The wait is over for the return of the annual khon masked dance. The much-loved performance by the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques (Support Foundation) of HM Queen Sirikit under the Reign of King Rama IX will make a comeback at the Thailand Cultural Centre from Nov 3 until Dec 5, this time featuring an episode called The Allegiance Of Phiphek.
The foundation's annual khon is revered as a performance that preserves the ancient tradition of the royal court's khon while bringing in modern techniques to create a visual spectacle, combining the beauty of dancing, singing, voice-over, dialogue, setting and costume. It is also a springboard for members of the new generation to learn to appreciate khon and even start practising it themselves.
The success of previous episodes has contributed to the awareness and popularity of the performing art -- Prommas in 2007 and 2009, Nang Loi in 2010, Suek Maiyarap in 2011, Jong Tanon in 2012, The Battle Of Kumbhakarn, Mokasak in 2013, The Battle Of Indrajit: Nagabas in 2014, and The Battle Of Indrajit: Prommas in 2015. This is the ninth edition of the production following HM Queen Sirikit's command that a khon performance be held every year so as to preserve the exquisite tradition.
Thanphuying Charungjit Teekara, HM Queen Sirikit's private secretary and chair of the Khon Performance Committee of The Support Foundation, said: "Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has graciously insisted in the conservation of khon as Thailand's national performing art. This year, we are celebrating the first decade of Her Majesty's khon performance. Besides the beautiful production, the episode The Allegiance Of Phiphek emphasises the importance of loyalty, morality and honesty."
Pramet Boonyachai, the director of the performance, said the script of this year's performance was reconstructed from several versions of Ramakien, an epic penned by King Rama I, King Rama II and King Rama VI in succession, as well as from the foundation's previously performed version.
According to Pramet, a large part of The Allegiance Of Phiphek script is mostly based on the writing from King Rama I's edition, with dialogue from the Entertainment Department in the reign of King Rama VI, and the music and accompanying songs having been carefully selected in order to enhance the quality of the performance.
Phiphek enrages Thotsakan and is banished from Longka.
The Thai Ramakien has its roots in the Indian Ramayana epic, and has several versions, slightly different in their details. For example, Phiphek, brother of the demon king Thotsakan, a character whose shifting allegiance is one of the story's intrigues, is banished from Longka in different ways in different versions. In King Rama I's version, Phiphek flies out of Longka city alone. According to King Rama II's edition, Thotsakan orders the exile of Phiphek by boat. And in King Rama VI's version, Phiphek flies away with four soldiers.
Phiphek excels in astrology with the gift of divination. The story in this episode starts when he enrages Thotsakan and is exiled from Longka after interpreting Thotsakan's dream and predicting a terrible war that will defeat Thotsakan's demon clan. All of this is because Thotsakan has abducted Sita from her husband, the godlike Phra Ram, and Phiphek suggests his villainous brother return her.
Phiphek, banished, bids his wife and daughter farewell and returns his crown and royal decorations to Thotsakan. He is taken by boat far from Longka and eventually Phiphek pledges allegiance to Phra Ram, his brother's enemy, who grants him a royal rank and an adviser position.
Later, the demon clan suffers greatly in the long war. Thotsakan asks his grandfather, Thao Maliwaraj, to mediate. Thao Maliwaraj judges Thotsakan in the wrong, ordering the demon king to return Sita to Phra Ram. Thotsakan refuses, prompting Maliwaraj to put a curse on him that he will be vanquished.
After that, Thotsakan marches his army to battle again, this time intending to kill Phiphek. But Phra Ram is aware of the plot and assigns his younger brother Phra Lak to protect Phiphek.
In the battlefield, Thotsakan throws the Kabilapat spear at Phiphek, but instead hits Phra Lak who intervenes. The final act concerns the adventure of Hanuman, the monkey warrior, as he tries to steal the ingredients for the potion that will cure Phra Lak, by flying over Longka and casting a sleep spell over the city.
Highlights of this performance include rare dance choreography and rare scenes, such as Phiphek bidding farewell to his wife and daughter and removing his crown, and Phiphek departing Longka by boat. The revived rare gold silk brocades from Nakhon Si Thammarat as well as replicas of a ship and royal vehicles are also used in the performance.
According to Thanphuying Charungjit, the audition for this performance attracted a large number of students from dramatic arts schools as well as other institutes. The committee auditioned five main characters for this production, including Phra (male protagonists in the khon style) with 75 candidates, Phra (male protagonists in the lakorn style) with 198 candidates, Nang (female protagonists) with 204 candidates, Yak (demon or ogre) with 137 candidates and Ling (monkey) with 160 candidates. Of all the 772 candidates, five outstanding performers were chosen for each character, with a total of 25 cast. As two Yak candidates had tied scores, 26 young students received royal scholarships and will participate in the performance.
Supaporn Piamnongnuth, a dramatic-arts student who was chosen for the role of Phiphek's wife, said she has gained rare knowledge and dancing techniques which cannot be found in classrooms, because, like all performers for this show, she's had the opportunity to study closely with national artists and many experts.
Meanwhile, both Yarnawut Traisuwan and Thanyathorn Dhusranon were selected for the role of Phiphek.
Thanyathorn, a dramatic-arts freshman, said the khon performance by the Support Foundation is an inspiration for all dramatic-arts students, since everything ranging from dancing to costumes and sets are sophisticated art forms.
Yarnawut, fourth-year student of the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, recalled that he had attended the auditions for the foundation's khon performance every year from 2013-16. He failed the test the first year, practised harder, and later climbed the ladder to success by being chosen for the soldier role in 2014, to the Phiphek role in 2016 (when the show was cancelled due to nationwide mourning) and again this year.
"I am delighted to be part of the Support Foundation's Khon performance which is a way to serve Her Majesty Queen Sirikit," he noted proudly.
- The Allegiance Of Phiphek will be staged at the Main Hall, Thailand Cultural Centre, every day except Monday from Nov 3 until Dec 5.
- Tickets priced at 420, 620, 820, 1,020, 1,520 and 1,820 baht for the general public, and 200 baht for students, are available from
- Thai Ticket Major (call 02-262-3456 or visit http://thaiticketmajor.com). For more information, visit the Facebook page for Khon Performance.