A revival can be a boon or a bane, but one can't predict whether the show can recreate the same magic with a new audience as it first did when staged decades ago. Fortunately, this is not the case for Dreambox's Oonlamaan Lung Baan Saithong (Chaos Behind The Golden Sand Mansion), which recently made a comeback after 18 years. The audience, who partook in its opening night last Friday to celebrate its 100th show, left the venue with beaming smiles.
First staged in 1999, then in 2000 and 2005, the comedy left a red-letter moment in the hearts of many Thai theatregoers. Thanks to its original script and brilliant cast, the comedy has become one of the best in Thai theatreland.
This Dreambox production can be classified as a satirical comedy since the entire story mocks the fate of the main characters from the classic novel Baan Saithong (Golden Sand Mansion), which was remade for six TV drama series and two movies. A melodrama by nature, the theatrical version has twists and turns the story about Thai aristocrats and the social class of yesteryear into two parallel worlds -- behind and in front of the stage, where mix-up and mayhem meet gags and puns from nine talented performers with their own comedic style.
Imagine a rising star who wants to turn a classic character, a strong-headed adolescent, into a modernised sexy lady who refuses to keep symbolic double braids which made the character memorable and marked her place in Thai literature and media. Then, there's an ageing actress who suspects her co-star, a middle-aged starlet, is her homewrecker, and hence takes justice into her own hands "on stage". Also present is a womanising director who focuses his attention to a young female intern, a lead actor who falls deeply in love with a fallen-from-grace superstar, who plays his biological sister in the play. A supporting actor, playing a crippled boy, struggles to support the performers at all costs, and a stage manager strives to keep things in order to no avail.
Literally and metaphorically speaking, veteran actress Atcharapun "Ji" Paiboonsuwan is the pillar of the show. She was part of the original cast on the play's debut and has managed to lead this new cast into the old comic routines. Her act, though often stemming from exaggerated human behaviour for comedic effect, highlights the absurd aspects of the character she plays, which resonated well with the audience. Kor Kamonpattana, also an original cast member, joined hands with newcomers exercising their tricks using body language, gestures, facial expressions and slapstick humour to elicit laughter.
It has become a Dreambox tradition to create a double-entendre effect. By casting actresses who used to perform the role of strong-headed Potjamarn on TV or movie versions to play a less important role in the stage version, this paradox intends to represent waxing-then-waning fame or uncertainly in showbiz. In this revival, TV star Rinaree "Joy" Sripen took up the new challenge -- with vanity and grace -- just like what movie star Charunee "Ple" Sooksawat did in the 1999 original production.
Meanwhile, the new cast led by theatrical veteran Patnacha "Fai AF" Vipatdejtrakul and Methanee "Nino" Buranasiri brought their acting chops to tickle audiences. TV actor Sarawit "Kong" Suboon impressively showed his authenticity and enthusiasm on the stage. Singer-cum-actor Disakorn "Well" Disyanand exercised his charm and flexed his musical muscles convincingly for the role. Unfortunately, this can't be said about veteran comedian/actress Patthai Deejai DeDeDe who failed to blend in chemistry attempted by the entire cast as seen in some of her mistaken timing. But this could be, and hopefully will be, a condition of the opening night only.
Though loosely inspired by Michael Frayn's Noises Off, playwright Daraka Wongsiri deserves credit for her originality in the laugh-a-minute script and capacity in blending Western structure into a hackneyed Thai story. By reinterpreting the classic to make it feel fresh and highlighting themes that resonate with current social or cultural issues, the revival offers relevance and appeal to some contemporary audiences, if not all.
At its best, the script maximises unexpected twists and surprises to generate laughter. This comedy often plays with the audience's expectations and then subverts them in clever ways. By leading the audience in one direction and then surprising them with a different outcome, it creates a comedic impact. It plays with word choices, and the use of idioms and homophones adds wit and humour throughout this 150-minute show.
But on this fourth revival, the artistic direction and production design remain pretty much the same as its previous production. Many die-hard fans wondered if it was possible to bring a fresh perspective to the material, breathe new life into the production, and make it stand out from previous iterations. Whether this can be interpreted as the original direction and design already working effectively remains debatable.
It's important to note that success and failure in the theatre industry can be subjective and dependent on various factors, including the tastes and preferences of the audience. However, the revival of Oonlamaan Lung Baan Saithong still managed to capture the hearts of theatregoers who crave Thai-flavoured originality and a love for comedy.
Oonlamaan Lung Baan Saithong is now at M Theatre on Phetchaburi Road, from today until Sunday. Tickets are priced between 1,000-1,800 baht and are available at dreambox.co.th. For showtimes and more information, check Facebook: dreamboxtheatrebkk or call 097-160-6827.
