TRADITIONAL THAI PUPPET SHOW AT JOE LOUIS PUPPET THEATER

ITINERARY

History
Thai Puppetry has been apart of Thai culture and tradition for hundreds of years. The first puppet performance was called Hun Luang otherwise known as Royal Puppet. It first started during the Ayutthaya period, but only during royal functions or within the royal palace were these puppets performed. Later, during the reign of King Rama 4, Hun Lek, or Small Puppets performed Niew Jeen (Chinese Opera) and the Ramayana along with Hun Kabok or Stick Puppet and Hun Lakorn Lek otherwise known as Traditional Thai Small Puppets became open to the public and performed widely all around the country.

Hun Lakorn Lek is unique because of its special lifelike characteristics combining many different kinds of traditional art forms. Currently, there is only one puppet theater left in existence called Sakornnadtasin. The founder is Mr. Sakorn Yangkeawsot awarded National Artist of the Year for Puppetry in the year of 1996. He is directly responsible for maintaining and preserving Thai Puppetry today.

Hun Lakorn Lek is continuing its tradition by passing down its knowledge to the next generation by opening a small children puppet theater, preparing them for performance as well as to love and appreciate this old traditional art form.

Sakornnadtasin Puppet Troupe has constantly improved its performance through out the years by not limiting its act to just standard stages and backdrops allowing it to be performed in any sized area, incorporated today's social issues as well modern speech and jargon, but taking into great account not to diminish its original form. These improvements and changes has made the audience enjoy and feel apart of each performance, and helped to preserve and ensure this art form never to be lost. Sakornnadtasin Puppet Troupe is one of Thailand's oldest traditional art forms reflecting the imagination, knowledge, and creativity of the minds and spirit of Thai people and culture for future generations to come.

Performances - Synopsis of 'The Myth of Rahoo and the Lunar Eclipse'
Once upon a time, the sage-wizard Turawat went to visit heaven. While he was walking in the garden there, an angel gave him a garland. He was very happy. When he saw the senior god, Pra Inn, on the back of an elephant, he gave him the garland. Pra Inn thanked him and placed the garland on the head of the elephant. The fragrance of the garland was so strong, however, that the elephant went into musk. It took the garland off its head and threw it on the ground and crushed it under its feet. Turawat was offended: he thought the elephant did this on the command of Pra Inn. In anger, he casts a spell on all deities to reduce their powers.

The puppet performance of the myth starts with the invasion of heaven by the demons. The weakened deities fight, but they always lose. The scene changes and shows Pra Narai, a senior god, sleeping on the coiled Lord of the Great Serpent, Praya Naga. The is awakened and told of the catastrophe. Pra Narai says he cannot undo the spell, but suggests another solution: the deities must drink Amarit, the elixir of life.

This elixir is difficult to obtain. The deities and the demons must stop fighting and cooperate to get it. The deities and the demons agree on a truce. The demons think that they, too, will be able to drink the elixir. The news of the truce and the quest for Amarit spreads. The arch-demon, Rahoo, hears about it. He sneaks over to the site where theelixir is being produced and waits for the opportunity to snatch it.

Itinerary

18:30 hrs

Meet our staff in the hotel's lobby. Then transfer to Joe Louis Theatre in Suam-Lum Night Bazaar.

19:00 hrs

Arrive the theater.
Before the performance starts, Joe Louis staff will take guests on a 'Joe Louis Cultural Tour' featuring the 'Puppet Gallery', an exhibition on the history of Hun Lakhon Lek puppets and the theatre, puppet- making demonstration and the art of controlling the puppet.

19:30 hrs

Show Time.
The Joe Louis puppet play is performed by three manipulators jointly controlling one puppet thereby creating highly animated, life-like movements. This enables the puppet to move or dance gracefully. The most popular play performed by the Joe Louis puppet troupe is the famous Ramayana epic (Ramakien in Thai), regularly performed in Thailand and the countries of South and Southeast Asia.
Joe Louis has also frequently taken his art overseas and performed at international festivals as well as special organised tours in Sweden, France, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Egypt and the United States.

21:00 hrs

Transfer back to your hotel.