Ganesh
26 September 2009
Thon Buri

By Pawit Mahasarinand

The return of Pichet Klunchun's Ganesh offers another chance to take a stand on current politics.

Politics has become so melodramatic lately that it's surprising the subject isn't inspiring more local plays, like it did in the 1970s. What's more surprising is how Pichet Klunchun enables classical dance-theatre to make a strong political comment.

Pichet's studio theatre in Thon Buri had corrugated zinc sheets, sand on the floor and the national flag off to the right for his solo Ganesh in July. 

Expect to see all this again along with Sunon Wachirawarakarn's nifty lighting design - that proves how much great creativity can do in such a small space.

Pichet tested the audience's ability to analyse and criticise for almost an hour as he shifted back and forth between red and yellow T-shirts while an audio recording was played of the National Theatre's khon performance of Ramakien's Ganesh episode. 

It wasn't always easy making the connections, but Pichet's Ganesh was another intriguing performance by the controversial master who continues to bridge the gap between the classical art and the contemporary society.

In mid-August, his company presented another Ramakien episode, The Battle of Sang Athit, at the Alliance Francaise de Bangkok Auditorium.

It began as authentic khon but then, about 20 minutes in, the music stopped, the performers took off their masks and sat in a row of chairs and the backstage crew entered. 

Everyone took turns voicing opinions on the current political situation. Here, the differences between individual and public selves, both in contemporary politics and classical theatre, were addressed.

The battle of the red-clad demon Sang Athit and the green-and-yellow attired heroes Phra Ram and Phra Lak resumed. 

Then, at the point of climax, the warring armies stood still as Sunon Wachirawarakarn, in the formal attire of an emcee or a boxing commentator, read the rest of the script. 

The mythical battle was left to take place in our imagination while we considered current politics, especially the warriors' true motivation and the damage caused. 

Come to think of it, Ramakien, with a character named Rama and his city called Ayodhaya - is downright a political drama. Now that khon is no longer a court theatre, and that everyone can watch it, it’s most fitting that it can be relevant to the public, so that this cultural heritage can live on.