan Kwai, the Crescent Moon Space on Thonglor and Democrazy Theatre Studio in Bon Kai."

The economic slump has had an impact, she admits.

"It's been a very difficult year for us. The support - especially from our main sponsors, the government's offices of Thai Health Promotion and Contemporary Art and Culture - comes either late or reduced.

"Still, we've managed to mount a programme that will both entertain and inspire viewers. Other than the two Japan-bound productions, there's nothing startlingly new this year - we're just concentrating on what we have and doing our best."

 SPOILED FOR CHOICE

>> The Bangkok Theatre Festival runs from Saturday to November 8 at Santi Chaiprakarn Park, restaurants in the Phra Athit area and in theatres around the city.

 >> Call (081) 915 7885 or check out www.Lakorn.org and www.BTF2009.Hi5.com.