17 MAY MY VALENTINE (Sawanee Uthumma, A++++++++++)

This week is full of many great stage plays. I just went to see 6 stage plays on Friday and Saturday and they all got A+ from me.

1.17 MAY MY VALENTINE (Sawanee Uthumma, A++++++++++)

This is a political stage play about a woman who tries to commit suicide, but is stopped by Saint Valentine who asks her the reason why she wants to kill herself. She tells him about what happened on May 17, 1992, in Bangkok. On that day, she, whose name is “Thai”, met an old woman called “Rad” (People), who lost her two sons on October 14, 1973, and on October 6, 1976.

Sawanee Uthumma delivers a powerful performance, shifting seamlessly between many characters. Her song is very touching. I think the ending of the play feels a little bit “unresolved”, but that of course corresponds to the unresolved political problems of Thailand. This kind of ending also reminds me of the ending of RECYCLE (2008, Pichet Klunchun, A++++++++++), which may corresponds to the unresolved problem of global warming.

This play is at Makhampom Studio. You can see the details from the link below:
http://www.makhampom.net/studio/17_may_my_valentine.html


2.THE M PROJECT (Bangkok Troupers, A+++)

2.1 MIME (Suwat Suwandechochai, A)

2.2 CREATIVE MOVEMENT (Silpakorn Kongsakul, A+++)

2.3 BUTOH (Archawit Kritsanasuwan, A+++++)
I don’t understand this performance, but I think it is very powerful and haunting.

The performance schedule is at
http://kenzoflower.hi5.com/


3.A BOX OF CHOCOLATE (Jaturachai Srichanwanpen, A++++++++++)

I’m very impressed with the natural performances and the ending which has no emotional fakery.

4.ALT + CTRL + DEL (Ninart Boonpothong, A++++++++++)

After the play ended, it took a while for me before I could “imagine” what was left out from the stories in the play. This play uses “ellipsis”. There are some events which the play doesn’t tell directly, but the audience have to imagine them by themselves. I like this kind of storytelling very much. It’s hard for me to decide which one I prefer between A BOX OF CHOCOLATE, which touches my heart, and ALT + CTRL + DEL, which touches my brain. It’s as difficult as choosing between Eric Rohmer and Jean-Luc Godard.

SPOILERS ALERT: I imagine that the stories in ALT + CTRL + DEL concerns a young girl who is afraid of being blackmailed by a lesbian photographer, a female political club leader in a university who knows about the erotic video clip of a couple in the political club, and a boy who releases the erotic video clip portraying him and a famous actor.


5.THE STORY OF 3 YEARS (Saifar Tanthana, A++++)

Saifar Tanthana still creates a play which has very interesting female character and great moments of awkwardness between characters. Having seen four of his plays (including the one in the director’s lab), I think he is a real auteur, if this word can be applied to a stage play director.


6.TO REFORM (Wattanachai Treedecha, A+)

Is this play about rapists or actually about the political problems of Thailand?



The schedules of the play 3, 4, 5, 6 can be found below:

“Naked Masks Theatre proudly presents 4 short plays about "dilemma" in "Naked Masks Short Play Festival" with 4 old and new face directors with veteran and rookie casting


The festival is from May 23rd – June 1st


At Pridi Banomyong Institute

Sukhumvit 55 (Soi Thonglhor)

From 7 pm in May 23rd and 30th
and 4 pm and 7 pm in May 24th, 25th and 31st and June 1st
(Q&A session with directors and actors in May 24th and 31st at 4 pm)


Ticket Price

70 Baht each

200 Baht for All


For more information please contact

085-503-4525, 086-722-1435, nakedmaskstheatre@gmail.com
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