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| Traditional Thai Puppet Theater (Joe Louis) Bangkok |
| 1875 Rama IV Rd., Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 |
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This is unlike any puppet performance you have ever seen. Instead of remaining behind screens during the performance, the puppeteers are an integral part of the show. Traditional puppets give performances of the Ramayana (or Ramakien in Thai), the Indian epic tale, drenched in all kinds of intriguing plots.
If it sounds terribly highbrow and boring, it isn't. The choreography and coordination of the puppeteers, as they move around the stage, is mesmerising. Each puppet is controlled by three puppeteers visible on stage, who work together in perfect unison to produce the incredibly lifelike human movements of each puppet.
The puppeteers are classically trained dancers who imitate the movements of the puppets to literally bring them to life, capturing gestures and nuances. During the performance, the puppets are brought out into the audience. Hanuman the mischievous monkey king moves among the audience, while the female puppet cleverly charms the men. Even teenagers in the audience (dragged along by their parents for their obligatory dose of Thai culture) will be suitably impressed.
The Joe Louis Puppet troupe is the last in Thailand to still perform the 'Hun Lakhon Lek,' traditional small puppet play. Once an exuberant celebration of culture, this intricate art form declined after the reign of King Chulalongkorn and almost died out. Joe Louis (originally a mispronunciation of Liew) learned the skills as a child from his parents and began to make his own puppets, giving performances throughout the country. When he died, his wife continued with the theatre. The art form is now continued by his seven children, and in the process of being passed on to his grandchildren. Outside in the foyer are displays of the puppets, exquisitely decorated with coloured glass, a history of this incredible art and lots of information.
The show lasts an hour, just long enough to appreciate the subtlety and skill of the performance. The foyer contains an area which documents the history of the theatre and a display of how traditional masks are made.
Performance
One show nightly, from 08.00 pm. - 09.15 pm.
Detail
06.00 pm. Ticket counter open.
07.30 pm. Theater door open.
Documentary on Thai Pupperty in English.
08.00 pm.- 09.15 pm. Puppets performance with live Thai classical music, "The Myth of Rahoo and the Lunar Eclipse"
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