 POETRY
Traditional Thai
theatre consists of six dramatic forms: khon, formal masked dance-drama
depicting scenes from the Ramakian (the Thai version of India's
Ramayana) and originally performed only for the royal court; lakhon,
a general term covering several types of dance-dramas (usually for
nonroyal occasions) as well as western theatre; likhe (likay), a
partly improvised, often bawdy folk play featuring dancing, comedy,
melodrama and music; manohra, the Southern Thai equivalent of li-khe,
but based on a 2000-year-old Indian story; nang or shadow plays,
limited to Southern Thailand; and lakhon lek ot hun luang, puppet
theatre.
Theatrical events
in Bangkok include Thai dance and puppet performances, English and
Thai-language dramas, concerts by visiting international artists,
musical performances, and infrequently imported mimes and plays.
Visitors are advised to consult the English-language newspapers,
particularly the weekly or daily calendar of events, to ascertain
the times and dates of current performances.
Major theatrical venues include :
Thailand's National
Theatre, adjacent to the National Museum at Bangkok's Sanam Luang.
The theatre is the venue for concerts and Thai classical dramp a
performances. Weekend performances of Thai dance dramas are periodically
staged.
The Thailand
Cultural Centre on Batchadapisek Road, the Alliance Francaise Auditorium
on South Sathorn Road, the AUA Language Centre Auditorium on Ratchadamri
Road, the British Council Centre in Siam Square, and the Go the
Institute on Soi Attakarnprasit, off South Sathorn Road, also stage
theatrical and musical performances.
The Hotel Siam
Intercontinental periodically stages British plays, mostly comedies,
from London's West End, with accomplished British actors.
The KAD Performing
Arts Centre in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, includes the lavishlyequipped
KAD Theatre with a seating capacity of 1,550 and the KAD Playhouse,
with a seating capacity of 500. The KAD Performing Arts Centre is
geared towards staging imported fullscale theatrical and musical
productions from abroad, performed in the original language, and
original Thai dramatic and musical productions.
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