Last year, during Pre-Service Training, my cohorts and I were treated to performance of the khon (โขน). The theater was absolutely freezing and the performance was around three hours with no intermission. We were told that it was something special, that it’s not a common thing to get to go see, but after a year and a half in Thailand, I’m realizing how special it is, especially for someone with an interest in theater and performing arts, because this performance is the one of the only strong traditions of theater arts in Thailand.
The khon is part masked dance and part play. The actors on stage perform the choreography and blocking while voice actors in a chorus off stage perform the dialogue. The accompaniment is performed on traditional Thai instruments (which hold their tuning better and longer at lowered temperatures, which explains the freezing theater).
The stories told are always stories from the Ramakien, the epic story that intertwines Hindu and Buddhist mythology with local Thai traditions. The production that I saw was the story of Hanuman’s birth and how he came to be an ally for Rama. It also included an elaborate dance that represented the monkey battle that Hanuman led on behalf of Rama. I remember the most stunning part of the choreography was the flips the actors would do while wearing masks, some of which had large spindle-like things on top, and the poses where they would balance on another actor.
Like Shakespearean productions, traditionally all parts were played by men and there were interludes of comic relief that was physical and bawdy and done in more common language. The modern performances now include female actors on stage and now it is just the monkeys and not human-shape entities that wear masks.
If you are interested in seeing a production of the khon on your trip to Thailand, the National Theatre in Bangkok has shows at 1:30 and 5 p.m. on the first weekend of the month and at 5 p.m. on the last Friday of the month. I would definitely recommend trying to see a production if you are interested in theater and Thai culture at all.
