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Try a new way to make use of arts 'imports'BANGKOK, Feb 27, 2011 (The Nation - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- I was observing Compagnie A's modern puppetry workshop, as part of the ongoing French-Thai Cultural Festival, or La Fete, at the Sodsai Pantoomkomol Centre for Dramatic Arts in Bangkok on Thursday, and was reminded of how important it is that when foreign artists are invited to perform here, organisers should make sure they have more opportunities to interact with locals than just to perform and answer questions in the post-show talk. The French artists were impressed with not only the attention but also the skills of the participants -- as almost half are professional artists already practicing puppetry -- who got some new ideas from this cross-cultural experience. At the end of the workshop, the French artists and Thai participants all agreed that the time they spent together that afternoon -- four hours -- wasn't enough, but they didn't know when and how they could continue. And so I have an idea: How about arranging for foreign artists to arrive in Thailand earlier and create new productions with dramatic content that's more relevant to Thai audiences? Instead of an afternoon workshop, this, with more budget and planning, could become a two-week rehearsal and Thai artists would gain plenty more experience. Foreign and local organisers can also document the work process, and either a book or a DVD can be made for future study. That is to say, some of the knowledge and skills remain here after the foreign artists' departure. And in terms of cultural diplomacy, this would make it much less like a festival that simply shows foreign artists are well ahead of their local counterparts. And as arts festivals around the world are moving in the direction of "creation" festivals, where new works are being created with artists who don't usually get a chance to collaborate, maybe it's time for us to move in that direction as well. This idea of inviting a director to work with local actors to create a new production, instead of importing a whole foreign production, is not new. It has already proved effective in many circumstances. I'm reminded of my conversation with Huang Pi-twan, artistic director of the National Chiang Kai-Shek Cultural Centre, Taiwan, two weeks ago. She said that after working with American theatre director Robert Wilson to create flagship productions for the Taiwan International Festival of Arts in 2009 and 2010, the centre has continued the scheme, working with Japanese director Tadashi Suzuki this year and British director Simon McBurney next year. She said that even though the plan to tour these productions outside Taiwan hasn't been realised, what Taiwanese audiences and artists have gained from watching and working in these productions is well worth the effort. And when a foreign master is on a foreign shore longer, it also means that he can conduct classes or lectures for students as well. And in terms of public relations, it allows time for the media to understand what's happening and get the word out instead of just relying on press releases and video clips of performances. It may seem, at first, easier to carry out this task for dance and music given the language barriers, but spoken language is never the only means of communication for theatre. And if one is worried about communication and the high cost of hiring a professional interpreter, keep in mind that Thais now speak more foreign languages than you think, not only English. And many advanced students and young graduates are ready to use their skills for minimal, or no, cost. Also, I can't help thinking of Hideki Noda and his Thai production of "Yak Tua Dang" ("Red Demon") more than a decade ago, adapted from his play "Akaoni". With support from the Japan Foundation, many Thai artists from various groups got to work together in the same production and learned skills in acting, playwriting and directing from the Japanese master. At the end, they kept in contact and later formed the Bangkok Theatre Network (BTN), which has been organising the Bangkok Theatre Festival for almost a decade now. Noda and BTN are still in touch, and he has continued to invite Thai troupes to perform other works in Japan, now with less support from the government. The Thais already see an example that works; let's repeat it. And it doesn't have to be at that "Yak" scale, which also comprised trips for the whole team to perform in Japan. What matters most is the insight and expertise that remains here. With much benefit for Thai artists and audiences in this kind of collaboration, the government, specifically the Ministry of Culture, should pitch in financial, not just administrative, support. And given that the National Chiang Kai-Shek Cultural Centre is the equivalent of the Thailand Cultural Centre (TCC), why doesn't the TCC initiate this kind of project to prove that it's not just a venue for rental? To see more of the Asia News Network, go to http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/ Copyright (c) 2011, The Nation, Bangkok, Thailand / Asia News Network Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |