It's time to learn from each other in these parallel sessions. Below are some of the presentations and projects that will be presented in BIPAM 2017.
NATIONAL GUGAK CENTRE
By DR.HEESUN KIM (South Korea)
National Gugak Centre is a cultural institution that works to preserve and promote traditional arts in the modern South Korea. In this brief presentation, Dr. Hee-sun Kim will give us an overview of the work that the institution does.
THAI GRAND SHADOW PUPPET WITH WESTERN THEATRE PRACTICE
By BHANBHASSA DHUBTIEN (Thailand)
Apart from being a lecturer in the Department of Dramatic Arts, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Bhanhassa Dhubtien also works with the young actors of What Baan Don Shadow Puppet to train them and modernise the traditional art. She will talk briefly about her work.
RESEARCH ON THAI FOLK PERFORMANCES
By ASSOC. PROF. PORNRAT DAMRHUNG (Thailand)
MASK IN CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE IN ASIA
By NIKORN SAETANG (Thailand)
Nikorn Saetang is the Director of 8x8 Theatre Group. His experience as a playwright/director spans over 20 years. Some of his notable achievements include writing and directing a play about Yasukuni in 2007 performed by a Japanese cast in Thailand, and directing a 2009 production of The Girl of The Soil written by Hideki Noda, which was presented in both Thailand and Japan. At present, he is working and researching on mask performance in Contemporary ASIAN Masks Project, a collaboration between Thailand, Japan and Indonesia. This is a chance to hear about his new project.
THE ORAL METHOD OF JAPANESE TRANSVERSE FLUTES, FOCUSING ON NOH-KAN (TRANSVERSE FLUTE PLAYED IN NOH-GAKU), TO COMPREHEND THE CULTURE OF NOH-GAKU (MUSICAL IDEA OF THE MARTIAL ARTS) AND GRASP THE MEANING OF SHOHGA (ONOMATOPOETIC PHRASES)
By KOHEI NISHIKAWA (Japan)
Japanese traditional music has been taught through hereditary transmission within families of musicians or tuition from masters to students. The traditional method of teaching is oral instruction to have students imitate their teachers. This lecture will provide simple presentation, theoretical underpinning and comparisons between music of the West and the East. The lecture commences with an introduction to three kinds of transverse flutes: Shino-bue, played in Matsuri festival music, Kabuki or many other genres; Ryuteki, played in Gagaku, used in court music; and Noh-kan, played in Noh-drama, created and supported by the Samurai warrior class. This lecture focus is upon the Noh-kan with the explanations of “Shohga” (the oral education) and the musical idea on “Ma” (freezing silent space) inspired by the idea of martial arts.Participants shall understand that the highest tension will occur in the silent space. This idea comes from the martial arts and presents the unique characteristics of the Noh-drama which was created within the culture of Samurai warriors.
POLITIC AND AESTHETIC JUXTAPOSITION: THAI HISTORICAL POLITIC MEMORIES THROUGH TRADITION-BASED CONTEMPORARY MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
By ASSIST. PROF. SUKANYA SOMPAIBOON, PH.D. (Thailand)
Lakon rong ruam samai (contemporary musical play) which created by Pradit Prasatthong, the founder of Annatta Theatre Troupe and the first Thailand’s Silapathorn Award Winner (2004), presents the combination between the traditional lakorn rong form, the western musical play, and social issues. The productions portray historic-politic themes, particularly the living moments of the significant persons of Thailand’s socio-politic-economic movements. Discussion on this paper mainly focuses on the juxtaposition between the tradition-based contemporary musical play and the stories of the common people who did the great efforts in shaping Thai society, relating to democracy, freedom, human right and equality. This paper first identifies the frameworks of tradition-based contemporary musical plays which were utilised in all productions. I then discuss the creation process in the text, rehearsal, and performance techniques, in order to demonstrate how the production crafted a piece in terms of theatre hybridization between traditional form and social issue content.
These productions, which I joined as an actress, were performed between 2006 and 2016, namely “Banthuek Isara” (The Memorandum of Freeman), portrayed the late writer and journalist Sri Burapha’s personal moments and struggle times; “Plengrak 2475” (Retro Love Story in the Revolutionary Time the Musical), presented some brave-heart moments of Poonsuk Banomyong; and “Mangkorn Salad Gled” (Dragon’s Heart the Musical), the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Puey Ungphakorn’s birth. These musical productions aim to create a modern style of theatre that entertains and develops society, rather than serving as a government propaganda tool. They also enable audiences to think while being entertained than being provoked. In this paper, Plengrak 2475” (Retro Love Story in the Revolutionary Time the Musical) will be scrutinisd.
HISTORICAL MEMORY VS RETELLING STORY: THE WRITING PROCESS OF THE PLAY "THE EMERALD RIVER"
By ASSIST. PROF. KITTISAK KERDARUNSUKSRI, PH.D. (Thailand)
The purpose of this paper is to explain the writing’s process of the Play “the Emerald River”, whose story is about Madame Mao Jiang Qing’s life, by demonstrating how the historical memory narrative was retold. In constructing the play, the playwright raised a question if Jiang Qing was an evil as reprimanded in the historical memory; and what the drive or motivation for her circumstance is. From the study, the playwright found that Jiang Qing needed love and acceptance resulting in her ambitions and deeds to achieve her desires by fair means or foul. The Emerald River thus depicts Jiang Qing’s defence against all allegations on her.
NO FUNDS, NO FUN: A STUDY TO IDENTIFY MEANS THROUGH WHICH THAI SMALL-SIZED CONTEMPORARY THEATER TROUPES CAN ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
By RAKSAK KONGSENG (Thailand)
Small-sized contemporary theatre troupes in Thailand have been struggling to stage shows without a loss, let alone generating profits – or more importantly, growth. This paper aims to identify means through which Thai small-sized contemporary theatre troupes can achieve financial sustainability.
This paper uses five (out of eleven) core members of the Bangkok Theatre Network as a specimen of Thai small-sized contemporary theatre troupes. To comprehend their current financial positions, the paper examines their sources of revenue as well as their functional expenses. In addition, the paper contextualizes these performing arts organizations within the Thai legal system, as it might increase or decrease channels for financial growth. Based upon this comprehensive study on financial and legal aspects, the paper identifies actions that will potentially strengthen their financial health, thus their missions.