He transformed the stage into an ice-skating rink for a memorable scene in Rak Ter Samer The Musical and installed 20 new speakers for a surround sound of a hissing snake in Mae Bia The Erotic Art Musical. Producer Kreingkarn Kanjanapokin doesn't mind the investment because he wants to offer a never-seen-before and never-heard-before experience to theatre-goers.
Laser techniques are used to make Mondum Complex a spectacular show.
Now his new production, Mondum Complex, which runs until June 22 at M Theatre, is claimed to be the country's first 3D play.
The audience, however, doesn't need to wear 3D glasses throughout the whole show. The goggles are required only in certain scenes, especially those that put them under the mon dum (black magic spell) cast by wicked sorcerer Geiji Moo, played by David Asavanond.
"After a romantic drama and an erotic art musical, we are taking a break by presenting a light-hearted comedy, and Mondum Complex aims to amaze the audience with magic tricks. For example, they will see Geiji Moo disappear from the stage, and pop up at another place, perhaps somewhere among the audience," said Kreingkarn.
Kreingkarn Kanjanapokin, Co-CEO of Index Creative Village.
Illusion techniques are used heavily for the first time in the play, and the producer actually studied magic tricks and watched magic performances, such as David Copperfield's live show. The multimedia-enhanced production also involves computer animation, lasers, a two-storey high silver screen and a Dolby 7.1 surround system.
''We are not using the 3D and other technologies for the sake of just having them, they have been applied to enhance audience interaction and the theatrical experience,'' said the co-founder of Index Creative Village, which ranked No.7 in Special Event magazine's Top 50 Event Companies in 2011 and 2012.
For the last three years, the event organiser has transferred its experience in creating spectacular stage performances to theatre.
''We have organised single stage performances costing 15-16 million baht, and so we can think big when creating stage shows. A play or musical may not have a big budget like that,'' he said. ''However, we annually do a production to apply our creativity and introduce new approaches and techniques to Thai theatre.''
His creative ideas for the spooky comedy included having an ensemble of energetic spirits performed by acrobats and gymnasts.
''I was totally against having zombies dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller.
''We needed to introduce our own kind of ghosts, and the acrobats and gymnasts with their athletic skills gave us spirits in strange postures,'' said the producer, who worked with a younger generation of scriptwriters and a first-time director in making Mondum Complex.
''I entrusted an entirely new production team, who are mostly in their 20s and early 30s. They are a new generation with fresh ideas and gags and we need that to offer something new to the audience,'' he said.
Another team is working on an even bigger project, a theatrical adaptation of the movie Hom Rong, which is planned to run in March next year.
Mondum Complex runs until June 22 at M Theatre on New Phetchaburi Road. Tickets cost 800, 1,200, 1,500 and 1,800 baht from Thai Ticket Major. Call 02-262-3456 or visit www.thaiticketmajor.com.
